The Rise in Pants

[The Good]

I'm something of a beginner here with clothing-related and sartorial terminology. What exactly does the rise in pants refer to? I know that three rises exist, high, medium, and low. I'm also aware that during the Golden Era, pants tended to be high rise, and low rise pants had not existed yet, or were just very uncommon. However, I want to know where exactly on the human physique the rise should be set properly (at the navel, or below, above, etc). This thread is in part because I am contemplating the purchase of rather high rise jeans (well, high by modern standards anyway), the Wrangler 13mwz Cowboy-cut jeans, which have its roots from that time period (1947 I believe).

 

[Tomasso]

I want to know where exactly on the human physique the rise should be set properly (at the navel, or below, above, etc). .

There is no absolute, as people come in all different dimensions, which will affect overall balance.

 

[Feraud]

I've seen the vintage catalogs advertise high and normal rise trousers.

Try on the Wranglers and see how comfortably they sit and feel.

 

[BellyTank]

I have a pair of Wrangler's re-issue Cowboy jeans, from around 1999
and they have a higher rise, way higher than 501s for example.
Comfy and more vintage looking. I got the jacket, too.


B
T

 

[Edward]

Jinkies, it wouldn't be hard to get higher rise than 501s.... had a pair for a while a couple of years back, had to get shot of them in the end as they were too damn low, I kpt wanting to pull thm up four inches, and there was nothing there to pull up. Awful things. Same experience with modern Lees as well (which was a shame, as their factory shop isn't far from my folks).

 

[Baron Kurtz]

It's possible that BT was referring to LVC 501s. The 201s are really quite high rise.

bk

 

[RLM]

I'm generally pretty illiterate when it comes to fashion and clothing terms, but this is one I actually know. The rise is the distance between the crotch and the waist band. As everyone is built a bit different, the rise that suits you is going to be a personal preference. I'm long in the torso, so even though regular rise pants don't come to my actual waist, they look right on me. If I wore pants that came to my actual waist, I'd look like Erkle did in that TV show, with the waistband up under his arms

 

[mattfink]

Jinkies, it wouldn't be hard to get higher rise than 501s.... had a pair for a while a couple of years back, had to get shot of them in the end as they were too damn low, I kpt wanting to pull thm up four inches, and there was nothing there to pull up. Awful things. Same experience with modern Lees as well (which was a shame, as their factory shop isn't far from my folks).

That's a general statement that doesn't hold true for all 501's. Levi's changed the rise on these jeans without rhyme or reason, so some have a high, low or normal rise. It also depends on the shape of your body. If you have a short waist and skinny rear end, a low rise probably wouldn't look that bad.

To gauge the right rise for yourself, find a pair of pants you like and measure them from the belt to the crotch and use this as your own "rule of thumb".

 

[Flat Foot Floey]

If I wore pants that came to my actual waist, I'd look like Erkle did in that TV show, with the waistband up under his arms

Maybe with slim fit jeans but not with wide trouser legs. It is true that high rise pants could look "strange" for people who are only used to modern clothes.

But if you're goin for the vintage look a high rise will be the most common.

[huh]