There’s hardly a more iconic—or elusive—wardrobe staple than a great pair of jeans. (Just consider that heart-sinking feeling when it’s time to replace your favourite and now worn-out pair.) So how do you make your next denim purchase your most flattering and life-changing fit? We asked Genia Albi, women’s buyer at Over the Rainbow in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood, for her expert denim tips on how to shop the best fit and style of denim for your body type.

1. “Rise is the most important,” says Albi. “If we can get a rise that fits you and you’re comfortable in it, then leg silhouette is secondary.” That applies whether that’s a skinny, straight or boot cut silhouette.

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2. Try a boot cut to add balance. Anything that flares out at the bottom will even out your silhouette, says Albi. Try a medium rise, slim boot. “A regular boot cut usually cuts out from the knee-down, but here, it stays snug around the knee and kicks out a little bit lower, so it elongates the leg,” she says. “It’s a little bit sexier than a regular boot cut.”

3. There’s more than one style of skinny. Most women instinctively feel like there’s one style of denim—the skinny jean—and that she either suits it or doesn’t. “There’s variations of skinny,” Albi explains, from skinny skinny to a looser skinny. “And depending on your body type, we should be able to find the right skinny for you.”

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4. Find a good tailor. “When you buy a beautiful suit, you alter it,” says Albi. “We do the same thing with a great pair of jeans.” Whether that’s taking in a waist (or letting it out), adding a maternity panel or replacing a button fly with a zipper, you can totally find (or create) your best fit.

5. Happy shopping. Seriously—don’t worry about sticking with one cut or style only or writing off denim altogether out of fear of not finding a pair that will suit you. “There are tricks of the trade, where you just know that certain silhouettes will look best on you,” Albi reminds. “But jeans are fun, they’re not so serious.” Amen.

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