15 Historic Photos of Celebs Wearing Low-Rise Jeans During the Early 2000s
In order to understand the return of low-rise jeans, it's important to understand their origin. The time was the early 2000s. Enthusiasm for all the new millennium would bring was high, but the waistbands were low. While the low-rise jeans of 2022 are baggy and not typically thong-exposing, the early 2000s iterations were tight and very low. They were often paired with crop tops or fitted tops that exposed the depths of the waistband—and it wasn't just the usual suspects that wore them. We all know that Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Miley Cyrus embraced the trend, but celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Anne Hathaway, and Reese Witherspoon were also in the low-rise club.
Below, you'll find 15 historic photos of the aforementioned celebs and more proudly posing in their low-rise jeans. (Fun fact: Many of them were taken on red carpets or while they were guests on MTV's TRL.) If these throwback Y2K outfits leave you inspired to readopt low-rise jeans yourself, we also found some of the best current pairs, all of which are decidedly easier to wear than their early 2000s counterparts.

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Pascal Le Segretain/Getty ImagesYes, even Angelina Jolie wore low-rise jeans, but she managed to make them look as elegant as possible by pairing her jeans and tank top with a gold shrug and matching heels.

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Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesHalle Berry combined low-rise boot-cut jeans, a Von Dutch T-shirt, snakeskin bag, and colored sunglasses for perhaps the most early 2000s outfit possible.

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Frederick M. Brown/NewsmakersParis Hilton was rarely pictured without a low-rise waistband in the early 2000s. Jeans this low made every top look like a crop top, her cowl-neck top included.

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Peter Kramer/Getty ImagesAnne Hathaway was also a low-rise fan during her The Princess Diaries days. In this instance, she gave them a preppy twist with a polo shirt.

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KMazur/WireImageGiven that she's been quick to wear low-rise styles again this time around, it's no surprise that Jennifer Lopez was one of the original adopters of the trend (which she always made look glamorous).

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Jeff Vespa/WireImageLucy Liu's proved that low-rise jeans weren't only meant to be paired with crop tops and flip-flops.

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KMazur/WireImageWhen you think of low-rise jeans and the early 2000s, you probably think of Britney Spears. This is why.

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Marc Piasecki/GC ImagesBlake Lively on the set of Gossip Girl gave an Upper East Side twist to low-rise skinny jeans.

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Kevin Mazur/WireImageBeyoncé, seen here in her Destiny's Child days, wore low-rise jeans often—even on stage with her fellow group members.

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James Devaney/WireImageHere, Reese Witherspoon proved that low-rise jeans could even work with her signature classic style.

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Kevin Mazur/WireImageCameron Diaz's low-rise jean outfit plus a slew of Y2K accessories made for an outfit that defined the times.

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Jim Spellman/WireImageWe wouldn't be opposed to wearing this Mariah Carey outfit today.

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SGranitz/WireImageMandy Moore's denim-on-denim look made the red-carpet cut.

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SGranitz/WireImageLindsay Lohan loved low-rise jeans so much that she wore them on the red carpet and to events often. We wouldn't be surprised to see Bella Hadid in this exact outfit today.

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Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagicMila Kunis' super-low-rise jeans, baby tee, and wide belt were peak Y2K style.
Shop Chic Low-Rise Jeans
This editor just ordered this pair herself.
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One of the many great Zara takes on the trend.
If they're Madewell, you know they're going to be comfortable.
If you don't want to go super low, this is a great in-between pair.
Well, these are authentically 2000s.
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These look like they could've been made in the early 2000s.
This pair is understandably on its way to selling out.
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- Celebrity Style
- 2000s
- denim trends
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