Yes, Low-Rise Jeans Are Really Back – and These 17 Styles Are Worth Slipping Into

Denim waistlines are always on the move. The 2010s saw them creep towards the sternum, with high-rise styles like the “mom jean” ruling everyday dressing. Now the pendulum has swung the other way, sliding past the midriff and firmly landing at low-rise.

Maybe you’re already a convert. Or maybe you’re haunted by the hip-grazing heyday of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton (I was too – now I’m eating these words). Either way, today’s cuts are more subtle, chic and versatile than their noughties red-carpet counterparts.

The silhouette isn’t about baring skin anymore (unless you want it to be). Where high-rise denim holds you in, low-rise lets go. The fit is more relaxed, the styling almost accidental, and that nonchalance is exactly what makes it feel right for now.

It’s illusionary, too. In the same way that gravity-defying waistlines create the illusion of longer legs, low-slung denim elongates the torso for the kind of proportion play that makes fashion a whole lot more personal.

We’ve found 17 pairs worth shopping, from dramatic drops to subtle hip-skimmers you might not even clock as low-rise at first. Here’s where to start.

The best low-rise jeans to shop this season

The best barrel low-rise jeans

The best bootcut and flared low-rise jeans

The best straight low-rise jeans

The best wide low-rise jeans

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