Wardrobe essential: skinny black pants

The one item in my closet I can't live without is my skinny black pants.  Paired with a blouse & black blazer and you've got a great looking semi-suit.  Paired with a checkered shirt you've got a chic weekend outfit.  It's really important to find a pair that fits your body well, in both the cut and the fabrication.  Some of the things to keep in mind are:

Rise:  do you want a low rise (below the belly) or a mid/high rise (comes up to/above your belly button)?  I personally will only wear mid/high rise jeans now (and THANK GOD high rise jeans are back in again!  As we used to say at the Gap ... crack kills.) 
Fabric: a stiffer denim is good for holding everything in, but is less comfortable because of the rigidity.  A lighter weight denim feels fantastic but can wear out quickly. 

My all time favorite black skinny pants are the AG Stilt.  It comes in several washes & fabrications - my two favorites are:

AG Stilt in a modal / polyurethane blend - it feels really soft (think velour / moleskin).
This is a true black and is less likely to fade because of the fabrication.
It's slightly thicker and fits sooo comfortably.  The true black makes it super dressy - really great for work!

AG Stilt in a 98% cotton / 2% elastane blend (think lightweight cotton - almost like a pair of khakis)
This is a remarkably comfortable pant because the cotton is lightweight and soft -
the more you wash it, the softer it gets.  I have 2 pairs of this jean but my only complaint is that it
fades after lots of washes.  Make sure you turn it inside out and wash it in cold
water - never, ever put it in the dryer!!