After reading about the opinions that several fashion bloggers and their readers have about high-waisted pants, I realize that it's a touchy subject with fashion followers. Either you love the trend or you hate it. Let's face it, some people are slower to adopt new trends and others like to be the first to test the waters. I admit that I've always followed trends, but there are a few that I never buy into because they don't flatter my body type. The older I get, the more brazen I am about trying out new trends before the mainstream. I was particularly inspired to be more creative with my wardrobe after my trip to London.
As someone who has seen more than their share of whale's tails and plumber's smiles while walking through the mall or sitting in a classroom, I am glad to see that waistbands are rising. The high-waisted styles are not for everybody, as they can be constricting and unflattering when worn the wrong way. One thing I'd like to clarify is that there are important differences between so-called "mom" jeans and the high-waisted styles that you'll see this season. So don't be afraid of high-waisted because it's not equal to "mom" jeans. Here's why.
First of all, "mom" jeans are unflattering on everyone. Yes, even in that photoshoot that Cory Kennedy did with "mom" jeans tucked into gladiator sandals and styled in other ways. Why are they so hideous? They create unibutt. What is unibutt, you ask? Well it's hard to describe, but it's when your behind appears to be one flat mass. What causes unibutt, you ask? Poor fit in addition to poor pocket size and placement are the key perpetrators of this crime. Go to any supermarket in suburban America to see this crime in action. "Mom" jeans are: high-waisted, tight in the belly and waist area, loose in the butt, have pockets that are placed too high and are too small, are too loose in the thigh area, and taper down toward the ankles creating the illusion of a droopy butt and big thighs. They make women look big exactly where they don't want to.
The high-waisted styles this season should not share any of these characteristics. They should be fitted in the butt area, have larger, lower placed pockets to balance out the extra fabric in the waist area, and they should be fitted through the hip and thigh. If the pockets are placed too high or there are no pockets (or small pockets), this can create the illusion of a bigger butt because there is nothing to visually break up the large amount of fabric on the butt. If the style is wide leg, it should flare slightly through the knee and the lower leg. If it's skinny, there should be 1-2% stretch to allow for movement.
When worn correctly, high-waisted styles can create the illusion of longer legs, show off small waists, and visually trim the hips. For more info on how to wear the trend, check out my previous blog post from June 8th. To find out why I love the high-waisted skinnies by Cheap Monday, read my post from July 24th.
