The highs of low-rise jeans: Why their return to King’s campuses might be a good thing

In the climate of fast-moving trend cycles, the infamous low-rise jeans have returned. Just like with the skinny jeans vs. baggy jeans debate, low-rise jeans have created another ghastly denim divide.

As soon as low-rise jeans are mentioned the split response becomes ever so apparent. From the survivors of butt crack slips (both in paparazzi shots and personally) to those who were wearing them in the 2000s and those wearing them now in this revival of Y2K fashion, it is clear their experiences differ.

Given the publicising of low-rise jeans mainly on celebs during the unfiltered 2000s (with the impossible model-like beauty standards) it is understandable why some people never want them to see the light of day. However, with the rise of TikTok, anyone can be in the media or influencing sphere, not just celebrities. Alongside this generation pushing body positivity and body neutrality, you can find people with all body types paving the way to show that fashion should in no way be restricted to smaller sizes and that we should not be afraid to show our tummies.

Some people feel that low-rise jeans are not flattering on them, but high-rise jeans pose the same problem in their restrictive pressure on the stomach, creasing in awkward areas, and discomfort when sitting that results in a good old unbuttoning about halfway through your meal.

Deon, a student from King’s, feels strongly about low-rise jeans, wanting “low rises to stay in fashion” because she “absolutely loves them”. Wearing low-rise jeans around campus, she finds them to be a more cosy alternative to the restrictive high-rise. Having both low-rise and high-rise in fashion simultaneously is a great way for young women to feel at ease choosing whichever they feel most comfortable and fashionable in.

Henna Nazir, a university graduate, finds high-rise jeans to be personally unflattering on her, due to her “proportionally longer legs to torso ratio”, which is why she likes having the option of low-rise jeans in their return. Low-rise jeans and cargo trousers have allowed her to feel more confident in her body by finding what fits her best.

The aspect of low-rise jeans cutting at awkward parts of the body makes for a great way for young women to embrace all the parts of our bodies that we may feel need to be hidden or to show off what we love about ourselves. Whether that is with high-rise jeans – that you can tuck all of yourself into nicely – or with low-rise, where you can embrace the feeling of not having to hide the so-called “imperfections” that come naturally with the human body.

It seems to be that the return of low-rise jeans is a blessing in disguise.

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• Calling all campus crappers: Here’s a definitive ranking of the best toilets at King’s 
• These are the five most annoying people you’ll meet at King’s before you graduate
• This is every type of person you will find in King’s uni halls: Rated