Does my bum look big in this?

Finding the perfect pair of denim jeans is never easy, no matter what age you are, but it is far more difficult when you are ‘of a certain age’.

You know what I mean. The thickening of the waist, the dropping of the derriere etc. all add to the dilemma. My own bum is probably more akin to Kim Kardashian meets Beyonce thirty years on and probably a foot nearer the floor! Some of you may still have the bodies of teenagers, and I know a few who do, but you are the exception. The rest of us, however, need a little help with a little bottom lift and a high waistband!

I decided to check out three high street stores to see what they have for the mature lady – the good news is that there is more of a choice out there than I imagined.

My first port of call was French Connection. I struck gold here with a sale purchase of a pair of check denims (size 12) for 42 euro which are heavy enough to wear all year around.

I have worn them with Summer sandals and will wear them with ankle boots for Autumn/Winter. While the check jeans are probably all gone, they do carry this mid-rise range in a number of different shades of denim. The bad news is they are 110 euro full price.

My next stop was Zara where I bought a lovely pair of high-rise denims from their premium collection (size 38/slim fit/skinny leg). The price is right at just under 40 euro. But what really sold me was the softness of the fabric and the perfect fit.

My third call was to Next where I was blown away by the selection. They have denims for every age group in a variety of styles: skinny/bootleg/straight/flare. I even found wide-legged jeans in two different styles.

I particularly liked the “Lift, Slim and Shape” style which comes in flare/skinny/boot-cut and slim at 64 euro and go right up to size 20. I preferred the “High Waist Enhancer” which you can get in boot-cut, skinny and slim styles and in four different leg lengths from petite to long. I eventually settled on the boot-cut… At 43 euro I couldn’t leave them behind!!! Until Sat 19 September, if you are a new customer, you can avail of 15 euro off your first online purchase over 30 euro. Information in all Next stores.

So, if you are looking for a pair of jeans and you are on a budget, there is choice on the high street. And hopefully the bum will look just fine!