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fashion

Stiff Competition

Remember when the My Favorite Jeans Pageant was simple?

Contestants were judged in a few categories (Best Wash, Best Fit, Best Butt), and winners won round-the-clock devotion and nothing-will-ever-come-between-us love talk.

In today’s era of multitasking and abundance, awards are handed out for everything from Best Winter Wash and Best Pocket Charm to Best Decorative Bleach Line.

The jeans market’s newest contestant? London-based Radcliffe Denim. Available in four styles (W1, W11, NW1, and SW1, cleverly named for postal codes), they’re cut to flatter the waist, lift the bum, and elongate the leg. The slight stretch in the fabric ensures that the knees won’t bulge out.

But the real bangers and mash is that each pair comes with solid silver cuff links, so the jeans can be worn at full length (34.5 inches) with high-heel boots  or shortened to capri length to show off flats.

Such high marks in the style and versatility categories make them a shoo-in to trounce competitors — and take Best in Show.


Available at Barneys New York, 9570 Wilshire Boulevard, at Camden Drive, Beverly Hills (310-276-4400).