First, get familiar with "jeans lingo". This will make searching for the best fitting jeans much easier. Jeans are normally classified by five subcategories: rise, wash, inseam, whiskering, and cut. Rise, the measurement between the crotch of the jean and the waistband, is the first category you want to focus on. The rise of the jean is one of the most important parts of the jeans' fit, and will determine how the jean makes your waist look. As a full figured woman, you want to try to maintain an hourglass shape in your clothing; you always want to try to give the appearance of a well-defined waist, even if you do not have one. Therefore, stay away from ultra-low rise jeans. An ultra-low or low rise jean not only increases the chance of flesh peaking out of the top of the waistband, also called "muffin top", but it also increases the chance of your underwear peaking out as well. These are two major fashion faux pas, and both are unsightly. Also, make sure that the waistband of the jean is not cutting into your flesh. This will create annoying bulges in your overall bodyline. The waistband of the jean should fit comfortably, and if it is cutting into your skin, the jean is probably too small. Jeans with a rise that sits at the waist or just below the waist are very flattering to plus size figures, so look for mid or high-rise jeans.
