Fashion

Few things in life can evoke the sheer panic that I experience when it comes time to search for a new pair of jeans, and if I do, chances are that many women out there do too. Jeans are at once the simplest wardrobe staple and the most conundrum-inducing item to shop for. Scarred by years of flood-pants, protruding love handles and other similar style blunders, I tend to avoid this shopping experience like the plague. And while 30 Rock’s Jenna Maroney might make a killing off her Muffin Tops, this zaftig gal tends to prefer to keep hers under wraps.

Unless you happen to be blessed with a perfectly proportionate figure (for which I likely will hate you), there are a plethora of issues you can experience when trying to find the best jeans for your body type. And even those with the seemingly perfect parts are unlikely to walk into a store and presto perfect fit! There are pinches in unwanted places, hemming nightmares and an unholy amount of spandex.

Fear not, dear readers, all is not lost. The denim-gods were not so cruel as to prevent us all from joining in on casual Friday at the office. For every fail there is a fix and the perfect denim duds are out there for you. Our advice?

Step one: take a deep breath and jump in. Though the hot, un-flattering fitting room lights are capable of throwing even the calmest women into a tizzy, the key is to just relax. Know that you’re not the only one with this dilemma. Take the time to find the perfect jeans for your body. Consider fit before going for the trendiest pair. As much as I may have coveted these ridiculous Maison Martin Margiela for H&M boyfriend parachute pair, I had to accept that they just weren’t for my hourglass figure.

To help you out, we’ve scoured through the racks of pudge-pinching, ill-fitting nightmares to find six essential jeans for every body shape and size. May this put the final kibosh on your recurring shopping nightmares.

See the 6 best jeans for your body now! »

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