After my rant about being a denim inbetweener I thought I’d take some time out and really go and do some research. So I packed my fan, put my friend’s number on standby and hit the highstreet to see if there really was a perfect fitting jean.

To make the test fair I picked three different styles in each shop and took in the two sizes I always try.

First stop was H&M and I have to admit I was hopeful, but when I found that familiar tug at the thighs with all three pairs of the 8s, I knew it just wasn’t going to happen, and I felt it was far too early in my challenge to begin the denim workout.

And the 10s, proved to be even more of a surprise. One of the pairs turned out to be smaller than the 8, and fitting my toe through the tiny hole was as far as I got. However the other two were as baggy and ill fitting as usual.

So I continued. Topshop fared no better than H&M and although I’d gone into those changing rooms looking groomed, the tugging and sweating got the better of me. The outcome? I came out sporting a hairstyle that would only work on Jamie Afro (think Monica’s hair in the Barbados episode of Friends.)

This trend continued into Oasis, French Connection, Mango, Gap and Zara and as my frustrations grew so did the hair.

So I took myself, and the hair to Marks and Spencer. And guess what? I found a near perfect match (well we’ll forgive a tiny muffin top). However, once again the bigger size was just too big.

Dorothy Perkins also faired well in my denim test as did Miss Selfridge, Wallis (which all form part of the Arcadia group with Topshop) and River Island.

Now I want to get the low down from retailers on how they measure their sizes and I’m hoping I’ll be able to come back with some answers next week. I also want to conduct the same test with designer jeans to see if spending that little bit more ensures a perfect fit. And of course I want to hear about your experiences with this problem too (leave your comments below or email me at Andrea@shinymedia.com.)

Until then I’ve put together a gallery of some of the best fitting jeans out there. I know they won’t suit everyone but I hope it helps some of you.

You can also check out our Fashion Tips of Timeless jean styles, which I hope will go some way to helping you find that perfect fitting denim.

Click on the picture below to begin the gallery.