Right Fit® Curvy vs. Moderately Curvy: Which Fit Is Yours?
Choose Catherines Right Fit® Curvy if you're fullest at the hips and pants gap at the waist; Moderately Curvy if you're slightly curvy waist to hip.
Right Fit® is designed from the measurements of thousands of real women, and it comes in two shapes. The one that fits you depends less on your size than on the difference between your waist and your hips. Measure both, then match the shape to how your current pants fit.
What is the difference between Curvy and Moderately Curvy?
Curvy is made for women who are fullest at the hips, where regular pants fit the hips but gap at the waist. Moderately Curvy is made for a gentler waist-to-hip difference. Both are straight leg with a relaxed feel, so the shape through the hip and waist is what sets them apart.
In jeans, that means the Right Fit® Curvy Jean or the Moderately Curvy Jean, our heritage Right Fit® style. Both are cut in stretch denim (72% cotton, 27% polyester, 1% spandex) and machine washable.
| Feature | Curvy | Moderately Curvy |
|---|---|---|
| Made for | Women fullest at the hips | Women slightly curvy from waist to hip |
| Fit problem it solves | Gaping at the waist and tightness through the hips | A slight curve from waist to hip that needs relaxed ease, not reshaping |
| Jean waist | Zip fly, button closure, side elastic waist panels | Zip fly, button closure, elastic stretch on sides of waist |
| Pant waist | Quarter back elastic at the back waistband, hook-and-bar closure | Elastic placed in the waistband, hook-and-bar closure |
| Jean lengths | Regular 30", Petite 27", Petite Short 25" | Regular 30", Petite 27" |
| Pant lengths | Regular 30", Petite 27.5", Petite Short 25.5", Tall 33" | Regular 30", Petite 27.5", Tall 33" |
| Sizes | 16W–34W, plus petite lengths | 16W–34W, plus petite lengths |
How do I know if I'm a Curvy fit?
Measure your natural waist and the fullest part of your hips, then think about where your pants usually fail. If the hips fit but the waistband stands away from your back, you're likely Curvy. If standard pants fit fairly well and only need a little more ease at the hip, try Moderately Curvy.
- Measure your waist at its narrowest point, keeping the tape snug but not tight.
- Measure your hips at their fullest point, standing with your feet together.
- Note the gap between the two numbers and compare both to the size chart on the product page.
- Check your favorite pair: does it gap at the waist, pull at the hip, or both?
- Pick the shape that matches the larger problem, then choose your size and length.
A larger waist-to-hip difference points to Curvy; a smaller one points to Moderately Curvy. When you sit between the two, let your fit history decide: waist gaping is the clearest sign of Curvy.
Which fit fixes waist gaping or tight hips?
Curvy is the fit built for both problems at once. It was created to solve gaping at the waist and tightness through the hips, and it smooths comfortably from waist to hip. Moderately Curvy suits you when those problems are mild.
- The waist gaps, the hips fit: go Curvy. It's shaped for a waist that is smaller in proportion to your hips.
- The hips feel tight when the waist fits: go Curvy, which is shaped for more room through the hip.
- Both fit, but the hip feels a little snug: go Moderately Curvy for relaxed ease from waist to hip.
- Regular pants already fit well: Moderately Curvy is the closer match.
One shopper called the Right Fit® Pant Curvy a perfect fit for her "short round stature," which reflects what the shape is for: room through the hip without extra fabric at the waist.
Right Fit® jeans vs. Right Fit® pants: what changes?
The two shapes stay the same across jeans and pants, but the fabric, closure and lengths differ. Jeans use stretch denim and a button. Pants use a smooth two-way stretch fabric (63% polyester, 33% rayon, 4% spandex) with a hook-and-bar closure and front welt pockets.
The Curvy Right Fit® pant adds quarter back elastic at the back waistband, which targets the gap where it usually shows. The Moderately Curvy pant places its elastic in the waistband. Both go from work to weekend, so they sit naturally alongside our other plus size work pants.
If you dislike a hook-and-bar closure, as some shoppers do, the Right Fit® jeans close with a button instead. Pants are also the place to look for Tall: both Right Fit® pants offer a 33" Tall inseam, while the jeans stop at Regular and Petite lengths.
What if I want a pull-on jean for curvy hips?
Try the Curvy Knit Jean. It's a pull-on style with an elastic waist, made from soft French terry that looks like denim, and it's designed for shapes that are curviest at the hips. It has front pockets and a slim leg.
It sits outside the Right Fit® system and uses different sizing: 0X–6X, with Petite in 0XWP–5XWP. Regular inseam is 29" and Petite is 26.5".
How should I choose my Right Fit® size?
Check the size chart on each product page before you order, and don't assume your size carries over between styles. Right Fit® jeans and pants come in sizes 16W–34W, with petite lengths in 16WP–34WP, and fabric and closure differences can change how a waistband feels.
- Measure before every new style. Compare your waist and hip numbers to that product's own size chart.
- Re-check when you switch from jean to pant. One shopper who ordered her usual Right Fit® jean size in a different style could not fasten it.
- Pick your length separately. Petite and Petite Short are listed per style; Tall appears only in the pants.
Catherines offers sizes 14W–40W and 0X–6X across the store, but each collection lists its own span, so read the details on the style you choose. To see every option side by side, browse all plus size jeans or the full range of women's plus size pants.
Frequently asked questions
Why do pants gap at the back waist?
When your hips are noticeably fuller than your waist, a pant sized to clear your hips has extra room at the waistband, and it shows at the back. A Curvy cut is shaped for that difference instead.
Can I wear Right Fit® if I'm petite?
Yes. Both Right Fit® jeans come in Petite Plus sizes 16WP–34WP, and the Curvy Jean and Curvy Pant also come in Petite Short Plus sizes 16WPS–34WPS.
Do Right Fit® pants come in Tall?
Yes. Both Right Fit® pants, Curvy and Moderately Curvy, come in Tall Plus sizes 16WT–34WT with a 33" inseam. The Right Fit® jeans do not list a Tall length.
Is the Curvy Knit Jean part of Right Fit®?
No. The Curvy Knit Jean is a separate pull-on style in French terry, made for shapes that are curviest at the hips. It comes in sizes 0X–6X rather than Right Fit® W sizing.