Shopping with experts: Oasis Premium Denim range

from left, Front Pocket Flare, Coated Skinny, Bow Pocket

OK, so stick with me on this one, but this is the post where I suggest you SERIOUSLY think about buying a pair of tight fit, leather-ish-look skinny jeans for autumn. Really.

The jeans are part of the new Premium Denim range from high street store Oasis, somewhere I hadn’t been in a while, but the new range of jean shapes has been getting good comments from 40plus fashion insider mates of ours, who have enthused about the fit and comfort of all the styles.

‘Premium Denim’ is a label you have to be cautious of when you see it used in fashion circles, normally it means jeans being sold at hiked prices because they’ve been made from ‘special’ denim (the Japanese and their narrow looms are usually involved somewhere) or by a designer who has worked ‘obsessively’ (very overused word) over the fit so your arse will look like the one on the (18 year old) model (it wont). Sometimes it’s worth it, I have to fess up to a pair of Marithe et Francois Girbaud boyfriend jeans I bought for £200 and have worn constantly, they still feel fantastic to me, but I’m not making a habit of it, who can afford to?

The word of mouth hype sent us to look at the Oasis styles, which are well priced at £55 a pair (above the normal denim range but below the starting prices of designer brands such as Diesel) and the denim feels good. But the best thing about them is the comfort factor and the shape. The waistline on the two pairs I tried on sits as a very slight drop on your natural waistline and is SO comfortable. The stretch on the denim also feels pleasantly firm, which is excellent news for those of us who might appreciate a bit of supportive elastane.

The fit on the Bow Pocket Flare is good and it has a nicely elegant wide leg. In the changing room of the Regent Street store I got compliments on fit from two other customers who went and got pairs for themselves. I wasn’t much taken with the bow on the back pockets (too much detail for me). The Premium Front Pocket Flare with its leather belt and waist trim is the shape everyone has been enthusing over, but it had sold out in the Regent Street store (the range only started to launch last week) so I haven’t tried this on. There is also a belted and a 70s flare, which will be in store soon.

My favourite pair were the robust Premium Coated Skinnies, which have an almost vintage, cracked leather look to them and were incredibly comfortable, I know! Who’d have thought you could say that about skinny jeans. I intend to wear mine Patti Smith style, with long shirts or T shirts (I’d never tuck anything into them -waaay too demanding) with a long-line tailored jacket for a bit of structure. The Guardian this week called coated jeans ‘Cocktail Jeans’ and claim they are the Next Big Thing. I doubt mine will see much cocktail action but they do have a great quality feel, you could wear them out as ‘posh’ jeans no probs.

The range is in main stores now and will be available on line from mid September.

The coated black skinnies, just call 'em cocktail jeans....