Low rise, work appropriate pants, skirts, and winter tights
October 21, 2023 11:18 AM Subscribe
I keep seeing that low-rise clothing is returning, but can't find anything that isn't cargo pants / 90s baggy etc. Thanks, but I already lived those years. What I'm looking for is women's business casual pants and skirts that I can try on in-person, and winter tights (that I could just get online). Please know, I want EVERYONE to be comfortable and I don't want high- or mid-rise to be gone for everyone, I just personally haven't been able to buy pants for like 5 years now.
High-rise and mid-rise make me miserable. Like, actually angry until I take them off. It's a sensory thing combined with IBS. Probably more sensory. I flip over the waistbands of EVERYTHING now, which is fine at home, and I can get away with that with some athletic/athleisure outdoors (when it's not too bulky), but I can't do it with work clothes acceptably.
My body type has always suited low-rise fine, I'm the same size/proportions as I was in the 90s and early 2000s. I'm just glad I bought four pairs of the same jeans five or so years ago because when high-rise hit, there was nothing out there. I'm finding more and more options for jean styles (boyfriend, straight leg, etc. - not just skinny now), just not casual work clothes and winter tights.
I've spent probably hours now looking online and everything called low-rise is actually mid. No - what I want is even lower - like 3-4 inches below my navel, or sitting just above my hip bones. I was watching Blue Jasmine a while back and I kept thinking that Cate Blanchett looked SO COMFORTABLE but also professional. I want that.
For in-person - I'm in Canada but will be on both the East Coast and PNW in the US in November, so US options work too.
(Maybe when it really, truly comes back as an option we'll be able to reliably find full shirts again.)
Thank you!
High-rise and mid-rise make me miserable. Like, actually angry until I take them off. It's a sensory thing combined with IBS. Probably more sensory. I flip over the waistbands of EVERYTHING now, which is fine at home, and I can get away with that with some athletic/athleisure outdoors (when it's not too bulky), but I can't do it with work clothes acceptably.
My body type has always suited low-rise fine, I'm the same size/proportions as I was in the 90s and early 2000s. I'm just glad I bought four pairs of the same jeans five or so years ago because when high-rise hit, there was nothing out there. I'm finding more and more options for jean styles (boyfriend, straight leg, etc. - not just skinny now), just not casual work clothes and winter tights.
I've spent probably hours now looking online and everything called low-rise is actually mid. No - what I want is even lower - like 3-4 inches below my navel, or sitting just above my hip bones. I was watching Blue Jasmine a while back and I kept thinking that Cate Blanchett looked SO COMFORTABLE but also professional. I want that.
For in-person - I'm in Canada but will be on both the East Coast and PNW in the US in November, so US options work too.
(Maybe when it really, truly comes back as an option we'll be able to reliably find full shirts again.)
Thank you!
Like, here’s an eBay ad for low rise women’s chinos from banana republic. Note how all fit measurements are shown with a ruler:
ebay
posted by toodleydoodley at 12:40 PM on October 21, 2023
ebay
posted by toodleydoodley at 12:40 PM on October 21, 2023
I just got a pair of low rise jeans at Zara and they were actually low rise! I haven’t tried them but something like this looks like it could be doable for work.
posted by inevitability at 12:48 PM on October 21, 2023
posted by inevitability at 12:48 PM on October 21, 2023
Potentially affordable: If you find a pair you really like, or if your old jeans are still in good shape and not all stretched out, then maybe check seamstress prices in your area to have someone make a pattern out of them, and sew some copies. That way you can get around being at the mercy of fashion trends indefinitely. (Same with shirts.)
posted by trig at 1:11 PM on October 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by trig at 1:11 PM on October 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
I sympathize so much. I went shopping with a friend who is suited to high rise pants and she was trying to help me find pants that didn’t make me look like Ed Grimley—she was like holy crap, there is NOTHING out here for you.
Like you, I also have a body unsuited to high rise pants—low rise pants are mid rise on me; mid rise are high rise, and high rise go up to my armpits. I have been so frustrated for years now as even mid rise pants seemed to disappear and the only rise variation from high rise was “sky-high.” I also have acid reflux which is exacerbated by high rise pants (probably in a similar way to IBS) so they are painful as well as ugly on me.
I ended up getting some pants custom made by Ureshii. You pick a style then specify all your personal measurements, including your inseam and rise. More expensive but well worth it. The most work appropriate pants I can see on there are the Mayfair, the Sanpo, and Patch pants (as long as you get it in all the same fabric/colour).
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:34 PM on October 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
Like you, I also have a body unsuited to high rise pants—low rise pants are mid rise on me; mid rise are high rise, and high rise go up to my armpits. I have been so frustrated for years now as even mid rise pants seemed to disappear and the only rise variation from high rise was “sky-high.” I also have acid reflux which is exacerbated by high rise pants (probably in a similar way to IBS) so they are painful as well as ugly on me.
I ended up getting some pants custom made by Ureshii. You pick a style then specify all your personal measurements, including your inseam and rise. More expensive but well worth it. The most work appropriate pants I can see on there are the Mayfair, the Sanpo, and Patch pants (as long as you get it in all the same fabric/colour).
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:34 PM on October 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
The highrise trend is very frustrating. It seems nearly all women's pants are now designed to sit right under your breasts, and are usually cropped too. After much searching, I recently found these Sutton trousers from Tommy Hillfiger brand. I prefer natural fabrics but at this point, I couldn't be too choosy. The waist falls below my navel, they drape nicely, cover the ankle, and don't look cheap (to me).
posted by fies at 11:44 AM on October 22, 2023
posted by fies at 11:44 AM on October 22, 2023
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posted by toodleydoodley at 11:31 AM on October 21, 2023 [1 favorite]