Levis RedWire DLX Jeans: Integrated iPod trousers

Have you ever reached into your jeans pocket to skip a track on your iPod, only to be plagued with annoyance at how inconvenient it is to do so? No, us neither. But those style-crazed folks at Levi did, and the creative response was the RedWire DLX Jeans -- jeans with a built-in iPod dock and remote control 'nipple'.

The four-way control nipple attaches to the leg of the jeans and mimics the iPod's Click Wheel -- no longer do you have to put your hand inside your pocket! As an added bonus, the player's headphone socket is extended through the trousers (because headphone cables just aren't long enough to reach all the way down to your waist) and a docking cradle houses the iPod in your pocket. Happy times.

The controls are fixed to a panel of removable jeans material, so washing the trousers won't destroy any electronics. We'd like to see some Oakley Thump shades incorporated into the system, perhaps in a way that lets the iPod menu float on the inside of the glasses, so you can see what you're browsing with your trousers (now there's a sentence your grandfather never said).

Style-wise, the jeans are attractive and the material feels in line with the usual Levi's quality. We're just not sure there's any point to them, especially for a three-figure price. Still, fashion's always been expensive and maybe these are just the first of many 21st century fashion contraptions. Just cross your fingers and hope that when you're mugged for your iPod, you don't lose your clothes too.

The RedWire DLX Jeans are on sale now for around £100. -Nate Lanxon