High-waisted jeans are back with a vengeance. The good news: bye-bye muffin tops, builders’ cracks and other unfortunate anatomical by-products of low-rise jeans. The bad news: when high-waisted Imitation of Christ jeans can turn Scarlett Johansson from bombshell into butterball, you know you must proceed with caution.

Fortunately, high-waisted jeans are available in a multitude of styles, including skinnies, flares and bell-bottoms. Which means there’s something to suit everyone.

* For the longest, leanest silhouette, choose wide-legged, dark jeans, and wear the tallest pair of platforms you can find. Let the end of your jeans rest on your toe.

* Always tuck in your top. A narrow, lightweight knit looks lovely. So does a feminine blouse, perhaps with a cute slim-fitting vest. Karen Walker has been making high-waisted jeans for years – check out her A/W Runaway collection online to see her 70s-inspired styling.

* Add a skinny belt for extra definition.

* High-waisted jeans will elongate your legs, but they can also balloon your booty. If you’re curvy, make sure your jeans have large rear pockets to break up the expanse of denim.

* Like anything in fashion, it’s possible to go to extremes. Too tight and you won’t be able to breathe or bend over. Too high, and you’ll look like Simon Cowell.