Happy 140th birthday, jeans. Will women ever find a pair that fits?

Happy birthday!

Jeans have been around for 140 years — patented in May of 1873 by a Reno, Nev., tailor who teamed with Levi Strauss.

Women have been struggling to find a pair that fits just right for almost as long.

“They simply don’t exist,” said Malgosia Michalowska, who is 21 and lives in Detroit.

“I hate shopping for clothes, but jeans are the worst,” said Kathie Hayes, who is 53 and lives in Southgate, Mich.

Sure, there are zillions of brands in zillions of styles — curvy, classic, petite, plus, bootcut, straight, skinny, low rise, high-waist and on and on — at various price points.

And fashion editors everywhere agree that there are few things more versatile than a great pair of jeans.

You can dress up the American classic, or dress it down.

You can make them look sporty or sexy.

And yet …

“Women really struggle,” said Stephanie Pavlo, a 30-year-old CrossFit athlete who lives in Canton, Mich., and wears size 2-6, depending on the brand of jeans she buys. “We’re all different shapes and size. The fashion industry just seems to pick one group, if you don’t fall into that size and shape you’re out of luck.”

“CrossFit in general, tends to make your thighs and your glutes much more developed. We basically have bigger booties and stronger thighs. You have to buy 2 or 3 sizes bigger to get your legs in them,” Pavlo said.

Belting jeans that are too big isn’t the most attractive look.

“I seem to be wearing a lot of yoga pants lately,” she said.

Added Michalowska: “If I’m lucky enough not to find mom jeans or teen ones with holes and silly designs on them … I always have to shorten every pair. I’m also a size 16 so it’s difficult to find jeans because most stores at the mall only go up to a size 14.”

Deanna Ogle, who is 23 and lives in Clarkston, Mich., may just be one of the only women on the planet who has found jeans that work for her — they're sized by waist and inseam, cost less than $60 and are available at Vanity stores. (To find one: www.evanity.com)

As for the rest of us, the search for the perfect pair of jeans continues.