Searching for that perfect pair of jeans can be utterly maddening. You know how it goes. You try on 20 pairs, none of which fit just right, and end up convinced you really do need to lose those last 5 pounds—or give up on jeans once and for all. And with jeans so popular these days—it’s not uncommon for San Francisco fashionistas to own up to 10 pairs—the choices alone can make even the most seasoned shopper give up and go home.

Lady Reiss is here to help. Two months out of business school and lacking a great denim resource in the Marina, she decided to create her own. “My dad almost had a heart attack when I announced I was going into retail instead of finance,” says Reiss. And not just any old retail. Reiss was determined to crack the blue jean conundrum and offer customers a more satisfying shopping experience.

Inspired by the musical venues of her native New Orleans, she designed her store to look like a bar—hence the name, the Blues Jean Bar. Instead of wading through stacks of denim on their own, customers saunter up to a dark wood bar and talk to a denim-clad “barkeep.” Then, the barkeep pulls from the more than 45 cuts and styles that he or she thinks will work for you. And they won’t let you walk out with the wrong ones.

“I didn’t reinvent the wheel,” Reiss says, but obviously something is clicking: every Saturday, she sells between 50 and 100 pairs of jeans. Two years after she opened, she has four stores, with one more opening this year. Even her skeptical father is convinced. “Now he buys his 501s here,” she says. It wasn’t easy catching up with Reiss—a self-described road warrior, her stores keep her traveling three weeks a month—but we knew she should be the one to guide us through that denim maze. And if anyone can rationalize $200 jeans, it’s her. The Blues Jean Bar, 1827 Union St., S.F., 415-346-4280.


You must own a hundred pairs of jeans.
I own the least of anybody who works for me. We are always running out of 27s, which is my size, and I’m afraid to take product off the shelves. I’m guilty of wearing the same thing every day: 1921 jeans, flip-flops, and a C&C California tank. My employees make fun of me.

Is there a foolproof denim look for night?
A classic evening look would be a straight or slim-leg jean with a dark, even wash, worn with heels and a tailored top. At night people don’t want to see rips, holes, or fading—they want to see a dark denim that could translate into a pair of black pants.

What about for men?
Similar rules apply to men. Raw denim is really trendy—that’s denim before it’s washed, faded, and shrunk. It’s super-dark, slightly stiff, and makes for a very clean look.

Should I be following the trends?
If you buy the new Imitation of Christ jeans that come up to the navel and are pegged-leg—think Marilyn Monroe—you probably won’t wear them past six months. As a businessperson I shouldn’t advocate this, but you can buy a classic, like Joe’s “Socialite,” and you are going to have them forever, even if trends change.

What can I look forward to for fall?
Straight legs, cleaner washes, and higher rises. It’s a classic look that you can pull off no matter what your body type.

Which new lines are you excited about?
Genetic Denim jeans are very stretchy and branded by a double helix emblem on the pocket, and they come with fun names, like “Recessive Flare.”

Why should anyone spend $200 on a pair of jeans?
It comes down to cost per wear. Designer denim runs from $150 to $200, but you will wear that pair of jeans at least 10 times this month. Compare that with a $250 pair of suit pants that you will wear twice this month.

How patient do I need to be to find the right pair?
The average person tries on 15 pairs before they find one that fits. I ask clients not to give up after the first few—you may try on three to four stacks before you leave. Understand that shopping for jeans is a frustrating process, even for me.

You don’t look like you’d have trouble finding jeans that fit.
I have a boy body—no waist. I have to wear low-rise because I don’t want a waistband that curves in at the top and makes me have love handles.

How should jeans fit when I buy them?
I encourage people to get jeans skin tight. Then you can wear them three to four times between washes, which will preserve the color and fit. Otherwise, they will stretch out halfway through the night, and you’ll feel like you have to jump in the dryer after dinner.

What are the most common fit problems?
For women, hips that are wider than their waist. The pants end up gaping in the back. They should be looking for a jean with a thicker waistband that comes in at the waist, like Joe’s “Honey.”

Is a tailor the only hope for short women?
Joe’s makes a style called “the Provocateur,” which is a 30-inch inseam, but any shorter and you will need to get them hemmed.

What about tall women?
We have jeans specifically for tall girls. Any Rock & Republic jean is going to be a 36-inch inseam. Hudson makes something called the “Supermodel,” which is a 36-inch inseam and a godsend for the supertall.

Seems like a lot of designer boutiques don’t carry jeans above a size-8 equivalent.
Actually, a man’s thin-leg jean is cut more for a woman’s body; it just has a wider waistband. AG jeans’ “Fillmore” or Earnest Sewn’s “Filson” are both great for a woman who is a 34 or 36.

Are there common problems for men?
There are a lot of athletic men in San Francisco who are stuck in their baggy jeans, which are comfy but not flattering; 7 For All Mankind’s long, relaxed jean is perfect for tall men, and Earnest Sewn makes the “Hemingway,” which is a very clean, tailored jean but relaxed in the leg.

Why are jeans the San Francisco uniform?
There’s our relaxed lifestyle, and San Francisco is the birthplace of Levi’s. But I think the real issue is the weather. When Union Street was our only store we never experienced a summertime retail slump—we had the luxury of having a denim demand all year round because it’s always cool here.

Tailor talk
When spending $200 or more on a pair of jeans, you want to make sure they fit like a glove. Reiss gave us her top tips on buying jeans that require alterations.

PUT DARTS ON THE WAISTBAND.
If your waistband gapes in the back, taking it in is a quick fix. Just make sure you take two darts in the back instead of one at the center back seam, which will change the shape of the jean.

BUY STRAIGHT LEG.
If you are short, always buy straight jeans since you will lose a lot of the leg shape when you get them shortened.

AVOID FADED STYLES.
A faded knee won’t sit where it’s supposed to on a shorter girl.

KEEP THE ORIGINAL HEM.
Ask your tailor to save the bottom of the jean when it is cut off and then reattach it.