Hunting for the perfect pair of jeans

IN THE STORE

For most of us, a well-fitted pair of jeans is still an enigma. What fits mannequins like a dream hangs on us like a nightmare. What should you, as a consumer, be looking at while picking up that pair of jeans? Abhilasha Ojha finds out:

For the office
Fashion consultant Stacy London, who also co-hosts the show What Not to Wear, on TLC, a Discovery Communications channel, recently spoke about the dream pair of jeans. Her mantra: a good pair of jeans should be treated like a pair of well-fitted pants.

"Jeans can be, and in most cases should be, altered," she said on the show. A good pair should feel right when it sits on your thighs but never too tight. For office wear, London suggests high-rise, slight boot cut in dark washes which give legs a slimmer look and make the stomach appear flatter.

Jeans shouldn't be too long or have very heavy stitching especially for office wear (Wills Lifestyle: Rs 1,195-1,595). For those who are petite (note: short and slim), London recommends the "fashion forward style" or skinny jeans in brown and black (Levis: Rs 2,099-Rs 3,500).

Corset jeans
Anshul Chaturvedi, marketing manager, Wrangler, tells you that both men and women are picky about colour or "wash""" not just fits. With nine types of fits for men and six for women respectively, Chaturvedi suggests "clean washes" instead of the "distressed" or "faded" look. His forecast: High-waist, or "corset" jeans, tapered, with a slight boot-cut, will be the next big thing."

A pair on the web
Before shopping for your perfect pair of jeans, try zafu.com, where you'll find your best fit from 200 different styles, from 70 different brands. I found 44 results, including Lee, CK, Gap and Hilfiger, for my body type.