For me, smittie, the only issue is that they look SO uncomfortable RIGHT THERE, if you know what I mean. I'm definitely not jumping on this, but then again, this feels like a young trend to me. (Also, in addition to being old, I have neither the waist nor the butt needed for these pants.)
I actually really like that there is a jeans trend that is all about the butt -- how nice for curvy women to be on the cutting edge here. Young women with waists and hips and butts now can show them off if they want to (but too bad they might have to be pinching their way through the day!).
It's interesting. I have a 20-year-old daughter who is petite but curvy. She's been a yoga devotee for several years and she's not really a fashionista. During the past 6 months she has gotten really into weight-lifting and loves the idea of tightening her waist and building up her butt and thighs. So, if she were into trendy clothing, I bet she would love these jeans. I realize some girls may like these jeans purely because they are sexy looking, but I'm intrigued that they may also send the same message that my daughter does when she talks about her body: I am not trying to fit into a norm of skinny and undernourished. I want a strong, healthy body that has curves where it was meant to.