Jeans lowdown: Waistbands are inching up

[craftyT]

Thank goodness!!! My bum never looked good in super low jeans! :eek: (or should I have said that the other way around ;) )

Jeans lowdown: Waistbands are inching up By Olivia Barker, USA TODAY
Tue Oct 11, 6:45 AM ET


Waistlines are inching up on hemlines as fashion's barometer. Navel-obscuring in the '80s, they were navel-baring a few years ago, and this fall they're creeping up toward the bellybutton again.


Hipbone-hugging styles still dominate mall racks and high school hallways. But the fashion-forward flock is donning pants and jeans that graze the ribcage, as paraded on recent Fashion Week runways. And the rest of us are realizing that pant choice shouldn't have to dictate underwear choice.


Retailers are responding, not just because higher waists are fashionable but also because consumers are demanding them. Hence, the emergence of "midrise" or "classic rise." In ads and in stores, manufacturers are grouping their wares by rise rather than wash or leg cut.


Emphasizing, let alone offering, a choice in rises is a departure of late. Many makers haven't labeled their jeans "low rise" in years because that was the standard.


These days, Old Navy's four fits sink to "ultra-low waist" and soar to "at waist." Levi's three rises range from sitting "well below natural waist" to "at natural waist." Lee's mass-market rises vary from 8&frac_one_quarter; inches to 11½ inches (from crotch to waist), but what sells best is the 10-inch midrise.


"Women didn't necessarily feel comfortable in either" extreme, says Lee's Liz Cahill.


The multiplicity of waistband heights suggests "we've entered into a new era in fashion," says Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD Fashionworld. "It's no longer about one way, one size, one trend fits all."


Just a few years ago, the jeans dominating the premium market required either a bikini wax or a very long shirt. Those 5½- to 6&frac_one_quarter;-inch rises are now "out of fashion," declares Diana Tabeshi, the designer behind the new high-end Denim for Immortality. Tabeshi was tired of having to work for what became a too-low rise: "You have to watch where you sit and when you bend down."


Her label's compromise? A choice of two rises, 7½ inches or 8, that are "sexy and sophisticated for today's woman." Stores, she reports, are selling out three months' inventory in three weeks. "That's telling me something."


Copyright © 2005 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.


Copyright © 2005 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
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[kam]

As a short-waisted person, this is bad news. I love low-rider jeans because on me, they look normal. Damn!

[fuzzy]

As a short-waisted person, this is bad news. I love low-rider jeans because on me, they look normal. Damn!

Ditto that! Double damn!!!

[hockeybrat]

As a short-waisted person, this is bad news. I love low-rider jeans because on me, they look normal. Damn!

Me too! Not super low ones ;). I don't like those high-waisted jeans

[craftyT]

And the rest of us are realizing that pant choice shouldn't have to dictate underwear choice.

This is what I'm looking forward to! ;)

[MLA]

As a short-waisted person, this is bad news. I love low-rider jeans because on me, they look normal. Damn!

Yup. Me, too, though like hockeybrat, I don't like the super-low ones. I really hope we don't end up seeing waists like these again:
http://www.mutoworld.com/OtherArt/ck.brooke1.jpg

Not only are they unattractive on me, but they're uncomfortable. I hate having feeling constricted around my waist.

[LeslieandPaul]

NO!!! I love my lowrise jeans. They don't have to be super low, but the belly button is just too high! I will stand by the low rise!

[tenofcups]

As a short-waisted person, this is bad news. I love low-rider jeans because on me, they look normal. Damn!

Ditto. Not only do I look better in low rise jeans, but I literally used to get stomach aches when jeans (and skirts and other pants) hit above my belly button.

[ktsb]

Count me in with the short wasted crowd but I don't read this as they are going away. Just that they are offering more than just HIGH and LOW although they've been doing that for a few months now.

They can't go back to just high waists...we would revolt!!! Don't they call them Mom Jeans now too?

[nixer]

As yet another short waisted person, I just hope finding the low rise style jeans doesn't become difficult, kind of like trying to find a non-strapless wedding dress once the industry decided what the latest "look" should be. I feel like I should go out and stock up on the one or two brands that I have finally found that fit nicely instead of creating the dreaded stuffed sausage roll, LOL.

[maxandmolly]

As a big girl, I assumed low rise wasn't for me and avoided them for ages. But they are so much more comfortable! Granted, a long shirt is in order with them, but so what?

[Vorian's_Leronica]

in honor of high rise jeans that are coming back in style,
I think this is fitting:
http://www.devilducky.com/media/30138/


:p

[hockeybrat]

I'll rebel and continue to wear low waist, bootcut jeans while everybody goes with the higher waist, tapered leg. :p

[Vorian's_Leronica]

I'll rebel and continue to wear low waist, bootcut jeans while everybody goes with the higher waist, tapered leg. :p


I second that.
i love low rise jeans.
I'm short and short waisted and high rise pants look like they are under my armpits.

[chefker]

Say it ain't so! I have long legs and a short waist, and I just feel cut in HALF if I wear regular or high waisted jeans. Gimme my low risers!

I even wear the maternity low-risers now, at 6 mos. PG. :) I can't go back, I WON'T go back, to high waist pants.
If I do, I'll look like Ed Grimley, I must say...
:)

[MLA]

in honor of high rise jeans that are coming back in style,
I think this is fitting:
http://www.devilducky.com/media/30138/


:p


This is one of my favorite SNL skits. :D

[greenbunny]

Say it ain't so! I just feel cut in HALF if I wear regular or high waisted jeans. Gimme my low risers!

ITA. I often say to DH while trying on jeans "These are pinching my nuts!" Yeah, I don't have any, but the damned things are tight enough that it's pinching the hypothetical ones I almost got in the womb.

[Lil_Mrs_0702]

I think the whole point of the article is that there is now a choice of waist. It's hard for me to find a happy medium b/c if they are too high I feel my bowel movements aren't working properly yet if I wear them too low I am always worried that my crack is showing.

[HisSpicy]

in honor of high rise jeans that are coming back in style,
I think this is fitting:
http://www.devilducky.com/media/30138/


:p

FMIL saw that skit while someone else was watching tv, and promptly went out the next day and bought new jeans! She asked FH if he liked them, I'm glad she got the wakeup call to buy new pants, but I feel bad for her, it had to hurt to see yourself being made fun of like that.

[Vorian's_Leronica]

FMIL saw that skit while someone else was watching tv, and promptly went out the next day and bought new jeans! She asked FH if he liked them, I'm glad she got the wakeup call to buy new pants, but I feel bad for her, it had to hurt to see yourself being made fun of like that.


reading this, i remember what an awful little git i was when i was younger, I made fun of my mom's "mom jeans" and ugly old lady shirts and told she embarrased me.
IT was cruel and I feel horrible about it looking back.
on the flip side however my mom now dresses better than me.:p

[citylove]

As a short-waisted person, this is bad news. I love low-rider jeans because on me, they look normal. Damn!
Double or triple ditto! I might have to go on a purchasing spree if they start selling mom-jeans again!

[Aimee]

Ditto. Not only do I look better in low rise jeans, but I literally used to get stomach aches when jeans (and skirts and other pants) hit above my belly button.

Me too! I spent a good portion of high school (the mid to late 90s) avoiding jeans or generally being uncomfortable because that's right before waistlines started to come down. I have a pair of Gap "low rise" jeans from 1997 and they still hit almost at my natural waistline - funny how that's what was low back then!

I'm short and short waisted so low rise on me is normal on everyone else. I like a 7-8 inch rise the best - low enough to still be below the belly button (on me, at least) but high enough to not be indecent.

[MelodySoul]

I like a medium rise personally.

[Scooter]

So I guess I'm not the only one who is thinking about going and buying a stockpile of low rise jeans?

You know, this was inevitable with the whole retro thing. When I saw neon colors come back to the stores, Flashdance sweatshirts hangning off one shoulder with a tank top underneath, sideways ponytails, and legwarmers, I thought that next we'd be seeing high waisted tapered pants and either shoulderpads or puffy sleeves.

[greenbunny]

You know, this was inevitable with the whole retro thing. When I saw neon colors come back to the stores, Flashdance sweatshirts hangning off one shoulder with a tank top underneath, sideways ponytails, and legwarmers, I thought that next we'd be seeing high waisted tapered pants and either shoulderpads or puffy sleeves.

You know, that was when I officially waved goodbye to the young person inside me. You know you're no longer young or cool when the stuff you wore in your teen years has gone out of style and come back in. And you feel even older when you see kids wearing that stuff and they think it's a new idea.

[isaacsmommy]

I love my low rise ;) no mom jeans for me. Hehe its funny though my mom might be more stylish than I am. (By the way she was a teenager in the 80s and thinks its crazy all the stuff she used to wear is "in" now).

Jennifer

[kemaji]

I'm another short-waisted person here who loves her low-rise jeans. I used to wear mens jeans because I hated the pressure of the waist band against my rib cage. I love having jeans that actually look good on me and don't make me look like my grandma.

[GeekGirl]

LOL, I used to wear men's jeans too! High waisted jeans just never fit me right - I have too much hip and too little waist. Low rise jeans are like a gift from heaven!

[Sophia]

Another short-waisted one here. I should stock up on low rise while I have the chance. Not just jeans, but pants for work, too.

[BTB]

I just hope finding the low rise style jeans doesn't become difficult,

I'll just be glad that finding anything BUT low rise style jeans won't be so difficult anymore!

As a short girl with a long torso, my natural waist lines up with my belly button and I find pants that hit right there by far the most comfortable. For years it's been so hard to buy jeans, I've all but given up - but this thread gives me hope! :)

[young lioness]

I'll just be glad that finding anything BUT low rise style jeans won't be so difficult anymore!

Me too! I have a narrow waist with wide hips, and 99% of low-rise jeans gap like crazy at the back when I sit down. Not that I want high-waited jeans, but I want something that works better with my curves.

[lil_geek]

NOOOO!!! Another short waisted person!

In high school I used to buy boys jeans.... or cut the waistband off my pants!!

[Sophia]

Me too! I have a narrow waist with wide hips, and 99% of low-rise jeans gap like crazy at the back when I sit down. Not that I want high-waited jeans, but I want something that works better with my curves.


I hate to break it to you, but higher waisted jeans will create more of a gap. It was when low waisted jeans became popular that I finally stopped having that problem.

[young lioness]

But see, I find that low-rise jeans are pretty much at their widest point at the top of the waistband, which assumes that a person's hips aren't curving in towards their waist at that point. This is why I have gaping issues. I need something that starts curving in at some point, which is why I'm hopeful for higher waisted jeans.

[Sophia]

I had much worse luck with higher waisted jeans. I suffered through the 80s and 90s and was thrilled when waistlines started going lower around '97 or '98.

I guess all our figures are a little different, even if we define our "problems" the same way. Maybe it depends on where the curving starts and how drastic it is.

I really need to go out and look for some jeans & pants before they're all gone! Am I the only one who is dreading high waisted pants as well as jeans?

[amorey]

I’m 5’10” and I didn’t think any part of my body was short, but apparently I’m short waisted. My aunt is the same size as me, she cleaned out her closet and let me try on the stuff from her Good Will bag last night. The older higher waisted pants she had went past my belly button! :eek: Not comfy.

I’m another one who used to wear men’s pants in the 90s. I’d buy them kind of big and they’d hang off my hips.

[Renee34]

To all you ladies that don't like low rise jeans because of the gap in the back of the waist band...this is what I've done. I'm a size 2, most low rise jeans fit good around the back waist band, but I've tried on some that I just love but the back of the waist band totally gaps. Ok, so.....I just took them to my tailor and she fixed them PERFECTLY so they don't gap at all (they looke like they were made just for me). It only cost me about $9.00, to me it's totally worth it if you really like the jeans!!

[redletterband]

I find low-rise jeans so much more comfortable than higher waisted pants and I don't look forward to giving them up. However, I am aware that NOT changing with the trends is what starts to make a person look old. You know what I mean? Those people who never got on the low-rise bandwagon pretty much dated themselves. Just something to keep in mind if the high-waisted stuff comes back in full force. : )

[Renee34]

I find low-rise jeans so much more comfortable than higher waisted pants and I don't look forward to giving them up. However, I am aware that NOT changing with the trends is what starts to make a person look old. You know what I mean? Those people who never got on the low-rise bandwagon pretty much dated themselves. Just something to keep in mind if the high-waisted stuff comes back in full force. : )I know what you mean, but I just can't see high waisted jeans coming back in.....eck.
:eek:

[tgr68]

I'm torn over this whole low-rise/mom jean thing. One one hand, I am sooooo thankful that the waists are coming back up. I got so tired of seeing people's butt cracks. :rolleyes: On the other, I am short-waisted, and low rise fits me at my belly button. These higher rise styles go over my ribs. :( :eek: :(

[ysolde]

I love my low rise ;) no mom jeans for me. Hehe its funny though my mom might be more stylish than I am. (By the way she was a teenager in the 80s and thinks its crazy all the stuff she used to wear is "in" now).

Jennifer

Help! I was a teenager in the 80s! I'm 37!!!!! :eek:

[Sophia]

OMG, so was I! I'm 36. How the heck did I mis that post? :eek:

[beachlvr]

I saw it and was afraid to out myself as old...and I'm only 34!!!

[nuhmah]

I would just love it if the younger (*ahem* teenage) crowd caught on. I am SOOOO tired of seeing girls dressed with super low rise jeans, baby t-shirts, and a thong out the back.

As for me, I never got into the super low rise, but have always preferred my jeans to be below my belly button. I used to live in American Eagle Men's Fit jeans until the low-rise craze started. My mom does wear the mom jeans - always has, and probably always will. I hope I never end up like that!

[Kimberland30]

I like the low rise ones too, but ones that come just below my belly button. Since it's pierced, anything over it pulls at my post and aggrevates me. But I'd be happy not to see the pelvic bone of every thin girl out there (no offense to anyone, but it's driving me nuts). I say that mostly for teens that I see at my daughters school <cringe>. I'm just jealous though. :o

[wendalah]

God almighty, I was a teenager in the '80s too.

[hockeybrat]

Me three!

[tgr68]

I am SOOOO tired of seeing girls dressed with super low rise jeans, baby t-shirts, and a thong out the back. Amen to that!!

Am I the youngest one here? I was born in 1980! :eek:

[LoveYouKisses]

No you're not the youngest one here! But that sure makes me feel young, I was born in 1984....

But I too am tired of seeing 12 year old girls dressing like they are 21. It is slightly disgusting....

-Julie

[tgr68]

LoveYouKisses~You are a year older than my sis!!

[sravenne]

I'm not a huge ultra low-rise fan, but I like them to sit kind of low on my hips. I'm short and these high-rise jeans are so unflattering for most, especially the tapered ones.

I say we boycott them and maybe they won't full make their way in style. :eek: :eek: :eek: (I think I just made a change in history. :D )