What is a “rise”? Well, if you take a pair of jeans, and measure the length from the waistband to the crotch – that is your rise.
Low-rise jeans are from 7″ to 8 ½” inches. These styles are only flattering to Kate Moss and other women whose stomachs are basically concave. Everyone else will find they are sporting the dreaded muffin top from the front and plumbers crack in the back. Sitting down is not recommended in these jeans. Neither is eating.
Mid-rise jeans: A rise from 8 ½ ” – 10″ inches. Truly, this is the greatest thing since fire. For years, as most of us remember, mass market retailers only sold low cut or high waist jeans. Then about five years ago, this cut became popular, and mature women started buying jeans again.
High-rise jeans: Anything over 10 ½ inches. Add pleats to the front of these beauties, and you’ve got the dreaded “mom jeans”. Just walk away, my friend, just walk away. Oh sure, movie stars like Jessica Biel or Jessica Alba have been photographed wearing high rise jeans, but they are only doing that to be ironic— as in, “you are wearing something really ugly and unflattering, yet you somehow manage to still look thin and beautiful…how ironic!”
These are my choices for flattering, realistically priced jeans. I’ve tried all of the styles except the 524s, and I have the Levis 525, as well as the Gap Long and Lean. The 525’s are really comfortable, but they sit just a little bit too high on the waist for my taste. I think they have to cut them this way for the slimming panel in the front, which really does work to flatten the mid section. That said, they’re perfect for soccer games and going to the park.
I have to admit, I didn’t think the Long and Lean would work for my body type, but it does…as long as I buy one size larger than normal. It works because the legs are cut slim, so I can buy something to fit my waist without the legs becoming too saggy or loose. These are sexy jeans, perfect for date night or girls night out.
If someone had told me that I would be wearing Lee jeans ten years ago, I would have laughed…then cried. I still remember them as the shapeless jeans dads used to wear that were sold in a big display against the wall at the local Mervyn’s. The Natural fit boot cuts are flattering, and I’m loving that tummy panel. These would be my favorite jeans (price! fit!) except for the fact that they come in colors that look cheap. The gray and dark rinse colors are OK.
To summarize, low rise jeans sit way below your waist, mid rise jeans sit just below and are the most flattering, while high rise jeans are not figure friendly because they emphasize the over 40 woman’s problem areas.