Lesson Four: Denim

Most people hate shopping for pants. Although it is frustrating when you are trying to find the perfect pair of jeans, you must realize that patience is a virtue; there is a perfect fit and brand for everyone, it just takes time to find it. Like finding a boyfriend, you have to try on many pairs, and perhaps settle on a few that really aren't your style, but if you are patient and learn what you need from your jeans, you will find what is best for you. It took me 22 years to locate the store that serves me the perfect denim pants and shorts (The Limited), but the road to finding it was not easy. If you are over 20 and still have not found the pair of pants that make you feel awesome, here are some guidelines.

1) PATIENCE. Do not settle on a pair of jeans if you do not like them after a try on in the store. It doesn't matter if they are on sale, if they are trendy, or if they will look great once you lose 5 pounds -- if you dislike them in the store, you'll hate them at home. Be patient and try on as many jeans as it takes to find the ones that fit, look stylish, and are comfortable.

Side note: Although you are just barely out of your teens, it may be a good idea to drop the juniors section and start searching for your jeans in stores that cater towards young working women. As a woman with hips, I have realized that juniors jeans are usually cute too narrow for me and even moving up a size does not provide me with a proper fit. Even if you are petite enough to fit into juniors clothing, you may find that misses clothing will provide you with a more flattering and comfortable fit in your hips (and will look more mature.)

2) RISE. I know you may have been all about the super low rise jeans during high school, but it may be time to look at a higher cut. A mature low rise jean should be one inch below your belly button instead of three. This type of rise will fully cover your hips and prevent unflattering 'muffin tops' while you are standing and sitting. This should be a fairly comfortable fit for pretty much everyone and be flattering on any body type. Look for pants with a slight stretch in the fabric, after a few washes these types of pants will fit perfectly on your body.

3) PANT LEG. Depending on what body type you have, some pant legs will be more attractive than others. However, jeans with a boot cut or a slight flare will look good on everyone, so those styles are always a good starting place. Until you are comfortable with your body type, stick with simple pant styles and don't wander into the realm of the super trendy ones. More than likely it will be hard to find one that you are completely in love with and they are very rarely on sale until they go out of style.

Advanced: When choosing your pant leg, think about what type of shoes you will be wearing with the jeans. If they will be casual jeans than a normal boot cut will do. However, if you want to wear them with flats or heels, you may consider a more tapered leg (skinny jean) to show off the shoes. This may seem like a bit over the top, but the right cut and wash in your jeans can really bring an outfit together. Thinking about and planning outfits while you are shopping can help you choose the right addition to your wardrobe and also save you from impulse buys.

3) WASH. The wash of your jean is very important. I always err on the side of darker wash jeans because they are always flattering and can serve well for many outfits (aka can be dressed up or down); darker washes minimize the size of your thighs and hips and give you a nice long and lean look. If you are very petite and have smaller thighs, then you can go into some of the lighter and trendier washes. For women who are curvy or have larger thighs, lighter washes can make you look bigger than you are and be very unflattering. There is never any harm in trying them on, but always remember to buy what looks good on you, not in the magazines.

4) LENGTH. This is also an important topic which some do not take seriously. Again, the length of your jean will depend on the shoes you will wear with it, so it is important to think ahead when you are trying on your jeans. For flats and casual athletic shoes, it is optimal for the bottom of your jeans to just hit the bottom of your heel (with your shoes off) when standing. This will allow the pants to not drag the bottom of the ground when you are walking with your shoes on and not rise up too high when seated. If you will be wearing heels with a boot cut or flare style of jean, choose a length that is two inches longer (or so) than your ‘flat jeans’. Why? Longer jeans with heels balance out the look and make your legs seem longer than they are.

5) SIZE. Throw your size number out the window. Although each number should have a specific measurement, the truth is that each waist cut, pant style, and brand have slightly different measurements. If you try on your normal size in a brand new style of jean and it is too small, leave your ego at the dressing room door and grab a larger size. Moving up a size does not always mean that you are gaining weight; it just means the larger size may fit your proportions better.

Of course all of these are just suggestions, but the one that is a sure fire ticket to success is number one: PATIENCE. If you aren’t patient enough to try on clothes, you will never find the ones that show you off!