May 2010

The Times

Q. I need a new pair of jeans, and I don’t know where to turn. I’m almost 50, slim and have a healthy budget, but I still can’t find a pair of jeans that really flatter me. I have exhausted the options at the small shopping centre near where I live and am wondering if I might find something online instead.

A. You are in luck. Several online denim retailers really know their stuff and can give you advice about cut, shape and wash without you needing to step over the threshold of a shop.

Set up by three denim obsessive in 2006, Trilogy has two stores in London, and is about to open a third. However, it also boasts a very extensive, user-friendly online boutique (trilogystores.co.uk) that you can peruse at your leisure. Even better, the company offers an over-the-phone advice service, and staff pride themselves on trying on every pair of jeans so that they really understand how they fit. This means that you can choose your favourite style and then telephone the experts to ask if it will suit you, or get their suggestions. Personally I like a brand that they sell called Genetic; it offers a shorter, cropped leg length that could work for you.