I wanted comfortable sturdy jeans that weren't too tight to move in. I am 5'6" tall, 124 lbs., waist 28", hips 37". My waist puts me between the size 6 and 8 on the Bean fit chart, so I ordinarily would have ordered an 8 regular. I didn't know how much shrinkage there would be so I ordered the med/tall. Other reviewers were saying that these pants run small in the waist, so I decided to order both an 8 and a 10 to compare. The other reviewers were right. The 8 was a bit too snug in the waist and crotch, the 10 was perfect. The legs on these pants are loose, but they are shown to be loose in the website picture (I know, hard to tell on that skinny model) so they were just what I expected. I have laundered them twice now and notice very little shrinkage. I wish now I had gotten the regular length, but it's easy enough to shorten these.
The jeans, supposedly size 14, are 1 1/2 inches shorter around the waist that the previous 2 size 14 jeans I purchased. Apparently the sizing has changed, or this pair was made incorrectly. This is not the first sizing error in LL Bean purchased items (turtlenecks) this year. Your quality control is not as good as it used to be. I am disappointed.
The high rise of the Original Fit is perfect for me with my preference for pants to sit at or above the waist. The slim Traditional fit shows off a trim figure. They could be a bit longer.
