Staying high: Why are Indians fixated on high-rise fashion?

What used to be a fad in the western world of the 1970s and 80s, high-rise fashion is now an obsession among the GenZs, who have embraced the style with much enthusiasm to add their own experimental layers to the ever-growing trend. It's no more restricted to high-waisted skinny denims or the popular mom-jeans of the 20^th century.

While the hip-hop influences of baggy and saggy trousers continue to be in vogue, experiments with the high-rise silhouette to blend the two are driving fashion fads these days. Indians have been fixated with the revival of high-rise pants for a couple of years now. The Indian clothing markets are replete with clothing brands churning out their best-designed ripped and non-ripped high-rise denims, culottes, trousers, leggings and much more in varying fits such as boot-cut, wide-leg, flared and straight among others.

Digital content creator Bianca Arora believes a fashion trend never really dies out; it just fades and is back in news when someone starts styling it differently or in a way that it wasn't styled before or maybe the exact same way like before, but because it was forgotten it catches the limelight again.

Whether it is the revival of the year 2000s aesthetics, when colourful high-waisted pants were a thing or the growing dominance of Korean pop culture since the last decade in India; cultures that are popularising the usage of crop or short tops in parallel, which by default compliment the high-waisted pants, are definitely boosting the trend again.

"Women are much more into wearing crop tops and it's an undeniable fact that high-rise jeans and crop-tops are an immaculate combination," says digital content creator Diya Lulla.

‘Flattering for all body types'

According to Juhi Singh, head designer at Salt Attire, today high-waist pants are a valuable capsule wardrobe essential that easily conforms to different body sizes and shapes. An outstanding reason for obsession with high-rise pants is that these effortlessly blend fashion and comfort for people of all body types.

While boot-cut denims and trousers accentuate the shape of your hips and thighs giving the right amount of flare at the bottom, wide-leg pants offer comfort of a free-flowing skirt and straight-fit or mom-jeans let you indulge in Y2K fashion experiments.

Lulla aptly puts it as a style that is "flattering for all body types" adding that the true touch up to the high-rise fashion has been added in the recent years with takers who are not reluctant to go all-out and try unconventional clothing tastes.

Another reason why high-rise pants, which are usually two to three inches above the navel, are in vogue is the ability to conceal the wearer's belly, which can be flat or sometimes bloated due to multiple reasons. High-rise pants have relieved people, who worry much about their ever-changing belly size.

"The style gives you a well-balanced silhouette, making them flattering on everyone. It enables all women to feel amazing in their skin, which is an essential quality to have in a garment," adds Singh.

According to Anshu Jaiswal , head of product at Bliss Club, women want a high rise fit to keep them feeling snug and held together and also freely move around without having to worry about their bodies and clothes. "The high rise fit also keeps them feeling like they dont have to worry if their clothes are riding up or slipping down," she adds.

High-waisted pants for formal wear. Image credit: Salt Attire

Styling the right way

It is important to pick the right top for your high-rise jeans, leggings and trousers to accentuate your curves and perfectly complement the silhouette of the pants.

Experts Singh, Lulla and Arora share the following tips:

1. Play with all kinds of short tops with high-waisted jeans like halter neck tops and crop tops. If you are wearing high-rise denim, which is flared or baggy, always choose a tighter and shorter top to go with it.

2. Avoid hiding the stylist's high waistband of your jeans.

3. When it comes to leggings or skinny fit high rise denims, an oversized crop top or just an oversized tee shirt can be your go to option.

4. To add more chicness you can even pair it with a blazer or a satin oversized shirt. A tucked-in, fitted top paired with a long cardigan or a blazer will complement the high waist of the pants.

5. Leggings look amazing with high boots or even low cut boots.

6. Wear an oversized jacket on a crop top to pair with leggings.

7. Be more casual with the leggings and the tee. You can pair them with sneakers.

8. Layer high waisted pants with a longer jacket and play with proportions to break up the short top and longer bottom distribution.

9. For office wear, tuck a button-down shirt or a dressy blouse into high-waisted, dark-wash pants. Team it up with high heels and statement accessories.

10. For a polished aesthetic, a monochrome colour scheme is always the best option. Straight-leg jeans with a black turtleneck and a gold-plated decorative belt are a no-brainer.

Also read: Break the code: Sport a comfortable yet stylish formal outfit for office days with these quick tips