Rise to the occasion
These days, denim can tick any number of boxes. Want sexy date-wear jeans? Choose butt figure-hugging straight legs teamed with designer tops and heels. Need functionality? Loose vintage-style jeans will do and look suitably on-trend. Even the formerly clueless have graduated from unflattering ’mom-jeans’ to sleek bootlegs. Jeans have been so ubiquitous in the last five jeans that there’s no reason not to know what looks good. And as for those $250 jeans? Blame the celebrity culture of the late nineties and beyond. When Earl Jean responded to utility-chic overload by trouncing Maharishi combats with low-waist skinny “55” bootlegs, the A list just couldn’t get them on fast enough. Here was denim that was feminine, sexy and cool. It totally bridged the gap between casual wear and evening wear and let’s face it, if you’re going to wear them for all occasions, why not pay over the odds, your cost-per-wear is still going to be peanuts!

What next?
These days denim is considered acceptable in almost every situation although interestingly some old school institutions use it as a barrier to keep the riff raff out (The Ritz doesn’t allow jeans in its bars or restaurants). Nevertheless it’s so ingrained in the psyche of every fashion-literate mover and shaker that even dress codes won’t put them off. (Tip: Choose dark denim, from a distance it’s harder to distinguish the fabric.) While most of us judge our denim brands by their ability to flatter (Superfine equals leggy and lithe, Notify’s Body Sculpt befriends the generous butt), there will always be the fashion faithfuls who follow a look because it’s new and not necessarily because it looks good. But snigger though we may, they’re the ones who help keep fashion afloat - where would the drainpipe jean be if it wasn’t for those mavericks who tried it first? In the end there’s room for all styles of jeans. Instead of striving for the perfect pair these days it’s about aiming for the perfect wardrobe of jeans. So which ones have you got?

Skinny Minnie
What a difference a year makes. In twelve short months skinny jeans have superseded the ubiquitous bootcut as the jeans style du jour. But are they for everyone? Unlike the bootcut, they aren’t kind to curves but there are ways to make a slimmer cut work on a shapely figure. Straight-leg jeans like Nudie’s Slim Kim or Levi’s 571 in a dark indigo will give a sleek look to chunky legs as they don’t grip the ankle yet they allow a narrow silhouette especially worn with heels. It’s also worth avoiding Lycra where possible as this makes a skinny jean clingy. Tapered and super-tight drainpipes while ordinarily hard to wear do come in handy for those doing ’the tuck’. That is, wearing their jeans inside their boots. Disregard those naysayers who brand the look passé. Kate Moss and Alison Mosshart are still doing it so who are we to argue with them? The newest twist on the drainpipe, the Pencil or Cigarette cut is a shorter version of the super-slim jean. Levi’s Engineered has a variation of this launching in Urban Outfitters stores from the end of July and it’s the perfect length for wearing with high-heeled ankle boots and shoe boots.
Do: Wear volume on your top half, this looks sophisticated and makes your legs appear even sleeker.
Don’t: Team chunky shoes with drainpipes or straights, a slender heel keeps proportions balanced.

Boot camp
Be warned. However current they are now, skinny jeans won’t last - they’re simply too exclusive! When most of the population is size 14-plus it’s clear that the bootcut is the perfect jean, hence it’s reign up until now. Dark indigo is still the gold standard for eveningwear - think Donna Summer circa 1978 and hunt out unembellished looks from Louis Vuitton, J Brand and Dorothy Perkins.
Do: Ignore trends and wear bootcuts if they suit your shape.
Don’t: Dress down in bootcuts. Tailoring and heels keep the look streamlined.  

Hey boyfriend!
It was only a matter of time before the baggy jean reentered the fold. Ultra-wide trousers are set to be key for next autumn so it’s not surprising some people are keen to get a head start on the trend now. A primarily relaxed look, these jeans can be dressed up with a heel but only if the jeans are long enough or worn over tall boots. Clumpy sandals like Chloe’s wooden-heeled platforms work well as they can be too heavy with narrower jeans. Labels like Oasis, Diesel, Gap and French Connection are backing baggy jeans. French Connection’s ’Carpenter’ jeans have been a bestseller for months while Gap’s ’Boyfriend’ jeans are a timely antidote to the stretch-skinnies so prevalent elsewhere on the high street.
Do: Contrast with silk blouses and flirty camisoles for a boy-girl mix.
Don’t: Wear too many layers on top. Keep things in proportion with a simple fitted shirt or crop blazer.

Elegantly waisted
With this season’s focus on the waist it’s no surprise that die-hard fashion types are bigging up the trend for high waisted jeans. Balenciaga pushed it last season while Karen Walker is a big advocate this season but proceed with caution. As usual, the fashionistas will try it simply because it’s difficult and difficult equals edgy. The hardest look is the tight and highwaised jean as shown at Superfine. An easier take is River Island’s sailor style pants which have a ’70s Parisienne feel to them and will look great with a stripe T and platforms if you can muster up the courage. More wearable are the subtler looks from Lee and Acne, standard skinny jeans with a longer rise that sits closer to the natural waisline than the hipsters we’ve become used to.
Do: Experiment if you’re short-waisted, long-legged and flat of stomach (Kate Moss)
Don’t: Try this at home if you’re a typical pear shape, it makes waists look small so bums will look colossal.  

Bright and beautiful
Hands up who lived in black and grey Superfines all winter? Guilty? Then this is the season to store them to make way for new summery shades. With white set to be the colour of summer it makes sense to employ white jeans as the mainstay of your warm-weather wardrobe. Bright white denim comes into its own at Lee, Jane Norman and Notify and it also looks fresh against hot summer brights and natural tan tones. Or why not experiment with the influx of new coloured denim? Think Matthew Williamson-style clashes of red skinny jeans (at Miss Selfridge) with acid-bright Converse and Lacoste’s pastel preppy poloshirts. Elsewhere on the high street you’ll find Benetton-bright denim at Sass & Bide and Tsubi and soft pastels at TopShop and H&M.
Do: Team white Capri-length jeans with Chanel or French Sole quilted ballet pumps for the ultimate in high-low style.
Don’t: Go overboard with colour. Two or three contrasts will work but not the entire rainbow.