Muffin top is a relatively new term and a relatively new problem that dates back only to the onset of low rise jeans; the lower the jean, the more likely that a muffin top will appear. If this is a problem you occasionally suffer from, don’t take it personally. 99% of all women will experience the muffin top effect sometime in their lives. That’s why it’s one of the most frequently chosen items on zafu’s fit wishlist.

The reason is simple and it has to do with anatomy and gravity. Back when clothing was a purely functional tool, designed to cover our bodies, the natural anchor point for pants was the human waist. This is where our torsos tend to be smallest. If a pair of pants is held in place at the waist, they have a good chance of staying in place.

Fast forward to the mid 20th century; fashion dictates that wearing jeans lower on the body is sexier and more attractive. No longer anchored at the smallest point of the body, the jeans waistband needs to fit snugly to keep them securely on the body. Since the location of this snug waistband is also in a fairly fleshy part of a woman’s body, the flesh tends to spill over the top. Behold the emergence of the modern muffin top.

What are the solutions to the muffin top dilemma?

• Get the right size of jeans. Yes, jeans have stretch, but if you are wearing them 2 sizes too small flesh is going to spill out no matter what you do. Don’t subject yourself or anyone else to that, please.
• Try out some at the waist jeans. They are coming back into fashion and they will smooth and cover all of that softer flesh. If you accessorize well, they can look very chic and sophisticated.
• Look for a slightly higher low rise jean. Anyone who has had the muffin top problem knows where their sweet spot is; that perfect waistband position that is low enough to be sexy and modern and high enough to all but eliminate the spill over effect.
• Wide waistbands are a bonus. They can make the jeans appear lower and they have the added benefit of holding in and adding shape to your waist area.

Fashion doesn’t always make sense. Don’t blame yourself; once you understand the cause of your problems the solution is easy.

Related links
Get the right pitch to your jeans
Tight Jeans

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