You know the drill, take a stack of the cutest jeans into the fitting room, gingerly pull one on, and turn to the mirror for a quick butt check. They feel great and they mold to your every curve but they make your butt look….well, not exactly fabulous. Disappointment settles in. Do you start the whole process all over again or do you buy these jeans anyway and hope no one will notice?

Although great fit is essential, it’s no guarantee of a fabulous rear view. As enticing as those back pockets looked on the rack, whether they’ll enhance your butt depends on the shape of the back yoke, the pocket size, and the pocket placement.

There are two simple rules to follow for the best rear view:
1. Keep pockets in proportion to your size as well as to the style of the jean.
2. Look for angles, they will flatter your shape and enhance your curves.

Because placement varies so much between high rise and low rise jeans, there are guidelines for each. Every brand has a pocket personality, once you find the one that matches your needs, you won’t go wrong.

For high rise jeans:
• An angled back yoke will give a rounder look to your seat and accentuate a smaller waist.
• Look for pockets that are set at a slight inward angle, they will give you a shapely look and add the illusion of lift to your butt.
• Pockets should be fairly centered on the fullest part of your cheeks to maintain good style proportions.
• Stay away from pockets that are set too high, they will make your seat look longer and bigger.
• Look at the space between the bottom corners of the pockets, the wider the space, the wider your seat will look.

For low rise jeans:

• A bit of an inward angle on the pocket setting is great for enhancing curves.
• Pockets set straight across, combined with a straight back yoke, will give you a “square pants” look that you can do without.
• Don’t let low pockets get you down. If they end below your seat on the back of your thigh, your jean will feel uncomfortable and look sloppy.