To Rise or Not to Rise
As Gen Z falls victim to our most regretted style, this millennial asks — seriously?
As millennials, we embraced the return of the early ’90s mom jean. We enjoyed the loose fit of the long-popularized boyfriend jean. And for some, the high-rise skinny would have to be pried from their cold, dead hands. However, the return of one Y2K staple has left Gen Y feeling less than enthusiastic.
It wasn’t the butterfly clips that perturbed us. It wasn’t the baby tee or the crop top. Nor was it the Juicy Couture velour sets, surprisingly enough. No — the generational divide can only be traced to a single, unforgiving culprit: the low-rise jean.
The guilty party has become a topic commonly debated by millennial moms and Gen Z teens until the elder is blue in the face. To rise or not to rise — is this seriously a question?
I had to consult my favorite Gen Z teen for some guidance. “Please,” I asked my 15-year-old niece, Ashlynn. “Tell me it’s not true.”
“I currently think they’re in, and I think they’re pretty cute,” she informed me. She foresees the style sticking around for a while but doesn’t consider it timeless.
Gen Z has made other improvements in styling low-rise jeans. Photo by Pexels: Mizuno K
“They did already go out of style from the early 2000s, so it’s bound to happen again,” she said.
Millennial and owner of Encore Resale 850 consignment boutique in Fort Walton Beach, Donielle LaTo, sees innumerable styles come and go. It’s up to her to differentiate what’s in, what’s out and what stands a chance of resurgence.
“They’re eager — they were ready a year ago,” LaTo said of Gen Z shoppers. “I remember this one customer coming in and making a comment about it. She said, ‘Y2K is coming; get ready for it!’”
Those of us who lived through the era where style icons included the likes of Manny Santos from the Canadian teen drama Degrassi have learned our lesson. But the snug, below-the-belly fit isn’t the only reason we were glad to leave low-rise behind. The flared length of those bad boys didn’t stand a chance in the rain — you were guaranteed to be stuck with a pant leg wet up to the top of your calf and torn, tattered and mud-stained within three wears.
But the simultaneous resurgence of the platform sneaker comes in handy here, enhancing the look and preventing wear from the elements. For tops, the low-rise pairs best, then and now, with a spaghetti strap tank or a baby tee. If you’re feeling risky, my niece informed me, you might even go for a crop top.
The wide-leg cargo is another improvement to the style. As the baggy fit à la Billie Eilish takes the spotlight, this jean fit offers style, versatility and comfort and works for a slouchy-chic look as much as it pairs with the classic baby tee. My Gen Z niece gave this look her stamp of approval and predicts it will outlast the low-rise flare.
“It’s almost like we did that, but now they’re perfecting it,” LaTo said of Gen Z’s improvements to millennial fashion.
A wide-leg cargo fit offers a slouchy-chic look when paired with a cropped blouse or baby tee. ← But the spaghetti strap tank remains a classic look for the low-rise trend. Photo by Pexels: Filip Rankovic Grobgaardi
While LaTo agrees with my niece, saying the trend “will be pretty short-lived,” it’s fair to say that the low-rise 2.0 could stick so long as it feels right.
“Usually, the trends that stay are just more comfortable, the classic ones,” LaTo said. “You don’t see things that are tight and uncomfortable sticking around forever. Those aren’t classic styles.”
As for young ingenue Ashlynn, comfort is less of a concern for now.
“I get dressed up for any event, even going to the grocery store,” Ashlynn said. “I just love to get dressed up.” It’s true. I’ve waited endless hours for her just for a trip to the bank.
As for timeless trends, Ashlynn told me simplicity is key, and she appreciates styles that can effortlessly pair with anything. LaTo said individuality will trend from here on out — to each their own vintage resurgence.
“That’s the most popular trend. Whatever you’re comfortable in and you look good in, then wear it — it’s going to look good!”
Send in your denim
Photo by iStock / Getty Images Plus: NadinPanina
Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green™ denim recycling program collects denim (made from cotton) so that it can be recycled back to its original fiber state and transformed into something new.
Mail your denim for free thanks to Zappos for Good
Box it up
Make sure it’s at least 90% cotton and doesn’t have any hangers, tags, stickers or plastic attached.
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Create or log in to your Zappos account, and print a shipping label to include with your denim.
Drop it off
Take your box to your local UPS store, and they’ll take care of the rest. Go to bluejeansgogreen.org for more details.
