Avoiding Mom or Dad Jeans (aka Long Butt)

It's a reality - very few women can pull off wearing low-rise, skinny jeans and actually LOOK GOOD. (Key here being 'look good.' Many women are wearing them but really shouldn't. In their defense, the stores do not exactly have much variety and tend to only stock skinnies.)

Whether one makes their own or buys them as ready-to-wear, avoiding the 'Mom Jeans' look is key to not looking like...well... mom!

Truth be told, in my own quest to gain some tips on how to avoid this fashion faux pas, I stumbled upon the blog Grasping for Objectivity in My Subjective Life.

Rachel has dedicated a great portion of her time helping women avoid the dreaded 'Mom Jeans' look.  While I don't believe she ever extended her services to men, some of the same principles apply and I will cover here as well.

According to Rachel, "It's all about pocket placement."

An amazing explanation directly from her blog:

"Let me explain. Mom Jeans typically have long pockets and high waists. And, due to this, the tops of the pockets are usually on the back above the butt, while the bottom of the pockets tend to hit mid-butt.
However, the bottom of one’s butt is the most distinct part – it curves inward – so it clearly defines the end of the rear. SO if your pocket STARTS two inches above board and your curve ends two inches below pocket, you just gained an extra two inches of butt, thereby creating the cursed Long Butt.
To avoid LB, go for pockets that actually start a little below the top of your butt and end an inch or so BELOW the butt. This shortens the butt dramatically – because you can still see the distinctive curve at the end of the butt, so it looks like your butt is only as tall as the beginning of the pocket to the curve, thereby making it about half the size of the aforementioned dreadful Mom jeans."

 Note: one can be skinny and still have Long Mom Butt

 Pocket placement aside, here are some general rules-of-thumb to avoid Mom Butt jeans:

1) Avoid diagonal rear pockets (top of pockets angled toward CB and parallel to the yoke). Instead place pockets straight up and down making them slanted relative to the yoke and relatively parallel to the CB seam

Diagonal Pocket Disasters (notice that one has a slightly fuller leg and one is a well-fitted leg)

2) Jeans should NEVER be so tapered that they cut off air supply when you bend over because they are pressing on your lungs. (An issue for women rather than men.) Widen the waist so that it is more straight up and down like a 'guy body' cut.

3) If purchasing jeans and they have an elastic waist or come in sizes S, M, L, XL..... they are mom/dad jeans - AVOID THEM LIKE THE PLAGUE!

4) Jeans must ALWAYS have back pockets to avoid being mom/dad jeans.

5) Avoid lighter/acid washes - go for dark wash

6) Avoid all-over uniform color EXCEPT for dark washes and dressier jeans you might wear to work on casual Friday. A slight bit of shadowing (fading) and/or whiskering in the right places will give definition to a dark wash and still be appropriate.  This you can easily do at home with a bit of sandpaper. Note the slight fading in the back and the front. It's minimal but adds definition. Pastel colors should be reserved to a minimum and frankly, very few people also can pull these off well.

Don't let the merchants and magazines tell you that 'Mom Jeans' are making a comeback. They are trying to make a sale.  Like Skinny Jeans, they are NOT flattering on anyone.

7) Never, ever, ever let your socks show.  If they do, the jeans are too short.  If they are too short, find your best length and cuff them up to that point (Measure between knee and floor, divide into thirds.  At each third is your best length - compliments of Louise Cutting.) If you must wear socks - ankle length only. Show some skin between the sock and cuff of the jeans.


Something for the Guys though really not very different from the Ladies.....

In general, men tend to have a flatter butt, which leads to its own share of challenges that ultimately results in Flat Dad Butt.

1) Purchasing or wearing larger jeans to try and hide the flatness will only make it worse. Find your best size that looks fitted everywhere else.

Classic Flat Butt (compliments of Steve Jobs)

2) Purchase/make jeans with some Spandex/Lycra.  Yes - just do it.  Stiffer jeans made of 100% cotton (usually 12-14 oz sold as work-type jeans) will only make a flat butt look flatter.

3) K.I.S.S. Most flattering on men? Straight Leg or Boot Cut, Medium Rise, Dark Wash. Avoid excessive fanfare, whiskering, distressing, and fading.

4) No Pleats. No high rise. No acid wash.

5) Again, pockets are the key! Look for wider (but not taller) back pockets that sit on your cheeks. Make sure the bottommost edge of the pocket doesn't sit too low on your thighs.  This can make you look dumpy (or Gansta!).  Watch the angled placement too (see #1 above). Must. Have. Back. Pockets.

6) Also, never, ever, ever let your socks show. (See #7 above for women)


7) If your jeans and your look is reminisceint of Jerry Seinfeld, you've got Dad Jeans Syndrome.

Don't let the merchants and magazines tell you that 'Dad Jeans' are making a comeback. They are trying to make a sale.


For men or women, styling is just as important.

** Don't Tuck Shirts In! Or, give it the half tuck - shirt front in/shirt back out.

** Lose the belt. (Note: 'lose' as in remove not 'loosen' as in less tight. If the belt is critical to your jeans staying up then you are wearing the wrong size/style. Lose both.)

** Wear a well-fitted blazer that covers the backside. (Ladies, cardigan can work too. Men, a cardigan only works if you are Fred Rogers.)

He may be one of the most powerful men in the world but this is classic Dad Butt Jeans: