Low-rise waistlines: the return of Y2K’s most debauched trend

Until now, the 00s revival seemed like harmless fun. Then stars including Dua Lipa and Julia Fox began wearing the era’s trickiest, most controversial look

Low-rise blue-denim jeans were to 00s nightlife what gladiators’ loincloths were to those at the Colosseum in ancient Rome. Two thousand years ago, half-naked young men were thrust into a public arena to do battle with lions for the entertainment of the watching masses. Fast-forward two millennia and it was Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan being thrown to the wolves. Bronzed torso flesh was bared, this time between hip-bone-grazing waistbands and shrunken vests, as young women were pursued by paparazzi baying for blood – or, at least, for a photo of a “whale tail” thong protruding from those bootcut jeans with their three-inch fly.

Sorry if the analogy sounds a little hysterical, but the return of the low-rise jean is ringing alarm bells. Until now, the Y2K revival has seemed like harmless fun: scrunchies, ballet pumps, Uggs. So far, so cute. But low-rise jeans? Well, that’s different.