Keeping pace with the trend: Low-waisted trousers
Many watched in horror as the low-waisted Y2K pants made a comeback on the catwalk. But what is the fuss about the controversial trousers today?
It’s no secret that the lifespan of trends goes in cycles, and suddenly something we had either forgotten about or reinforced on the catwalk appears.
For quite some time now, Y2K has kept a tight grip on the trend picture, which has resulted in us seeing a number of old classics again. This summer, for example, bling in the hair and «baby braids» have been big on the hair front, while visible thongs recently appeared on the catwalk during fashion week in Copenhagen.
One of the really big Y2K trends that has caused countless millennials to say “never again” is low-rise pants. The trousers only made a comeback in 2018, when brands such as Alexander McQueen, Tom Ford, Chanel and Versace brought out perhaps the most notorious clothing item of the 00s, and they still deliver in the trend picture.
During the fashion week in Copenhagen in August, they appeared several times, preferably in combination with the visible thong. A clear indication that the trousers are probably not ready to end up at the back of the wardrobe just yet.
1 of 3James Cochrane / James Cochrane
But what does the fashion industry really say about the ultimate Y2K garment that was loved by Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera? Do they think it’s a trend we’re all going to jump on sooner or later? We have had the trend temp:
– Went cold down the back
KK’s fashion and beauty manager, Ida Elise Eide Einarsdóttir, tells MinMote that a chill went down her spine when the trousers first appeared on the catwalk, but she was not particularly surprised.
– The 2000s have been trending for a long time, so it was probably just a matter of time before low rise jeans manifested themselves again. It’s the ultimate symbol of millennial fashion, in a way.
Despite the fact that the trend has made a comeback from the happy days of the 00s, Einarsdóttir believes it is back in little new and more modern suit.
– The trend is kind of a welcome feature because it’s back in a modern version; more common than ever, where it goes hand in hand with the body positivism that has washed over the fashion industry, she tells MinMote.
Celebrity stylist Ryan Kay told Refinery29 that the fashion that comes back may be the same as it once was, but that our attitude has changed.
– The brands realize that in order to become more accessible, they have to adapt, and this also includes expanding the size register.
Influencer Holly Marston still shares photos in Y2K-inspired outfits with her nearly 250,000 followers on Instagram. To Refinery 29 she says that the beauty ideal from the 2000s still has a hold on society today, and that she uses clothes as a bit of a rebellion.
– I love that the clothes are on the verge of being «over the top» and «tacky», because I want to stand out in the fashion world as a rebellion against a society that thinks I should hide my body.
Modern version or not, Einarsdóttir receives the low-waisted trousers marking the end of the Y2K fad for this time.
– It’s okay to hope.
More sophisticated and oversized
Influencer Marie Wolla was not particularly impressed when she saw that the trousers from the 00s were back.
– Frankly? The first thing I thought was «never in the world», she says to MinMote.
But the skepticism was not to last forever. Marie was pleasantly surprised to see that trousers with a low waist à la 2022 are not the same as they were in the 00s.
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Over time she became more and more convinced. Finally, she was inspired to purchase a pair herself. Like Einarsdóttir, Wolla also believes that the trousers have been given a more modern twist.
– Even if old trends come back into fashion, luckily it won’t be quite the same as it once was. I was inspired to go with «low waist jeans» when I saw how people styled it in 2022. Low waist is now a more sophisticated variant and much more oversized.
She would style the pants with other typical Y2K garments:
– A tube top, an oversized shirt over it, hair up, simple jewelry and a pair of knee-high flip-flops.
Is «McBling» on the way?
It is not uncommon for strong feelings to arise when they return. It wasn’t exactly the collective jubilation among the millennial generation when “it” girls like Bella Hadid started rocking razor-thin brows à la Pamela Anderson. Many were also surprised when Gestuz got a visible thong up on the catwalk again during the Danish fashion week earlier this fall. Nevertheless, it is rare that trends arouse more commitment than the low-cut trousers.
While many curse the day these came back into fashion, others are more positive about it all. Acting editor in Melk og Honning, Stine Nibe Ravneberget, understands that the trousers appeal to young people.
– «Low rise jeans» take me right back to the early 00s, and it is not a period that I need to experience again. But I understand that people who weren’t big enough to wear “low rise jeans” back then are excited that they’re back now. It’s a quite relaxed «cool girl look» all over, she says to MinMote.
Ravneberget says that she is not going to jump on the low-life trend herself, but I don’t think we can wave goodbye to it just yet.
– As several people showed these jeans on the catwalk for next year’s trends, I would guess that we will at least have to wear them out well into 2023, maybe well into 2024 as well. My only hope is that there will also be some high life to be found.
Unlike Einarsdottir, Ravneberget doesn’t think low-rise pants mark the end of the Y2K fad. She believes that a new trend is on the way, which will take Y2K to a new level.
– Many believe that Y2K’s more mischievous little sister, “McBling”, is on the stairs with heavy doses of pink, glitter and Juicy Couture in focus.
Whether low-waisted pants means the door to Y2K, or whether it opens for the more extreme «McBling», it will be again. In case you’ve forgotten what we might be in store for, let’s refresh ourselves with some “McBling” outfits from the Y2K queen herself, Paris Hilton:
Emma Louise Fon Mathisen
Emma Louise is a journalist in VG. Here she works with text and video cases within fashion, interiors and beauty. She has a passion for beauty and well-being, and loves testing new products and trends.