3 Things You Need to Know About High-Waisted Jeans

We have a bone to pick with denim, and we know you do too. We asked you on Facebook what your biggest shopping gripes were when it comes to your jeans— and the responses were endless. Good news? We've got answers. Introducing Denim Dilemmas, our new video series where we're answering your greatest denim issues here. 

Our first episode is on high-waisted jeans, where our fashion director, Natalie Cantell, conquers three of your biggest qualms with this style, sharing styling solutions and insider secrets (like looking for LYCRA® dualFX® technology on your tag). But rest assured, she’s not immune to issues of her own—so what are her pet peeves when it comes to jeans? Watch the first installment below, then keep reading to check out our behind-the-scenes chat where we find out Cantell’s denim journey.

WHO WHAT WEAR: When you asked our Facebook group about their denim woes, what was the response like?

NATALIE CANTELL: Oh man—it was just one huge onslaught! I didn’t expect the volume of responses I got. I casually put the question out and when I checked back, I had all these comments and DMs. Let me tell you, people do not love shopping for jeans!

WWW: What were the major complaints?

NC: Jeans that are cool and flattering and comfortable are just such a notoriously hard thing to buy… Our readers really lump it in with bikini shopping; in that it can have a way of making you feel pretty crappy. I found it interesting that every possible body type had such valid complaints—everyone struggles. As a whole, we're totally exasperated by the pursuit of finding the perfect pair of jeans.

WWW: You've found the perfect high-waisted jeans with Joe's Jeans. What's so different about this pair?  

NC: I genuinely didn't realize how far denim technology had come. I'm usually a fan of really stiff, raw, vintage denim, because I always thought that more rigid fabric makes for the most flattering silhouette. Also, I remember the early 2000s well enough to be scarred by the rise of overly stretchy jeggings. So for me, it was genuinely game-changing to find out that all these great brands are hitting the stretch-to-structure sweet spot. They're being really deliberate about having just the right amount of LYCRA® fiber in their jeans, and making sure they don't stretch out. 

WWW: What are your personal denim dilemmas?

NC: There's absolutely no consistency to sizing! I own jeans of all different sizes, it drives me crazy, and makes shopping for denim online such a hassle. I was actually trying to figure out a contingency plan for when the wardrobe for the shoot arrived, and the skinny jeans wouldn't fit over my calves, and the high-waisted pair gaped at the waist, all my usual issues. But that little bit of extra stretch meant every pair had a wider window of fit–by some miracle, I was the same size in three completely different styles from three different brands. 

WWW: What was your styling advice to the reader who loves her high-waisted jeans but doesn’t want to look too retro?

NC: Wait, what’s wrong with retro! [Laughs] Just keep it feeling more ’70s– or ’90s-inspired. Maybe skip the ’80s. 

Stay tuned for our second video, coming soon!