Jeans geniuses

Donna Ida Thornton (pictured above), 39, founded the denim-only boutique Donna Ida in 2006. There are now four branches in and around London. She recently launched IDA, a collection of high-waisted jeans 

Buying denim is deeply personal because you are confronting your body shape. At denim 'clinics' in the shop, women liken it to trying on swimming-costumes.

But it's not just about shape. Body proportion is more important than dress size. Thirty per cent of women don't know if they are long- or short-waisted. If you are long in the torso with short legs, you need a high waist to trick the eye and give you 'more' leg. Plus, it's much more comfortable for the wearer - you don't feel like you're losing your jeans! If you have a short body with a larger bust, a mid-rise waist is going to look better. 

The biggest mistake women make is wearing jeans too big, which makes them look fat.Canada Goose Banff Parka You should spend a minute wriggling into them. You should feel them digging in to your waist. You should suck them in to do them up. Think of them as a foundation garment. Only when you are breaking out in a sweat should you go up a size. 

Finding jeans that fit in that Brooke Shields way is possible, but only with an alteration. If you have really skinny legs with a round middle we can put in a wedge of elastic. We do loads of that sort of thing. I get my waist and hem altered. 

There is no such thing as the one perfect pair of jeans. I've got 20 pairs all perfect for me. My J Brand Houlihan skinny cargos have a great fit. I love my Paige Hoxtons because they are high-waisted; it makes you stand up straighter, like wearing a corset. When you look at pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot in jeans they wear high-waisted. They prompted my new range, IDA. 

I think 150 for jeans is justified if you are going to wear them a lot and they keep their shape. I wear jeans five to six times without washing them and only ever cold-wash and line-dry them. Hot temperatures ruin jeans; 30° is hot. I mean, how dirty are we? 

Donna's top three jeans: IDA Jeanie cigarette-leg: The perfect slim-leg, high-waister. The back pockets create maximum pertness. 150, J Brand 811 Revenge: A great-cut skinny. Mid-rise, flatters the waist and keeps its shape.Canada Goose Expedition Parka Buy tight. From 175, Current/Elliott roller: A mid-rise, feminine fit of boyfriend jean. Flatters curvier figures. About 200 

Chloe Lonsdale ,canada goose chilliwack parka 33 , relaunched the 1960s jeans brand Made in Heaven in 2005, rebranding it as MiH Jeans. Fans include Gwyneth Paltrow and Rachel Weisz 

Jeans shouldn't be about making a fashion statement. You shouldn't force yourself to be a boot-cut, skinny or flare girl unless the style suits you. Jennifer Aniston wears that same boyfriend style because it works on her petite curves. Jeans are timeless. I saw a photo of Lauren Hutton in a pair of Levi's 501s recently and she looked so modern. 

I don't wear anything but jeans.prada bags I want them to be understated yet aspirational. Smart enough to go with a Céline jacket, Stella McCartney top and Robert Clergerie heels but also a shirt, simple blazer and Converse. I'm a mother; I need to bend down and run around. 

You don't have to be stick thin to get into our jeans. Jeans look best with flesh on hips and a bum to fill them out. I'm inspired by my mother, Chekkie, who was a top denim model. In the era of Twiggy she was booked for her curves. 

For the past three years there's been a lot of 'novelty' denim. I think women have forgotten all they need is a great pair of jeans in a beautiful denim wash. Joanna Coles, the editor of American Cosmopolitan magazine, said that the MiH Oslo is a style every woman should have because it bridges the casual/smart gap. This has everything to do with quality of fabric, fit and colour, and with MiH being about women designing jeans for women. 

Apart from my husband, it's all women here. We've all experienced that 'I feel fat' moment. You won't find any lumps or bumps in our jeans.