Tried on my first pair of skinny jeans today...

[LlamateurDramatics]

And cried in the changing rooms to my shame. I looked awful - I couldn't decide whether my legs looked more like badly stuffed sausages or parsnips, they properly showed off my fat thighs and woeful calf muscles. So is there any hope for me? Is it back to my Per Una bootcut jeans of shame (yes, really ) or are there any other jeans which might look ok with my awful proportions? I do wear straight-leg jeans too but I'm having trouble finding any high rise enough.

I look terrible in skinny jeans, but I find "slim" or "straight" much better and more modern than boot cut. I find Next slim leg works well on me. They do several styles and colours.

Try GAP their skinnys are brill and the assistants are very good at advising you which jeans will look best.

I am 5ft3 small waist and biggish bum Premium skinnys were a revelation for me....had tried loads of jeans including expensive brands.

US sizing very flattering too.

Please don't be so tough on yourself, I'm a size 16 and look like a parsnip. But am loosing weight slowly and gave up caring ages ago. I prefer skinnies to bootcut so I just wear what I like, I bet you look just fine. Don't worry life's too short

Levi's are good as they do different tops for different shapes and the. You choose the leg style. They cost £££ (about £90 per pair) but, once you know your size and style you can get them cheaper on the internet.

Thank you, I'll have a look in Next and Gap (although I hate the Next changing room mirrors!). I've finally plucked up the courage to do something about the way I look and it was just so disheartening to try something on which everyone seems to wear and look great in, only to find it really doesn't suit me.

Next do nice high waisted jeans, their sexy skinny jeans have a proper high waist and I think they do them in slim leg as well.

Its about finding the right fit and style for you.

What size/shape are you op?

Why don't you try marks and spencer straight leg jeans- are high rise and only £15? here

5madthings - I'm a bit shapeless at the moment! I used to be pear-shaped with a nice waistline but now am a lot bigger all over (size 14) and still look 4-5 months pregnant . Hebburn - I like the look of those M&S jeans, I know the ones I have fit me (even if the style is awful) and they have lasted for ages.

Gap really straight are good - not too tight and rise is quite high - I am well endowed in the stomach area (with huge tree trunk legs - I sound lovely ) and they don't give me the dreaded muffin top. I also recently got some of the Gap high rise skinnys (I think) - the waist is really high and the legs aren't skin tight either.

watching with interest...

I've got to agree about Gap real straight jeans, they are fantastic.

I just got some 'mother' high waisted jeans and some MIH high waisted white jeans. Both are straight legged and really lovely on! I hadn't heard of either brand before but a friend who owns a clothes shop fitted me out and they are definitely the most flattering jeans I have!

I also have the m and s ones- they are a nice thick fabric and very comfortable. But I feel much more chunky in them than in the designer ones.

I find that M & S jeans always shrink. I like Gap jeans but find most of them too low rise. The Levi curve ones are too low rise as well. I must be quite long waisted because all mid rise jeans are low rise on me.

Oh OP don't give up hope! As with all jeans it can take trying a few styles to get it right. I also find with skinnies you need to think about the overall shape - I look much better in skinny jeans with the right length top and a slight heel or a biker boot to balance everything out.

Which shop were you in today? I find Oasis Cherry jeans are very flattering, the rise is just right and they aren't quite as skinny as some skinnies. Try the indigo ones (I have a mid wash pair which aren't so good - they go a bit baggy - but last summer's coloured ones are also nice)

GAP 1969 high rise skinny jeans here
Order them online in as many sizes as you can (they have crap stock levels) and try on at home.
Register for GAP emails as they have 25-30% off nearly all the time too (ie don't be put of by £45 price tag - you should get some for £32)

I'm sure they didn't look as awful as you imagine. Skinny jeans always look a bit rubbish till they are "dressed up" properly anyway. Once you have a decent length top and the right shoes/boots they generally look a lot better.

I tried on some Next relaxed skinny jeans (as recommended on a S & B thread) and they didn't look awful on me, but they were too low rise, which was a shame as they were very comfortable (until I tried to sit down and the low rise cut into me)

Op, we don't all look great in skinnies, we really don't! They suit very few body shapes and most of us ran screaming from the changing room the first time we tried them. Some people - I salute them - held their ground and refused to wear them. The rest of us succumbed, possibly because we're mindless fashion victims or maybe because we decided that they were fun and what the hell. (There was a thread about this recently).

If you really really hate them, I wouldn't worry as I'm sure they won't be around for much longer. On the other hand, there will never be a better time to try them as now, because they are so much part of the landscape that no-one notices them any more

I stuck with bootcut until recently as I have biggish thighs and calves though my top half is quite slim but I discovered Next lift and shape slim leg (not skinny), sized down. They're high waisted and hold everything in without making your legs look like sausages.