As celebrated in the fashion story of our latest issue, jeans are one of the most durable and versatile pieces in your wardrobe. Yet buying jeans, no matter what size or shape you are, can be a soul-destroying and exhausting shopping mission. Donna Ida offers bespoke denim consultations at her boutiques and, to help with our quest for the perfect fit, she shares her tips on what to look for when buying a new pair of jeans.

Choose the right shade

A: Very dark denim is the most flattering, but if you are looking for a more distressed wash choose styles with some gentle shading down the front of the thigh as this lengthens the legs.

Tips for trying on

When jeans shopping, take a pair of heels with you. If you are buying a boot-cut or flare take the highest heel you have so the length will then work with a slightly lower heel. Follow the advice of the assistant if they tell you to go down a size – they will know how much stretch is in the jean and you don’t want them to become too big after just a few wears.

Know your shape, but don't be afraid to try something new

Very often you think you know your shape and what suits you, but one of my key pieces of advice is to be open to trying new things. Many women think certain jeans don’t suit them – skinnies for example – but with the right styling, a woman can wear different styles. At Donna Ida we have Denim Clinics for customers who have not bought jeans for a long time and are not sure what suits them, or would just like some help choosing the right pair.

Try my tried and tested denim labels

Great brands that I always recommend are J Brand, James, Citizens, Goldsign, Hudson and MiH Jeans.

Donna Ida is available online at donnaida.com and have four stores: Chelsea, Belgravia, Westfield and Guildford, their first denim boutique outside of London.