Jeans have long been a staple in my wardrobe ever since I got my first pair of Levi 501s in the 1990s and fell in love. I migrated to the bootcut in the Y2K era and have always rocked a '70s flare, but when skinny jeans entered the group chat in the mid-2000s, I was hooked.

I loved how I could wear them with knee-high boots over the top, or with heels for nights out. I loved they ended neatly at my ankle and by the early 2010s when I was busy pushing my babies in prams; I loved how they looked with my white Converse flats.

Skinny jeans could be practical, yet sexy, yet workwear appropriate when teamed with a blazer and a low ankle boot. They were the world's hardest-working denim for a reason and they looked cute on pretty much everyone.

For over a decade, I didn't give the subject of jeans much thought as my skinnies existed happily in my wardrobe only to be updated occasionally with different washes, colours or rips.

Then the pandemic came along and turned me into a tracksuit pant addict and jeans became more... complicated.

First, there was Gen Z shaming anyone over 30 for daring to wear skinny jeans with a side-part while overusing the laugh-cry emoji.Noted.

Then there was an explosion of new styles of jeans onto the market and now I am jeans-obsessed or more accurately, jeans-confused.

Watch: Iconic denim outfits. Post continues below.

I still own a pair of skinnies that I love, but my body has changed a lot since hitting my mid-40s and they no longer feel as comfortable as they once did.

I have experimented with ALL the styles in the last two years — some purchased, some borrowed, some just tried on in shops and discarded immediately. There was my high-waisted era when I bought a whole new range of undies to match, only to suddenly see the waists drop back down to a Y2K g-string exposing level. No thanks.

Since then I've tried the baggy, the wide leg, the cargo, the new bootleg, the mom, the crop-flare, the girlfriend and the boyfriend and it is hard to know what works anymore.

Do I need different belts, shoes and undies to go with all these styles? Factor in my reaching midlife and a lack of confidence in knowing what looks good or 'right' on me at age 44, and I knew I needed to enlist the help of a professional.

Enter 'stylist for the people' and personal shopper Natalie Baker who gave me ALL her denim in midlife tips, while helping me find my perfect pair.

"Everyone needs a good pair of jeans," Natalie toldMamamiafrom her base at Charlestown Square Shopping Centre in Lake Macquarie.

"And with so many denim styles available these days, it is no longer always about having just one pair. You might want a pair for work, for the weekend, for going out - which is why people are getting so confused — there is just a lot to choose from!"

Natalie's first tip is to start by considering your body shape and what you feel most comfortable in.

I explain that while I still love my flares for an evening when paired with a heel to give me some height — I am at a loss with the 'daytime' jeans. I see a lot of people in baggier styles that I have tried in the past but perhaps being quite short or being 44 — I always feel 'swamped' in them.

Ever the professional Natalie knows exactly where to go and what to do, and I try on the Decjuba Alexa Girlfriend Jeans in the Portland Blue.

Immediately I knew we had a winner.

The slim cut and darker colour work well and as a short girl, I like that they finish on the ankle. They are comfy and not too tight as per the skinnies of my past, but still create a similar silhouette. Friends, I am once again in love.

Find a style of jeans YOU love.

Natalie says that when it comes to experimenting with new styles of denim, you still want to feel good in them

"Always go with a pair of jeans that suit your body shape. You can wear the latest trend but you will notkeep wearingthem if they don't look and feel good on you. Yeah, yeah. Choose a cut and colour that you like first and foremost as you can always add accessories or a top that makes them look and feel on trend.