This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Mizzou chapter.

No. Just. No.

In the vast industry of beauty and fashion, trends come and go just as quickly as we build our Pinterest boards. One second, blanket scarves and bohemian accessories are all the rave, and then, all of a sudden, the shelves of Plato’s Closet are filled with last year’s fashion and people are walking around in sweatpants and heels.

How this makes any sense, I honestly don’t know. And, to be honest, the fashion industry gives me whiplash.

Now, I am not going to sit here and act like I am an expert on fashion. In fact, the extent of my vision for fashion is another pair of gray, Target sweatpants paired with a gray sweatshirt and accessorized with a fancy pair of white socks and off-brand Birkenstocks.

So, to say that I am not qualified to give my opinion is VERY ACCURATE!

But from the perspective of a seemingly normal-ish individual, the WORST trend that is attempting to emerge from the bowels of the 2000s decade is – *dun dun duuuunnnn*– low-rise jeans.

I have a bone to pick with the individuals (I’m speaking to you, Bella Hadid) who are fighting to bring this trend back. We as a society of females fought for YEARS to get our flab sucked into a nice and stretchy, high-waisted piece of denim. The people of society spoke several years ago when they fought to build the amazing empire of “mom jeans.” Now, you influencers are throwing all of that hard work away. How dare you.

If you think I’m overreacting, I am not. I am fighting for the public good, and if I can save the next young girl from wearing a piece of clothing that makes it look like she just has a long back that meets legs, then I think I am doing my job.

The reason why low-rise jeans are even a topic of discussion right now is because the people who hold the power to influence fashion and beauty trends are wearing them. But, they aren’t just the problem. The problem lies in the man himself, Alexander McQueen.

Low-rise jeans became a prominent staple of the ’90s and 2000s after McQueen debuted his revival of the gutsy style in the 1996 “Dante” collection show. Referred to as the “bumster” fit, the world of pop culture found this trend as a sensual and erotic form of fashion, showcasing the most desirable and unseen parts of a woman (the spine and the lower parts of the back).

As Hollywood hopped on the low-rise train, it became a staple piece of wardrobe for pop and R&B artists, such as Britney Spears, Lil’ Kim, Beyoncé and many other notable stars. But, what I would like to argue is, leave it with Queen B.

There is a popular TikTok series called, “Is it Fashion, or is She Just Skinny?”. This is a situation where that phrase can be applied.

Yes, I can agree that Bella Hadid, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and all of the fashion icons of the 20th and 21st centuries can, or could, pull off this trend. But what is something that each of them has in common? They are all tall, skinny and hourglass-shaped women, and their bodies complement this specific style.

Now, this does not mean that if you don’t look exactly like these women, then you won’t look good in this trend or any trend that they start. That is not at all what I am saying, so please don’t cancel me. I want to be famous one day.

But it is safe to say that many of these trends are only loved by the general public because the women who start them are seen as the “ideal standard of beauty.” Why they are labeled this, I don’t know. But, these individuals are simply the symbolic representation of the expectations that society has placed on women and beauty today.

The reality of this choice of fashion is that it is not for me. I find it to be a stretch (or lack thereof) for fashion and beauty. I also do not think that it is a realistic or comfortable choice for the majority of the population.

Now, again, this does not mean that if you are 5’4” and carry some Chips Ahoy! weight like myself, that you won’t look good in this trend. In fact, I am a firm believer that if you are confident in what you are wearing, you are an automatic 10. But, don’t you dare try to take away my mom jeans. I already lost half of my wardrobe to the skinny jeans cleanse, and I can’t lose any more to you psychos.

Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for reading my uneducated opinions on fashion. And, for those of you who are on the low-rise jeans trend, please maintain a 6-foot distance from Olivia Johnson at all times. Thank you.

THE NEW PANDEMIC: LOW-RISE JEANS

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