After wearing trousers of different waist levels and of observing others, I have some thoughts on what each of the 3 waist levels do. It sounds like these observations are.unlikely to change over time. These are more like facts, not opinions. What I may wear could be opinionated, but what they do are facts.
WHAT THEY ARE
There are three levels of trouser shapes for waist level. In India we are used to measuring the trouser length by its overall length, meaning from waist to leg bottom. That is not proper. The length from groin to leg bottom or foot varies by individual, largely depending on his overall height. The distance from groin to waist level of the trouser is a matter of choice, even if that still varies by person One can choose whatever they want and it reflects that style; the subject matter of this blog.
They all have individual characteristics. The commonly defined 3 levels are low waist, mid-rise, and high rise.
LOW WAIST
This has been by far among the most popular for the last few decades. As the name indicates, the trouser starts low on waist just above hip. If the leg is long and you want to pull up to offset excess, since the top section ends near groin, it does not allow the trouser to be pulled up. It is a showstopper.
I find this style to be the most comfortable. It makes movements like sitting in a chair, sofa, or floor most accommodating. For people with a paunch, the belly does protrude a lot and looks ugly. The greater the belly, the more awkward it appears.
When people bend forward to reach something, the top section of hips and/or underwear shows up and is unsightly for viewers. It is not a show-off as some women do with a low-cut blouse or unbuttoned shirt; rather, it is quite unsightly even if the wearer doesn't care. In my view, this is a very serious limitation from low waist trousers.
The overall length of trouser is short in this style. When a shirt is tucked in, this style makes the person appear short. This style therefore is not apt for short people not wanting to highlight their actual height. But, yes, this style is the most comfortable, at least to those who have a belly.
MID-RISE
This style trouser starts at or slightly above the belly button. In theory, this should be perfect. But it is far from it, at least to a wide majority of people. For those with even the slightest belly, the trouser wouldn't stay there. However hard one may try by pulling up frequently or tightening with belt, the trouser keeps slipping down. In this era, since most peoplenseem to have some belly at the minimum, the slipping away of.trousee cannot be stopped.
The easy solution if you really like this style is to wear suspenders. Suspenders are suitable for all waist levels, and they actually look quite good when worn over a tucked-in shirt. But they cannot be hidden if you prefer to tuck your shirt yet don't like a suspender to show up. For non-tucked in shirt wearers, the suspenders can be worn inside the shirt.
That said, all suspenders have this trait of a pulling feeling on shoulders due to weight of the trousers. A significant limitation with suspenders is that when you sit, the suspenders become loose and uncomfortable to wear as well as unsightly. The solution is to pick suspenders with elastic. But for other reasons of varying pull pressure, they are actually worse. I found good pure leather suspenders more comfortable.
The added weight and pull feeling of suspenders takes getting used to. Once done, they are actually quite accommodating, and look good (if you appropriately match or contrast the color and design of your trousers) as compared to one wearing a belt. Due to its natural waist position, they reflect a balance in making the person appear visually as tall as he/she actually is.
HIGH RISE
In my view this style is actually the most visually appealing to all, except for very tall people. Contrary to what we might usually believe, when we look at a person, it is the trousers and shoes that call for attention more than a shirt. A tall-looking trouser elevates the appearance of the dress. It also draws attention to the shoes the person is wearing. Shoes tell a lot of the type of person you are.
This style, as the name indicates, has the trouser starting well above waist, such that it starts from the position where the belly starts and.below ribs.
This style provides the most trouser length. Therefore makes people look taller than they actually are, especially when paired with a striped one or in a solid color. Lighter call.for more attention make the legs look taller in perspective.
It is easily possible to wear this style with a belt or suspenders, or even without any. There is no risk of slipping down, thus not needing frequent pulling up. It firmly stays put. The only situation when it becomes uncomfortable is while sitting. This is especially so for people with more than a small belly. From a style perspective, the belly protrudes through the trouser, and could be disturbing to some. The best way to imagine the effect is, if you can recollect how actor Oliver Hardy used to appear in the comedy movies of Laurel and Hardy from the bygone era, or of NT Rama Rao from later times in old Telugu movies.
This style goes well with or without suspenders, but looks even better with suspenders to balance the upper body length with the res. It is slightly uncomfortable for people with a large paunch while sitting unless worn loose.
CONCLUSION
So what is the best style? There ain't such a thing universally. It depends on your body shape and your preference for style over comfort or the other way around. Understanding the differences is important and helps decide what you prefer.
Nothing stops you from wearing all three styles from among your collection. But my experience tells me that we get used to wearing trousers at a certain waist level. Constantly wearing a different level for everyday wear is uncomfortable. Stick to one for everyday wear and choose others for special occasions!
PS: Hope this blog was informative. Comment.
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