Low-rise jeans sit below the belly button and were first worn in the late 1960s by hippies. They have been reintroduced in various styles, but some find them indecent as they can expose the upper buttocks. Wearing bikini-style underwear can solve this problem for women. Some consider showing underwear above the waist as inelegant. However, many find a slightly lower rise in pants flattering and more elongating for the figure.
The rise in a pair of pants is the distance measured between the crotch of the pants and the waist. Low-rise jeans, also called hipsters, hip-hugging, or low-cut jeans, just a few of the alternate names, are characterized by a short rise that sits significantly below the belly button rather than at the waist. The first versions of these jeans were hip braces, worn in the late 1960s and early 1970s, mainly by people from the hippie culture.
Hip huggers at this early stage featured a lower rise, but were often only an inch or two (2.54.5.08 cm) below the belly button. These low-rise jeans were often very skinny to the knee, then flared out into flared pants. With hip huggers, nothing between the waist and knee was left to the imagination due to their form-fitting style. Many hip huggers joked about having to put on their jeans.
When low-rise jeans were reintroduced in the early 1990s, some resembled the hip-hugger style. Others had a flared bottom or boot cut, and others were less tight. Trends in the 2000s have shortened the pant length of many types of jeans, and they can come in a Capri cut, palazzo-style pant, or pedal pant style. Straight-leg jeans have often replaced the flare-leg or bootcut style of the low-rise jean of the 1990s.
These jeans have not been appreciated by everyone. Some have such a low waist that they show the upper part of the buttocks, especially if you bend, sit, or squat. Some have declared them indecent due to this exposure. Low-rise jeans can be worn by both men and women, and especially when women wear them, it’s considered fashionable not to let underwear show above the waist.
For women, wearing bikini-style underwear usually easily solves this problem. Some women insist on wearing high-cut, clearly visible thongs over low-rise jeans. This is considered inelegant and a fashion faux pas. For men, underwear that shows above the rise is more common and accepted. Gangsta fashion, with oversized pants, often emphasizes showing briefs above the waist. However, on most occasions, underwear and briefs are supposed to be under clothing, and showing them off is not considered tasteful.
Although not everyone enjoys wearing low-rise jeans, many admit that a slightly lower rise in pants is flattering. Pants that sit just above the hipbone, rather than cinching at the waist, elongate the figure. Many now scoff at the higher-waisted style of the more typical jeans of the past, calling them “mom jeans.” Various comedy shows have made fun of the high-waisted jean in this way, as it is only suitable for mothers of a certain age.
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