Recently, my friend Abby had a hot date. An old flame was coming from out of town to visit her, and she wanted to look her best. Just going for dinner and drinks, she struggled to find the perfect outfit. While she wanted to look pulled together, she didn't want to look too overdone.

Of course, because I work for a fashion company and am always up on the latest trends, my dear friend Abby consulted me for fashion help. How could she look alluring and sexy without trying too hard? How could she look super cute but still be comfortable?

Because Abby is mostly utilitarian in her wardrobe, I debated momentarily before I suggested something awesome: premium denim. "You could get a great pair of premium denim jeans," I said, developing a mental image, "with maybe a lower cut shirt and a fitted jacket. Ballet flats will look good and they'll keep you comfortable enough to survive whatever kind of date occurs."

It took some convincing. "Premium denim?" she asked. "I already have a ton of jeans. I'll just wear those."

"Not good enough," I insisted. I mean, while you can argue that jeans are just jeans, a great pair of designer jeans are going to do much more for you than those regular old "mart" type jeans you get from the same store that sells Ajax and boxed donuts. Ideally, jeans are going to help create a silhouette; they'll tuck you in, let you out, and ultimately create some kind of magic that generally only a gym can do. There are different cuts, washes, and types that are going to have different effects on the look of your body, so it's important to find out what works best for you.

Here are some simple rules that I gave to Abby and they turned out great!

• Look for darker, consistent washes if you want to look long and lean. The solid wash works like a pair of black pants: the darker color will prevent highlighting any unwanted areas and make your lower body look lean and uniform.
• Avoid heavy stressing or detailing around unwanted areas. Whiskering (the light claw-like marks you find around the crotch of jeans where your jeans would naturally wear out over years) is going to draw attention to your crotch and, in some instances, can make your hips and thighs look much wider than they actually are.
• Find some stretch. The primary ingredient in your jeans should be cotton. A good pair of jeans will be 95-100% cotton, with the remaining being some kind of elastic or lycra. They'll give you stretch without sacraficing quality. Anything more than 5% is going to give your jeans a cheap look and they're not going to last as long.
• Don't be afraid to tailor your jeans. Different designers tend to carry different inseams (the length of the jean from the crotch to the very bottom) and your inseam might not coordinate with your favorite designers' standard specs. Hemming jeans is relatively inexpensive, definitely worth the investment, and more recently, "original hems" have become so popular, you won't be sacraficing anything but excess fabric.
• Find a fit that works for you. A slight flare or boot cut is going to balance out your lower body which is especially good for bottom heavy (or bootyliciious) girls. A skinny, straight leg jean is going to work well with skinny girls by giving the illusion of shapes. Wide, trouser leg jeans are surprisingly versatile and will hide any and all problem areas.

Abby, my nearest and dearest friend of ten years, is a little on the shorter side (she's 5'2") and very bootilicious. She's a little smaller on the top and was looking for a way to seem more balanced. I sorted through the inventory here at eModa.com and was able to comprise an outfit that was extremely flattering.

Here's what I recommended:

These Joes Jeans Naomi Honey Boot Fit jeans have a consistent, dark wash which detracted attention from Abby's derierre. The slight boot cut provided balance to her curvy hips and made her bottom half look uniform.

Next, I suggested this Miss Sixty Opal Singlet Tank in Black. The striped detail along the neckline and shoulders brings the attention up to her face while the rouching at the bust creates a hint of cleavage. Sexy, but not overdone.

Finally, to make the outfit sophisticated, I added this Glamour Campaign Jessica Flap Blazer. This is going to provide modesty and versatility. During dinner, she can wear this jacket to look modest. During drinks, however, she can take the jacket off to look more casual and inviting.

Abby had her date over this past weekend, and if you can't imagine, things went overwhelmingly well. Because she looked so good, she felt good, and this newfound sense of confidence was visible not just in her dress, but in her actions as well. Abby and this old flame of hers have already set up their second date. I, however, am on my way to the stock room to find something else for her to wear...