Low-rise (fashion)

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Porn star Damien Crosse in low-rise clothing at Folsom Street Fair 2010
Raven Riley at AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2008.jpg
Porn star Raven Riley in low-rise clothing at AVN Adult Entertainment Expo 2008

Low-rise is a style of clothing designed to sit low on, or below, the hips. The style can also be called lowcut, hipster, or hip-hugger, [1] and can apply to garments worn by males or females. The term can be applied to all garments that cover the wearer's crotch area, including trousers, jeans, shorts, skirts, panties, briefs, bikinis, pantyhose, and tights. [2]

Contents

Terminology

The "rise" of a bottom garment is measured by the distance between the crotch and the waistline or top of the garment and is usually around 12 inches (30 cm) on regular pants. The average rise of a low-rise garment is roughly 8 inches (20 cm) with some as little as 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm). A normal low-rise sits at least 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) below the navel. A "super" or an "ultra low-rise" sits at 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm) below the navel. [3]

Low-rise jeans may be worn to display more skin at the waist, torso, and hips. Accordingly, they are sometimes worn in combination with crop tops, giving a glimpse of skin between the jeans and the top, or (more commonly in the summer or in warmer countries) showing their entire midriff including the navel. From 2001 to 2007, the low rise style frequently revealed the thong or G-string underneath, but after 2007 this fell out of favor and thongs began their decline. When the wearer sits down or bends forward, sometimes cleavage is visible. When a thong is exposed above a pair of low-rise jeans on the back, it is commonly referred to as a whale tail, due to its somewhat similar shape. When boxer shorts become visible this is known as "sagging". Because underwear was no longer always hidden, more men and women choose their underwear to function with their low-rise jeans. [4] [5]

History

The 1990s revival of low-rise jeans can be credited to British fashion designer Alexander McQueen, who first showed low-rise "bumster" trousers in his 1993 Taxi Driver collection. One commentator observed: "The bumster for me is what defined McQueen. For me it was the look that put him on the map because it was controversial. Those little bumsters were in his first shows. It was like 20 people in England were wearing them back then." [6] [7] The low-rise fashion expanded in the early 1990s after the March 1993 issue of the British magazine The Face which featured Kate Moss in low-rise jeans. [8]

Clothing manufacturer Levi Strauss & Co. introduced low-rise jeans in December 2000, the tops of which were about three inches (7+1⁄2 cm) below the navel, with a zipper of a mere 3+1⁄4 inches (8.3 cm) long. Backs were also cut low, but not so low that they exposed backside cleavage. [9] It later adopted the style in men's wear. [10] [11] [12] Gradually the wide acceptance of low-rise pants by men led to low-rise swimwear and underpants. [13] [14]

Britney Spears is credited with popularizing the fashion in the US in the early 2000s. [15] [16] The trend became so popular that in 2002, a Barbie doll wearing low-rise jeans named "My Scene" Barbie was introduced in stores. [17] [18] Kathryn Newton wore a two piece midriff baring school girl style outfit with a low rise skirt exposing her belly button at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2022. [19]

Indian fashion

The term is applied to saris and Ghagra cholis in India. Due to migration to different countries,[ citation needed ] many Indian women began to wear the normal sari below the waistline exposing the navel, which is known as low-rise sari. [20] This type of sari is worn such that the petticoat is tied at some inches below the navel and just above the pubic area. Similarly, the lehengas of ghagra cholis are also worn in low-rise. Designer Manish Malhotra's Fashion Week collections regularly highlight low waisted ghaghras accompanied by short cholis. [21] [22] This were made popular by the female celebrities of Bollywood industry and other popular regional film industries like Tamil cinema and Telugu cinema. These are mainly worn by the rich, educated upper-class women who consider navel exposure as a fashion. [23] [24] However, sometimes, the navel is covered with the pallu in a low-rise non-transparent sari, as well.

Dress codes

Vitruvio Pollione Scientific High School, Avezzano, central Italy, asked students to stop wearing low-slung trousers that expose navels, underwear etc., Deputy Principal Nazzareno Desiderio elaborated in a phone interview: "It's a piece of advice, for their educational reflection." Inspired by the decision in Avezzano, the principal of Rome's Visconti High School Antonino Grasso had suggested that students show less skin and proposed a debate on the matter. In an interview he commented, "Today, boys are less tickled by such visions (of skin), because there's no more big effect in seeing a girl's legs or shoulders, lower back and navel". [25] [26]

In some corporations in India, saris are required to be worn in an elegant manner, avoiding navel exposure. [27] Anita Gupta, senior vice-president at JWT Chennai commented, "Formal wear for women definitely covers saris without plunging necklines or glimpses of the belly button". [28]

Low-rise clothing is completely forbidden in certain countries around the world, including Iran, Libya, Algeria, Afghanistan, and Yemen. [29] [30]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leotard</span> One-piece garment that covers the torso

A leotard is a unisex skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso from the crotch to the shoulder. The garment was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard (1838–1870). There are sleeveless, short-sleeved, and long-sleeved leotards. A variation is the unitard, which also covers the legs. It provides a degree of modesty and style, while allowing for freedom of movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belt (clothing)</span> Worn band or braid, usually around the waist or hips

A belt is a flexible band or strap, typically made of leather, plastic, or heavy cloth, worn around the natural waist or near it. The ends of a belt are free; and a buckle forms the belt into a loop by securing one end to another part of the belt, at or near the other end. Often, the resulting loop is smaller than the hips. Belts come in many lengths because of the variety in waist sizes, and most belts can be adjusted at the buckle to suit the wearer's waist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skirt</span> Clothing worn from the waist or hips

A skirt is the lower part of a dress or a separate outer garment that covers a person from the waist downwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bodysuit</span> One-piece form-fitting garment that covers the torso and the crotch

A bodysuit is a one-piece form-fitting or skin-tight garment that covers the torso and the crotch. The of a basic bodysuit is similar to a one-piece swimsuit and a leotard, though the materials may vary. Thong or T-front thong bodysuits usually have the crotch opening moved up to the front to underbelly area to increase the wearer's comfort. A bodysuit may have sleeves and varying shoulder strap and collar. Bodysuits can be made from a number of fabrics, including cotton, lace, nylon, etc. In general, textile bodysuits include expandable fiber such as spandex for a better fit to the shape of the body.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sari</span> Womans draped garment of the Indian subcontinent

A sari is a women's garment from the Indian subcontinent, that consists of an un-stitched stretch of woven fabric arranged over the body as a robe, with one end attached to the waist, while the other end rests over one shoulder as a stole (shawl), sometimes baring a part of the midriff. It may vary from 4.1 to 8.2 metres in length, and 60 to 120 centimetres in breadth, and is a form of ethnic wear in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. There are various names and styles of sari manufacture and draping, the most common being the Nivi style. The sari is worn with a fitted bodice also called a choli and a petticoat called ghagra, parkar, or ul-pavadai. It remains fashionable in the Indian subcontinent today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bell-bottoms</span> Trousers cut wider at the ankle than the knees

Bell-bottoms are a style of trousers that become wider from the knees downward, forming a bell-like shape of the trouser leg.

Clothing in India varies with the different ethnicities, geography, climate, and cultural traditions of the people of each region of India. Historically, clothing has evolved from simple garments like kaupina, langota, achkan, lungi, sari, to rituals and dance performances. In urban areas, western clothing is common and uniformly worn by people of all social levels. India also has a great diversity in terms of weaves, fibers, colors, and the material of clothing. Sometimes, color codes are followed in clothing based on the religion and ritual concerned. The clothing in India also encompasses a wide variety of Indian embroidery, prints, handwork, embellishments, and styles of wearing clothes. A wide mix of Indian traditional clothing and western styles can be seen in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choli</span> Type of blouse, worn with the sari

A choli is a blouse or a bodice-like upper garment that is commonly cut short leaving the midriff bare, it is worn along with a sari in the Indian subcontinent. The choli is also part of the ghagra choli costume in the Indian subcontinent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midriff</span> Human abdomen

In fashion, the midriff is the human abdomen. The midriff is exposed when wearing a crop top or some forms of swimwear or underwear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whale tail</span> Part of a thong or G-string

Whale tail is the Y-shaped rear portion of a thong or G-string when visible above the waistline of low-rise pants, shorts, or skirts that resembles a whale's tail. Popularized by a number of female celebrities including Amy Dumas, Christina Aguilera, Victoria Beckham, Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, displaying whale tails became popular in the early 2000s, together with the popularity of low-rise jeans and thong panties; but quickly waned within the decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Briefs</span> Type of undergarment and swimwear

Briefs are a type of short, form-fitting underwear and swimwear, as opposed to styles where material extends down the thighs. Briefs have various different styles, usually with a waistband attached to fabric that runs along the pelvis to the crotch and buttocks, and are worn by both men and women. Swim briefs are a variation used as swimwear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lehenga</span> Long, embroidered, pleated skirt of the Indian subcontinent

The lehenga, lehnga or langa or लेहंगा is a form of ankle-length skirt from the Indian subcontinent. Different patterns and styles of traditional embroidery are used to decorate lehenga. Gota patti embroidery is often used for festivals and weddings. The lehenga, also known as the ghagra, is a traditional Indian garment that became popular in the 16th century, mainly in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The lehenga became a favorite attire for Mughal women of all ages and classes due to its royal appeal and convenience The lehenga is sometimes worn as the lower portion of a gagra choli or langa voni. Ghagra in Hindi, was also used to refer to the half slip or petticoat, a skirt worn as an undergarment below the sari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghagra choli</span> Traditional clothing of women from Indian Subcontinent

Ghagra choli is a type of ethnic clothing for women from the Indian Subcontinent, notably in the Indian states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, as well as in the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh. In Punjab, the lehenga is traditionally worn with a kurti. It is a combination of the gagra or lehenga and the choli (blouse), however in contemporary and modern usage lehenga choli is the more popular and widely accepted term by fashion designers, trend setters, and boutiques in South Asia, since ghagra is synonymous with the half-slip (petticoat) worn as an undergarment below the sari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trousers</span> Clothing for the legs and lower body

Trousers, slacks, or pants are an item of clothing worn from the waist to anywhere between the knees and the ankles, covering both legs separately. In the United Kingdom, the word pants generally means underwear and not trousers. Shorts are similar to trousers, but with legs that come down only to around the area of the knee, higher or lower depending on the style of the garment. To distinguish them from shorts, trousers may be called "long trousers" in certain contexts such as school uniform, where tailored shorts may be called "short trousers" in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underwear</span> Clothes worn under other clothes

Underwear, underclothing, or undergarments are items of clothing worn beneath outer clothes, usually in direct contact with the skin, although they may comprise more than a single layer. They serve to keep outer clothing from being soiled or damaged by bodily excretions, to lessen the friction of outerwear against the skin, to shape the body, and to provide concealment or support for parts of it. In cold weather, long underwear is sometimes worn to provide additional warmth. Special types of undergarments have religious significance. Some items of clothing are designed as undergarments, while others, such as T-shirts and certain types of shorts, are appropriate both as underwear and outerwear. If made of suitable material or textile, some underwear can serve as nightwear or swimwear, and some undergarments are intended for sexual attraction or visual appeal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thong</span> Garment worn as underwear or as part of a swimsuit

The thong is a garment generally used as either underwear or in some countries, as a swimsuit. It may also be worn for traditional ceremonies or competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Underwear as outerwear</span> Fashion trend

Wearing underwear as outerwear is a fashion trend popularized by celebrities, sports and media. It began as a practical and comfortable variation of clothing, such as the T-shirt and the sleeveless shirt, but later evolved into provocative, controversial fashion statements. 21st century versions include the display of thongs and bras in women's clothing, and the display of underpants under low-slung pants in men. Wearing underwear as outerwear has historical antecedents in the display of undergarments in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High-rise (fashion)</span> 20th century and 21st century fashion phenonemon

A high-rise or high-waisted garment is one designed to sit high on, or above, the wearer's hips, usually at least 8 centimetres (3 inches) higher than the navel. In western cultures, high-rise jeans were especially common in the 1970s, late 1980s through the late 1990s, derided as mom jeans in the 2000s, and popular again in the mid-to-late 2010s and continues to be popular into the present in competition with low-rise pants.

Cultural views on the midriff and navel vary significantly. In some cultures the navel is seen as sexually and culturally significant, and its exposure has been subject to a variety of cultural norms and taboos, based on concepts of modesty. The views, customs and fashions relating to the midriff and navel change from time to time, and such exposure has become more widely acceptable, as reflected in the designs of clothing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belly fetish</span> Sexual attraction to the stomach or belly

A belly fetish is a partialism in which an individual is sexually attracted to the midriff or belly.

References

  1. ↑ Nunn, Joan (1984). Fashion in Costume, 1200–1980. Herbert Press. ISBN   9780906969373 . Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  2. ↑ Hill, Daniel Delis (1 September 2007). As Seen in Vogue: A Century of American Fashion in Advertising. Texas Tech University Press. ISBN   9780896726161 . Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  3. ↑ Braendel, Shari (2010). Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad: A Style Guide for Every Woman. Zondervan. ISBN   978-0-310-32601-4 . Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  4. ↑ Janelle Brown, "Here come the buns", Salon.com, May 28, 2002.
  5. ↑ Jennifer D'Angelo, "Cleavage Fashion Flips Upside Down", FOXNews.com, December 5, 2001.
  6. ↑ Rajini Vaidyanathan (12 February 2010). "Six ways Alexander McQueen changed fashion". BBC News Magazine. BBC. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  7. ↑ "Alexander McQueen Fashion Designer (1969 - 2010)". Design Museum: London. British Council. Archived from the original on 23 November 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "Navel Maneuvers". New York Magazine. 10 May 1993. p. 26. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  9. ↑ SUSAN PHINNEY. "Navel maneuvers: Hip-huggers and short tops are hot this season". Seattlepi. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  10. ↑ Lakeland Ledger - Jul 29, 2002
  11. ↑ The Sunday Gazette - Sep 3, 2002
  12. ↑ PULSE - Sling Low, Swing High - The New York Times
  13. ↑ The Southeast Missourian - Aug 4, 2002
  14. ↑ Boy culture - an encyclopedia, Volume 1 - Shirley R. Steinberg, Michael Kehler, Lindsay Cornish
  15. ↑ "Jeans Rising". The Daily Beast. Newsweek Magazine. 26 March 2006. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  16. ↑ "GilroyDispatch.com | Low-rise Jeans Unflattering to Moms - Thanks a Lot, Britney Spears". Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2008-10-25.The Gilroy Dispatch - Low-rise Jeans Unflattering to Moms - Thanks a Lot, Britney Spears
  17. ↑ "A sexier, hipper Barbie hits shelves". Times Daily. Nov 28, 2002. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  18. ↑ "HIP, NEW BARBIE HITS STORE SHELVES, JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS WISH LISTS". Dayton Daily News. November 28, 2002. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  19. ↑ "Kathryn Newton's Latest Look is Prada's Answer to the Miu Miu Mini". 26 July 2022.
  20. ↑ Aging and menopause among Indian South African women – Brian M. Du Toit.
  21. ↑ "Rise of the Navel 'Bollywood navel fashion has led to re-emergence of sari'". India Today
  22. ↑ Datta-Ray, Sunanda K. (28 April 2005) Meanwhile: Unraveling the sari. The New York Times .
  23. ↑ Dress and gender: making and meaning in cultural contexts – Ruth Barnes.
  24. ↑ The cultures of economic migration: international perspectives – Suman Gupta, Tope Omoniyi.
  25. ↑ "Italian school says 'enough' over low-rise pants". USA TODAY. 2004-10-19. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  26. ↑ Angela Dondald (October 19, 2004). "Low-rise pants cause minor uprising in Italy". iOL News. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  27. ↑ Dr Saurabh Bhatia. Indian Corporate Etiquette. Saurabh Bhatia. ISBN   978-81-906964-0-1 . Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  28. ↑ Nina Varghese, Raja Simhan T.E. (October 27, 2006). "The workplace look". The Business Line. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  29. ↑ Fashion & Dress Code Around the World
  30. ↑ Retro Damebutikk for 1950 Tallet
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