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Top 10 to a Perfect Pair of Jeans

Life is a little easier once you find the perfect jeans. It's the basic bones on which you can develop a lot of looks. But finding the right jeans may mean trying on ten or twenty pairs.

According to a survey last year by which? Magazine, the average person spends twice as long shopping around for the right pair of jeans as they do choosing a current account - almost 40 per cent of those surveyed spent up to three hours choosing jeans.

1. Check the Zipper: The zipper should be strong and lie flat. The flap over the zipper should also lie flat. The same rule applies to button style.

2. Tuck Something: If you can't tuck in you sweater, or at least a shirt, you need a bigger size.

3. Check the Seams: They should run straight down your legs. This indicates a food fit. If a jean has any curve to it, it's either not the right cut for you, or it's too small.

4. Bend Over: If you can't touch your palms to the ground, or you can't kneel, then your jeans won't be comfortable.

5. Check the weight: The heavier the denim the more wear you'll get. It will be more forgiving to flaws.

6. Cuff or Cut: Cuffs are cute on slim jeans, and usually work better on longer legs. The cut, ragged look looks best with wide legs.

7. Mix it Up: You can mix and match denim colors, but stick to one color palette. Light blue denim looks great with darker denim, but don't wear dark denim with black.

8. Choose a style that's right for your body type: A slim figure is well-suited to low-rise skinny, straight or boot-cut jeans. The latter two cuts are more flattering on muscular, athletic shapes. If you are pear-shaped, try low-rise boot-cut or flared jeans for balance. A higher-rise is recommended for curvier girls, as it better conceals love-handles. However, every figure is different and it really is best to try on many different cuts. To make your butt look perkier, choose a jean with low-set back pockets that are closer to the center.

9. Have one outfit that you know works: Just one outfit a season can become your backup... your time-saver. It is what you'll wear when you get that last-minute invitation. Don't ever refuse an invitation because you have nothing to wear.

10. Jeans Camouflage: Pick slightly relaxed dark denim jeans. If there are pockets on the jean, they should be close-set. Don't wear your jeans too tight, or with too much stretch to them.

Jeans for the office

Obviously, you need to know whether jeans are allowed in your workplace. One of the best parts of business casual is that the slight boot-cut, trouser-looking jean has come out of the concept. In a dark wash, it doubles more as a trouser, and with a front crease it creates a polished, completely work-appropriate silhouette. Boot-cut styles really do look best with a pointy toe, it lengthens the leg line and makes you taller and slimmer.

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