Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Mindy:

Finding the right pair of jeans is really a trial-and-error proposition. In my experience you have to try on a lot of pairs before you find one with the right fit, so being willing to do some extra shopping is one of the key elements to solving this problem. With your figure concerns, some design elements to look for are extra seaming or stitching up the front or the back of the legs, or a design next to the outside seam. Vertical details such as these will move the eye up and down for a taller, slimmer effect. What you want to avoid are details such as busy pockets, stitching, and heavy whiskering around your hip area, because they will call attention to your hip and thigh area. Darker-colored jeans, in black or a dark-rinsed denim, will be more slimming.

Good luck on your jeans safari, and don't give up on the search for the perfect pair. You never know when or where they'll turn up!

Sincerely, Fashion Girl