7 for All Mankind

NEW YORK -- The five-pocket jean is a classic -- no doubt about it -- but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement.

This might be the right time for denim devotees to take a look at some newer models since a new generation of jeans has been born, emphasizing both fit and fashion.

James Jeans designer Seun Lim says women want jeans that can take them from day to night, weekday to weekend. "You need pants for 24/7. They need to look good with heels and the same pair should look good with sneakers."

No one wants jeans to become so dressy that they aren't the first thing you reach for on a Sunday morning, but if the pants are truly figure-flattering then you'll want to wear them on Monday, too, Lim says.

"Jeans are supposed to be comfortable clothes, that's why we love them. But you can't really be 'comfortable' if you're worried about how your butt, legs and inner thigh look," she says.

Lim is the first to say she doesn't like exercise or diets, so she is perfectly happy to use optical illusions, such as a darker rinse on the inner thigh of the jeans or strategically positioned back pockets, for a more flattering appearance. "It's all about highlighting and disguising the good and the bad," she says.

Some other tricks include placing the "knee" of a boot-leg jean slightly above the wearer's actual knee to create a longer and leaner look; using "whiskers," light horizontal lines, in a very compact area around the zipper to make hips look narrower; and a bi-level waist, lower in the front so the front of the jeans sit on the hips and higher in the back to ensure full rear coverage when the wearer sits down.

These touches don't come cheap: James Preserved Denim retails for $130 to $150.

One of the pioneers in this "luxury" jeans category is 7 for all Mankind. Design director Tim Kaeding says that now that stylish jeans have become widely available -- at all price points -- there is even greater attention paid to fit. Read more...