Low-Rise on the Rise
Written By: Regan Daley
“The 20-year rule.”
It’s the idea that fashion trends recycle every 20 years. What does this mean today? It means fashion trends popular in the early 2000s should be coming around again. And what trends might those be? Well, if fashion history truly does repeat itself, that means it’s just about time for low-rise jeans to make their way to your closet shelf.
To see if we’re on track for another resurgence of low-rise jeans, let’s plot the history of the low-rise style, charting when they were fashionable and who wore them to fuel the fashion trend.
1960s – Early 1970s: Called “Hipsters” or “Hip Huggers”, There Was Panic at the Disco if You Didn’t Own a Pair
The ‘60s were a time of pushing the envelope, and fashion trends that sparked public gasps were favorites among counterculture “hippies” and rock ‘n’ rollers. Hanging low on the hips, rather than fitting the waist, and exposing the belly, hip huggers were made popular by Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison of The Doors, and Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. The popularity of low-rise jeans continued into the early ‘70s, becoming a staple of anyone’s disco attire.
Fast forward 20 years. Did low-rise jeans make their way back to style? Not really.
Courtesy of Bustle
Late 1970s and 1980s: Low-Rise Jeans Seem to Have Skipped a Decade
As higher levels of women entered the workforce, their waistlines also got higher. During this time, low-rise jeans were shelfed in favor of higher-waisted options. Therefore, the 20-year rule did not hold.
But don’t worry. Speeding along another 20 years to the year 2000, we find that low-rise jeans are back on the rise.
2000s: Oops! They Came Back Again!
Images Courtesy of Getty Images
Probably one of the most iconic fashion trends of the time, low- rise jeans became a fashion favorite of celebrities like Destiny’s Child, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears. This time around, low-rise jeans were bedazzled, sequined, and embroidered and came in patchwork, flared, and bootcut. It seemed low-rise jeans were seeing their heyday. And while low-rise jeans were popular, the trend was one that sparked much debate with people either loving or hating them. Regardless of people’s opinion, low-rise jeans were a key aspect of 2000s clothing culture...and independent women were throwing their hands up and wearing them.
And the next 20-year jump brings us to the 2020s.
2020s: “Unabashed Confidence” Is Back in Style
Images courtesy of Bustle
Today, Kendall Jenner, Gigi and Bella Hadid, and Hailey Bieber have been spotted wearing low- rise jeans. Their donning of the style might have contributed to the 58% increase in searches for the style according to Lyst.
According to Vogue writer, Liana Satenstein, low-rise jeans show a wearer’s “unabashed confidence at its finest.” What this means is that you do not have to be a human stick insect to slip on a pair of low-rise jeans. You just have to have high confidence to embrace the returning fashion trend and go low.