Who doesn’t know that jeans are one of the best pieces of clothing which should not be found wanting in your closet?
But there is this fear that engulfs most people who are jeans lovers immediately they think of getting new pairs of jeans.
This fear is the feeling of buying the wrong size or fitting of jeans, especially when you are ordering online.
The Old Navy jeans brand has been around for quite a long time in the denim production scene and they are not innocent of the incessant complaints of wrong sizing leveled against them by customers who feel betrayed and unsatisfied.
I will be deciphering why they are guilty of this offense and also answer the question of do they run big or small?
Do Old Navy Jeans Run Big or Small?
Yes, Old Navy Jeans run quite big. They are one of those brands which embrace the vanity size phenomenon.
I know the Old Navy brand for offering plus-size clothing and their jean collection is certainly not an exception from this sizing pattern which seems to extend to all of their products.
From their jeans to their dress pants for men, and even T-shirts for both men and women; all of their clothing tends to run big.
To show how they compare to other brands in sizing, I will compare the brand with the Lee brand of jeans.
If you are size 14 in the normal sizing scale, you will match up to Old Navy jeans sizing in 33inch waist, 44inch hip, and Inseam length of 36 inches.
While the Lee jeans of the same size 14 have a 33inch waist, the hip is at 41-42 inches and an inseam length of 34 inches.
After comparing these two sizes, you will find out that the Old Navy jeans run big as compared to the Lee brand of jeans which runs true to size.
Why do Old Navy Jeans Run Big?
I will link the reason why Old Navy jeans run big to a trending marketing strategy that came into the clothing industry not too long ago. This strategy is called the Vanity Sizing Phenomenon.
This is a term that refers to the altering of measurement specifications of garments (in this text, jeans), to enable customers to fit into a smaller size.
Although Old Navy does their over-sizing bidding, which is a factor of this phenomenon, they do it the opposite way. This is what I mean, Vanity sizing suggests smaller sizing which a lot of brands adopt, but Old Navy size up.
So, if you purchase a pair of jeans from Abercombie and they run small, next time you would want to go for a better brand with a broader size variation and that is where Old Navy comes in.
The Old Navy brand does their form of vanity sizing by increasing the waist size of their jeans, which means that a pair of jeans labeled 33 inches by Old Navy has a waist size of 38 inches.
This development has made a lot of their die-hard customers resort to sizing down for a better fit or choosing true to size if they prefer a bigger fit.
One of their customers even corroborated this fact by adding that ‘everything about Old Navy is vanity sizing’ and he advised those who wish to buy from the brand to always size at least a size down.
Do Old Navy Jeans Stretch Out?
Yes, Old Navy jeans stretch out. And I know them for stretching out more easily than most other brands of jeans.
The stretch feature in the Old Navy jeans is mostly directed to their women’s line of jeans, albeit their men’s line of jeans also records the occurrence of stretch in their jeans.
I tie the reason for the stretch to the type of denim used by the company in manufacturing most of their jeans.
Be as it may, there is a type of denim known as stretch denim that improves elasticity in jeans.
This denim is a cotton blend, often cotton/polyester, which is combined with an elastic fiber such as spandex or elastane to provide stretch.
This feature makes the Old Navy women’s line of jeans more favored in sales than the men’s line. The comfort and ease of access offered by stretch jeans are what most women love.
However, the stretch features in most Old Navy jeans are found in their skinny cut styles but are also seen in other styles like the bootcut and flare styles for women and the straight leg jeans for men.
How to Know Your Old Navy Jeans Size?
Since I now know that Old Navy jeans run big, how then can I get the right jeans for me?
This question must have skipped your mind in the course of this article, but not to worry, I am poised to direct you and let you in some of my sizing tricks and tips. You cannot have it wrong if you are doing it right.
Old Navy jeans are known for abundant space in the waist size and particularly have enough spacing in most f their straight-leg jeans. But how can you get the right size if all of their jeans run big?
The simple tip for you is to size down. If you need a more tight fitting, go down like 2 sizes, but if you need a relaxed but not too baggy size, then sizing down by one size will do the job for you.
For you to have a deeper understanding of how sizing works with Old Navy jeans, you need a comprehensive size chart and the ones below will do justice to that.
For Men:
| Brand Size | Waist |
| XS | 28-29 |
| S | 30-31 |
| M | 32-34 |
| L | 35-37 |
| XL | 38-40 |
| XXL | 41-43 |
| XXXL | 44-46 |
Inseam:
| Inseam | Length |
| Short | 30 |
| Regular | 32 |
| Tall | 34 |
For Women:
| Brand Size | Size | Waist | Hip |
| XXS | 00 | 24 | 34 ½ |
| XS | 0-2 | 25-26 | 35 ½ – 36 ½ |
| S | 4-6 | 27-28 | 37 ½ – 38 ½ |
| M | 8-10 | 29-30 | 39 ½ – 40 ½ |
| L | 12-14 | 31 ½ -33 ½ | 42 ½ – 44 |
| XL | 16-18 | 36 ¼ -39 | 46 ½ – 49 |
| XXL | 20 | 42 | 51 ½ |
| 2X | 20-22 | 42- 44 ½ | 51 ½ – 53 ½ |
| 3X | 24-26 | 46 5/8 – 49 | 56 ½ – 58 ½ |
| 4X | 28-30 | 51 ½ – 54 | 61 – 63 ½ |
Inseam:
| Inseam | Length |
| Short | 30 |
| Regular | 32 |
| Tall | 34 |
The chart above is the size chart of the Old Navy jeans for both men and women, respectively.
Understanding the chart is very simple but requires you to also take note of the tip on sizing down for you to achieve a nice fitting for your jeans.
For the men’s chart, the first column refers to the sizing term used by the Old Navy to group the size of their jeans by the waist, which is the standard size measurement.
Each of the letters in the column stands for various size variations.
S – Small
L – Large
M – Medium
X – Large.
Once you know these variables, sizing in the Old Navy won’t be hard for you. You have to measure your waist size and compare it with the size range which is allocated to each of these variables.
Assuming your size is 33 inches waist and you want to compare it with the chart, your size will fall between 32-34inches, which is Medium(M).
But remember the rule of sizing down whenever you want to purchase, to avoid going through the process of shrinking your jeans.
The same technique for the men’s chart applies to the women’s chart but theirs is more complex, as it contains a column for the hip.
But not to worry, the main sizing happens with the waist, so whatever size that you settle for after comparing and sizing down, go with the size of the hip.
3 Old Navy Jeans to have in your closet
These are 3 fashionable Old Navy jeans that you should add to your staple and appear more attractive.
The prices of these jeans are affordable, so you have to worry about splashing a $100 bill on a pair of jeans.
Women’s Rock-star 360◦ Stretch Distressed Jeans
Price: $39.99
Key Features:
- Material: 75% cotton, 24% polyester, 1% spandex.
- Closure Type: Zipper flies with button closure.
- 360◦ Stretch.
- Distressed knee and hems.
- Color: Dark Wash.
High High-Waisted Flare Jeans for Women
Price: $44.99
Key Features:
- Material: 77% cotton, 11% recycled polyester, 6% nylon, 5% recycled cotton, 1% spandex.
- Closure Type: Zipper fly, button closure.
- Style: High-waisted flare.
- Color: Beatrice.
Men’s Relaxed Slim Taper Built-in Flex Jeans
Price: $44.00
Key Features:
- Material: 94% cotton, 5% recycled cotton, 1% spandex.
- Closure Type: Zipper fly, button closure.
- Color: Medium.
- Style: Relaxed Slim Taper.
- 5 pocket design.
Conclusion
To wrap up this article, I would love to remind you of the sizing tip which I shared earlier about Old Navy jeans.
You can always go back to a size chart for reference, such as the one I provided in this article.
Old Navy jeans are not just stylish, they are designed to meet a timeless denim culture.
You should be a part of their story by visiting their store to order any of the above jeans which suit your taste and gender specification.
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