Farewell to summer and its light, flirty dresses. It's time to welcome the fall season and re-evaluate our closet staples. Yes, that includes denim: a woman's best friend, or worst enemy. A great pair of jeans (or two) should be in every woman's clothing arsenal. Not only are they an everyday comfy essential, but a properly fitting pair can seriously make you feel like a million bucks. Sure, the process of going through all the washes and cuts out there, plus the endless fitting room changes, can be downright scary. But, at Over the Rainbow they believe shopping for the perfect pair of jeans should be a fun and easy experience. To prove it, they invited me to their Yorkville location for a one-on-one fitting with womenswear buyer Genia.
Over the Rainbow in Toronto's Yorkville district
I was welcomed enthusiastically by store owner Joel and then given a tour of the offices, stockroom and selling floor (everything is done in-house). Next, it was time to get down to business and begin the fitting – *gulp*. But when Genia asked me which style I wanted to start with, I knew right away: J Brand's Skinny Leg jeans (you know, the ones Kate Middleton wore during her Canadian visit). We went through a few washes and sizes to ensure I got the best fit possible. A good trick Genia told me about while shopping is the sit test. If you can't comfortably sit down and get back up, the jeans you're trying on are not the ones for you.
After a couple of sit tests, size changes and endless rearview looks in the mirror, I finally settled on my new pair. I'm in love with the fit, the dark cherry hue – colour is the biggest denim trend right now, Genia tells me – and how unbelievably comfortable these jeans are.
J Brand 811 Mid-Rise Skinny Leg in Black Cherry
Overall, I have to admit the experience was completely painless and really enjoyable, as promised. And the next time I need a new pair of jeans I know exactly where I'm heading.
To all the women out there who fear going through a denim overhaul, take the bull by its horns and visit Over the Rainbow. With the biggest selection of denim in the country (over 250 styles) and on-site alteration services, there's no excuse for not finding a flattering cut this fall.
