Remember when I wrote about my frustration with online shoe shopping last summer? Well, I’ve come to another mini-fashion crisis with something many women dread experiencing, shopping for the perfect pair of jeans – dum dum dum!

I’m not looking for any regular pair of low-rise boot cut jeans because, god forbid, that would be too easy!

Over the past eight months I’ve been hunting for the perfect pair of high-rise skinny jeans. I have a very specific style, cut and wash in mind; they have to be in a dark blue wash with brown/golden stitching, made from real denim (not jegging-like but some stretch would be ok) and have a rise of over 10.5 inches – I’m talking belly button height or above.

It’s been a frustrating and exhausting search to find the perfect high-rise skinny jean. I’ve scoured online websites and pretty much called the best denim stores in Toronto: Holt Renfrew, Jonathan & Olivia, Net-a-Porter, Over the Rainbow, Shopbop, SSENSE – everywhere!  

I’ve also gone straight to the popular denim brands themselves such as 7 For All Mankind, Citizen of Humanity, Paige Demin and Levis in hopes they would have something in stock = outlook not so good.

Everyone I’ve spoken to at these stores have been super helpful answering my questions, but when my search turns up with zero success I can’t help but feel despondent; it’s like I’m Indiana Jones searching for the holy grail, but there’s no holy grail.

Throughout my search I’ve discovered that the majority of jeans in stock were either a low or mid-rise. And can I tell you that I’m sick of low rise jeans! Unofficially it’s become the new standard for jeans.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I have a few pairs of low rise jeans but as the times change so do I. Call it old age if you will or that I’m foreseeing that the jean trend will be moving towards a higher rise within the next few seasons; however, I’m an impatient person and I don’t want to wait several seasons to find the perfect pair of high-rise skinny jeans.

I’ve lost count on how many jeans I’ve tried on and the feelings of frustration that comes with it, it’s literally become a pain in the ass; getting blue dye all over my hands, squeezing and contorting to get into a pair of jeans, having to go up two sizes and going down two sizes – can’t denim makers just stick with a standard sizing?

And that’s just getting the pants on then the fun part comes, when you look at yourself in the mirror and scientifically analyze the jeans you’re wearing; the material was too stretchy, rise isn’t high enough, the wash looks horrible and the cut flattened my bum. Who wants a flat ass?

There are only three pairs of jeans which have come close to meeting my criteria. They are (pictured in order above):

• J Brand’s Maria jean – I’ve tried the Maria, the rise isn’t high enough and it’s basically made out of a jegging material
• ACNE’s Needle Soft Raw jean – none to be found in Toronto and I don’t want to chance dropping $200 on these jeans without trying them on first
• Notify’s Tulipa high-rise skinny jean – none to be found in Toronto and I don’t want to chance dropping $200 on these jeans without trying them on first

So there you have my rant to start off the New Year – I know it’s been long one but desperate times call for desperate measures. I’m not completely giving up hope, I’ve been told to keep my eyes out for new stock coming into stores at the end of January/beginning of February; however, this means I have to make another dozen calls and search online to find what I’m looking for – ugh!

I know I can’t be the only one looking for the perfect pair of high-rise skinny jeans. If you know of any dark, high-rise (10.5+ inches) skinny jeans please let me know – will love you forever!