What It’s Like For A Plus-Size Person To Shop For Jeans At Old Navy

The Gap company, through its Old Navy brand, is on a journey to revolutionize the plus-size shopper's brick-and-mortar experience — simply by making it equal to what a straight-sized customer expects when they enter a retail space. In August of last year — after “years of extensive research,” according to the brand — Old Navy launched the BODEQUALITY campaign, completely altering the extended-size retail experience for the better. The retailer promised that every women’s style stocked in-store would be available in sizes 0 through 28, and mannequins showcasing clothing in sizes 4, 12, and 18 would flank the inclusively-sized racks. (Online customer would be able to select models in any of these three sizes while shopping the brand’s e-commerce hub.)

This may not sound like such a big deal to anyone who’s accustomed to seeing models and clothing that match their body type, but if you are a plus-size customer you know the shopping struggle intimately. Imagine you step inside a store and are directed to a poorly lit, neglected corner where there are only a few racks with played-out styles and designs. I know this may seem a tad bit dramatic, but for plus-size shoppers like myself, this sad imagery of an in-store shopping experience is a little closer to reality than we’d like. Not only are plus-size shopping sections often smaller and lacking in options, many retailers who “offer” extended sizes don’t actually stock them in physical stores, leaving those with larger bodies to perpetually surf the internet with no hopes for the IRL brick-and-mortar experience that their straight-sized peers take for granted.

This is exactly why we need more brands thinking of retail in an inclusive way.  I paid a visit to the Old Navy store in Downtown Brooklyn to shop for a new pair of jeans and get a feel for the changes that were implemented back in August 2021, to see if the experience still lived up to the hype. Upon arriving at the store, it took only moments to confirm that the retailer has maintained its promise of a revolutionized shopping experience for plus-size people by making their experience identical to straight-sized customers. It was pretty weird (in a good way) seeing a style of denim stocked through size 28, but it was also a very lovely feeling too. 

After walking around the shop and browsing other styles online, I’ve narrowed down some styles that I think are worth your attention. I personally tried on the High-Waisted Button-Fly O.G. Straight Off White Jeans and Fit You 3 sizes in 1 Extra High-Waisted Rockstar Super Skinny Black Jeans and both fit well, and I included a few more pairs from the brand’s assortment that I think are worth checking out. From the perfect pair of full-length wide-leg jeans to the high-waisted straight-leg jeans of your dreams, there’s a pair of denim meant to rock every world. 

All hail wide-leg jeans — this cut, and black-wash combo are perfect for taking on casual things in a comfy more relaxed fit. Don't mistake comfort for laziness, especially with these. The black wash adds a subtle hint of sophistication to a look with little effort.

Skater inspired-clothing of the 2000s is trending at an all-time high. This light washes roomy pair of jeans is a nod to that culture. Live your early 2000s teenybopper fantasy of being the skater girl in a Disney Channel Original Movie today.

If you aren't quite into the full-on wide-leg vibe of the washed black-denim finish above, these are the next best bet. While both pairs have a similar finish, this pair has a slimmer leg allowing more visibility for whatever shoes you are wearing.

If you are a Curvy gal like me, then this deep black pair of straight-leg jeans are ideal. The wash is also very refined and can definitely be worn for a cocktail hour or a nicer evening out. Although, these Curvy high-waisted O.G jeans would look just as great with the perfect white tee.

We all know size fluctuation is totally normal and happens to everyone. Old Navy has designed their Fit You line of denim where three sizes are represented in one pair of jeans. Right now Fit You jeans are only available in the Rockstar super skinny cut, but lets keep our fingers crossed for other iterations of this revolutionary style.

Although I'm not personally a skinny jeans fan, I got to try these on too. They fit pretty well and the extra high-waist was a nice touch especially for those with a larger backside.

The fashion girlies have been going crazy for white. It's perfectly understandable when you think of the crisp all-white looks that can ensue. This pair of off-white curvy denim is a great starting place for tackling the iconic monochromatic look.

I personally tried the non-curvy version of these and loved the fit. They were the perfect straight leg cut. As someone with hips, I'd imagine the curvy fit is even better because of the extra inches of room in the hip area.

Because of the early-2000s fever everyone has been going through, boot-cut styles are having a revival. If you have been tempted to snag a pair of western cowboy boots, you might as well grab these too.