The Madness of Rise Descriptions for Jeans

As I begin a search for new jeans brands/styles, I just have to comment on the sheer insanity of "the rise measurement" in the world of jeans today.

I did a search on Nordstrom.com, selecting Liverpool brand and mid rise from the menu. I looked at a few choices and the rises ran from 9.5" to 10". Did the same thing on Zappos, found rise measurements as low as 8" and many that gave NO rise measurement. Somewhere I saw one that was 10.75" ... all allegedly Liverpool mid rise.

(BTW I found one on Zappos called "non skinny skinny jean" which in the description said "boyfriend style" ... the craziness of style names is another topic ...

I bought some Old Navy jeans last week that are going back because they were still too tight after a few hours off wear. ON has a pretty comprehensive jeans fit guide that is very helpful. https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse.....50,1,pdp_d
BUT, they define mid rise as 8 - 8.5", high rise as 9 - 9.5", and they also have an extra high rise and a higher high rise. This seems like a new system for them. So consistent within the brand, but totally inconsistent with industry norms ... except that there aren't any.

I was trying to imagine the meeting inside ON where they decided to make this change. This is just my sarcastic fantasy, I have no knowledge of how things are actually done inside ON. "We have a lot of jeans inventory in what we used to call mid-rise, but now the trend is for high rise so we must adjust to keep market share. We can't afford to get rid of all that inventory so we'll change how it's labeled and call it high rise. The customers will never know the difference".

So, I've made a rule for myself to deal with all this madness... for jeans and pants I look at online, if the rise measurement is not stated in inches and in the rough range of 9" to 10" (which works for me) I will not order them.

1 year ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Good call! I like your strategy.

And yes, industry descriptions are all over the place. It's highly annoying! Having accurate rise and inseam measurements is ALWAYS helpful! Every online retailer should provide that info.

8.5 inches is thought of low rise these days - on most retail sites. I mentioned that here. Low rise used to mean 6 to 7.5 inches.The goal posts have shifted:

https://youlookfab.com/2023/01.....wer-rises/

What I find ridiculous is how skinnies are called straight legs these days. More goal post shifting! The skinnies we wore 15 years ago were wider than what they are calling regular straights today.....

lyn67

Veteran

Yes, this is real madness and very disturbing...I too hate shopping for Jeans/pants exactly for this reason!:-(

ETA: --it happened to me more than a few times that the measurements even if stated on the webpage were still not true!!!

slim cat

Yes - I was having same maddening feeling reading and comparing crazy descriptions on different websites. In many cases the pictures were some help - "low rise" that looked like high rise hanging on the hips - lol. I'm going to check ON for actual collection and rises - just to be sure .

Suz

It's for sure a challenge, Chris. Frustrating. Measurements are key.

I think sometimes retailers also neglect to mention which SIZE they measured on. This affects the rise, for sure! The rise on size 2 may be a different measurement than the rise on size 16.

FWIW, my Liverpool pants (not jeans) have a rise of 9".

It's helped me a bit to consider each retailer's main (or maybe imagined) clientele and the fit models they use. Because that also affects things.

The typical Talbots shopper, for example, is *probably* older and less trendy than the typical Zara shopper. The fit model will differ. Waists will be wider. Shifts in style will be slower to happen. And when shifts happen, they will be more moderate, so "high" rise will be lower (probably) than at Zara (if high rise is the trend).

Old Navy caters to a wide market and all kinds of budget minded people will shop there, but they are known for their relatively inclusive and generous sizing, and they are aiming to appeal to as broad a swathe of middle America as they can. Their current "high" rise of 9 to 9.5 inches would probably be a "mid" rise for some retailers. But it is a rise height that works more broadly across a range of body types and needs than the higher 11 or 12 inch rises.

And on me, it's almost a low rise!

kkards

it's like the restaurants that have 2 sizes of drinks...medium and large....drives me crazy...you can't have a medium if you don't have a small...
sorry, yes i get it, its maddening if you are shopping on line and try to weed thru the descriptions and the pictures to make intelligent decisions. on the other hand, its hard for retailers that carry many brands to get all of the information from each vendor. retailers like Old Navy, Talbots etc that manufacture and sell their own product will have all that information already

Sal

It is crazy! Pleased you have worked out what fits you. Pants and jeans shopping online is hard.

LJP

What is bugging me with Gap , ON and BR is the renaming of styles that’s going on ! I have a pair of Gap Cigarette jeans that are only 2 yrs old and that I’d like to reorder . But no . Apparently we don’t use the word “ cigarette “ now so it’s called something else - but there’s no way to know what is what . Same with the straight leg/ skinny / fit names .

Chris987

Totally agree Angie! I've decided to try to roll with it and not be annoyed ... and definitely the goal posts have shifted. Yup the skinny vs straight vs whatever has also shifted.

Yes, lyn67 measurements posted on web sites are sometimes just wrong!

slim cat, I too try to get a sense of how something's going to fit by looking at the model. But it's no substitute for real measurements, even when they do give the height of the model.

Suz you are right, sometimes they say what size they measured on, somtimes they do not. You are right about how things will probably work at say Talbots vs. Zara.

kkards that's funny ... can't have a medium if you don't have a small. I have never tried to learn the "cool names" for coffee sizes, I just ask to see the size of the cups and decide which one I want

Sal, yep it's not easy!

ljp - right, that is such a pain, and I think that's what's also going on with
ON rise sizing. I suppose if you call customer support the might know the answer but they might have no clue.

April

I like your strategy too. When I see 11 inches labeled as "high rise", I do start to lose it a bit.
Ok ok ladies, let's get in formation...

Jaime

Yes, descriptions are just meaningless and pictures are problematic too. Real measurements please!

Janet

Yep, this is all true. It doesn't help that stock photos feature models who are all 5'10"+, most of them a size 2 or 4 and with no discernable curves in their bodies. I have a very hard time visualizing how jeans may look on my body from looking at these photos.

RobinF

I agree and it seems like most descriptions don't include the rise measurement. Very frustrating. I have more luck with Poshmark because at least then I can ask what the rise measurement is.

Style Fan

It is very frustrating. I also find that how the jeans fit me (baggy, snug) changes the rise. This came up on another thread. The rise on my C of H jeans is longer than my Everlane jeans, but the Everlane jeans are higher on me. Adds to the confusion.
I would instead try on jeans in person, but that isn't possible.

Yup, the struggle is real. Thanks for all the commiseration.

Anonymous

No wonder I always had trouble with ON pants! Ha to the medium-large drink thing. Happened to me today when I asked for a small latte.

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