For seasons, flattering high-waisted jeans in their many incarnations – skinny, Mom, boyfriend, kickflare – have ruled our off-duty wardrobes. But in the latest fashion casualty of Noughties nostalgia, the ultra low-rise jean appears to be making an unwelcome comeback.
Cast your mind back to the early 2000s when Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Rihanna's after-dark uniforms consisted of hip-hugging bootleg jeans teamed with extreme crop tops and pointed kitten heels.
If not, we're sure you can recall the moment Keira Knightley showed off her entire torso at a Pirates of the Caribbean movie premiere in a pair of low-slung, dark-hued jeans and the tiniest off-the-shoulder top we'd ever seen. It fast became one of the most iconic fashion moments of the decade.
But if you thought this trend was to be left quietly in fashion history, then you – like us – were sadly mistaken, as denim waistlines appear to be getting lower and lower.
Lets explore the evidence.
Last week, undeniably influential model-of-the-moment Bella Hadid stepped out in a pair of Off-White low-slung denim jeans, paired with a cropped white backless shirt and trainers.
If this isn't proof enough (and it should be) that low-rise jeans are soon to be a staple in every woman's wardrobe, consider that the likes of Gigi Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and Gisele Bündchen have also been spotted championing the trend. It's surely only a matter of time before we're all doing it.
We should have seen it coming. On the catwalk for spring/summer 2017, Alexander McQueen and Roberto Cavalli both showed low-rise jeans, while in Tommy Hilfiger's AW17 collection with Gigi Hadid, we saw a pair of low-slung leather trousers as one of the centre pieces of the collection, modelled on Hadid no less.
In every case on the catwalk, the low-rise trousers were shown with miniature crop tops to really accentuate that section of the midriff that we haven't seen for a decade.
Do not despair, however, if you don't have the abs of a 20-something supermodel because this time around, there are many more wearable ways to take on the trend.
We'll be taking our cue from Victoria Beckham and Karlie Kloss, who have both dared to try the trend in the form of low-rise baggy denim, but instead of teaming them with ultra cropped tops, the pair have both been seen wearing them with oversized T-shirts and classic white shirts.
Just maybe we'll be convinced to give the low-rise jean another go after all...
