How to buy skinny jeans (and some tricks to fit into them, too)

Forget the trauma of trying on bathing suits. Real women know that nothing surpasses the misery of trying to find a pair of skinny jeans. And just for the record, they are unfortunately still the "must-have" item in today's wardrobe, right up there with a black boyfriend jacket and boots that make your feet cry.

As a card-carrying member of the "can't find a pair of skinny jeans that look good" club, I can report that there is even some science behind the new "I hate to try on jeans" phenomenon.

A recent survey found that many women simply forgo wearing jeans altogether because they just can't find a pair that fit. The survey by the independent California research firm eSearch found that while 77% of the women surveyed said they wore jeans regularly, the percentage decreased as the size they were forced to wear went up. Yes, we are growing, but the jeans on the rack are shrinking too. And not everyone has the flat stomach needed to pull off the low-rise look.

Why is it so hard to find jeans that look good and feel comfortable? Forget affordability. Even the Gap has jumped on the high-end skinny jean bandwagon and recently announced plans to open a 5,400-square-foot creative design office in Los Angeles with the goal of expanding the 1969 Premium Jeans line it launched last year. The company overhauled its jeans selection and replaced its tried-and-true line with sexier and trendier fits that the company hoped would improve its image among shoppers.