I ordered some pants from Eddie Bauer online, and they came yesterday. I was a bit worried that they would be too tight - I was at the end of the range in the size I ordered, and I wasn't sure if the measurement was the garment measurement or if it fit that measurement. What I mean is, if the pants were that exact measurement they'd be skin tight. Anyway, they arrived and I tried them on and they were too big! The sizing charts are much nicer in women's sizes (i.e. fat people sizes). The pants I got were very roomy.

The expensive wool blend pair that I ordered were falling off me. I'll have to return them. The material is beautiful. I have to call them to figure out what size I should order. The other two pairs of pants seemed huge at first too. I was upset that I would have to return the whole order! Then I took a look at them, and the hip area is right - it is just the waist. Ah, the standard problem. Why is it that pant manufacturers think that women's waists are the same darn size as their hips??

Anyway, I decided that a smaller size would probably pull in the hips and I'd still have the problem of the huge waist. So I went on a sewing adventure. Easiest way to take in pants - go up the butt. So I took the waist in about 3" and took some out of the butt as well. The waist could have come in a bit more but then the fit was totally weird. As it is they're a bit off. (MOM - if you are reading this, any other ideas to take these in? I have another pair in a different colour too).

So I got out my cheap sewing machine. Now by cheap I really do mean cheap. Ok, it cost me $15 at a useful gadgets fair (they have these at department stores every so often). It takes batteries *lol* Now I should have known that there is no way that that thing can do heavy cotton twill - in a double layer no less. I had a total disaster with thread all wrapped around the bobbing and knotting up in the pants. So forgot that idea. Hand sewing here we go.

So I hand sewed them. I did a good job too. Was very patient and tried to make the stitches all the same size. Then they were puckering a bit in the back - well folding. Hard to describe. So I had to come down a bit more - extend the angle down a bit, and now they lay properly. Then they were too long, so I had to hem them. Luckily there is the best invention in the world here - iron hem. You hem the pants, then wet this ribbon like thing and iron it on. Works great and takes all of five minutes to do. I LOVE it!

So all that done, I now have this big flap of material on the inside of my pants. So off to the sewing store to find bias. I took Hiroshi with me to explain. He was less than useless... this is the man that can't boil water. Try to have him explain sewing terms *roflol* Well it eventually turns out that in Japanese bias is bias. Doh! So I got the ironable bias - cuz I can't hand sew that. Cut off the big hunk of material, put the bias on and now I'm rocking and rolling. I might have to redo the bias though. It didn't stick very well - I think because I didn't wet it enough. (For the men reading this, bias is tape that you stick on a raw seam so that the material doesn't fray).

So now I have two pairs of pants that fit. Will re-order those other pants in the correct size, but will only get one of those. As I get thinner I'll order them in smaller sizes, cuz they really are wonderful. Very soft material and it falls nicely.

Overall, the online experience was ok - I'd be thrilled if they had fit perfectly. I'll order from them again. I can't get pants in my size here - they simple don't offer them. Size 14 is about as high as they go in Japan... and that is in the plus sized section! Fair warning - once you order, you can't change the sizes or anything. I second guessed and tried to order a bigger size, but couldn't change the order. It worked out with the sizes I did get, but I'm a bit peeved that no one even answered the email I sent. That is just sucky customer service. So my suggestion - don't go by the size charts, ask them directly... before you order!