Levi’s Low Loose Jeans Might Just Make You a Low-Rise Believer

Our country’s many divisions include a niche, painfully unimportant debate: to love or to hate low-rise jeans.

Those on the opposition may consider low-rise jeans to be something intended exclusively for the young, or they may think they’re made to flatter only certain body types. These concerns are real, but I believe they’re based on an outdated framework of what low-rise jeans used to be, in the Y2K era: tight on the bum, revealingly low, or cluttered with rhinestone adornments on the pockets. These days, you don’t have to dress like a Bratz doll to embrace low-rise offerings.

After several seasons of searching, I’ve finally found a pair that exemplifies what modern low-rise jeans can be at their very best: the Levi’s Low Loose Women’s Jeans. (In fact, today’s low-rise offerings are actually not that low — the rise is just 2 inches shorter than that of our Levi’s Wedgie pick.)

I’ve rented loads of low-rise jeans on Nuuly, borrowed jeans from friends, and frequented the many dressing rooms of New York City. And the more pairs I tried, the pickier I became. The jeans included here are the result of a thoughtful search, not a serendipitous shopping trip.

From the moment I tried on the Low Loose jeans in a Brooklyn Levi’s store, I was in love. These jeans looked classic and worn-in right away, and they felt like a prized hand-me-down. At $108, they were also less than half the price of other pairs I’d considered, from brands like Citizens of Humanity, Pilcro, Madewell, and Agolde.

I’ve owned these jeans for six months, across three seasons, and I have worn them multiple times every week since I bought them — at least 75 times. The second week I had them, I ran into a close friend while I was wearing them with a plain black tank (nothing noteworthy, the jeans were the real centerpiece). They spoke for themselves, and she asked me where I got them, noting that she’d been looking for a low-rise baggy jean, too. Now she owns a pair herself and loves them.

These jeans give me hope that we can at least come together on one thing: Low-rise jeans don’t have to be terminally trendy — they can be quite classic and timeless if done right.

Before these Levi’s came along, I had a (now mostly donated) stack of denim as tall as a small child. I liked yet didn’t love any of them. I had jeans for work and jeans for play. But these jeans do both, transitioning from office afternoons into evening drinks.

They’ve earned a special place in my closet (and my heart) for being so undoubtedly dependable: I’ve worn them on the beach with a bikini top and to the office with a blazer.

These jeans are made from sturdy, non-stretchy denim that feels pleasantly classic, almost vintage, like an old wool sweater that’s itchy in a good way. They’re drapey but still durable, and they look the part with pre-done distressing details. Around the pockets and seams, you’ll see slight fraying, all of it intentional, and it adds to the lived-in look I so prefer.

I can wear these jeans anywhere, at any time, to do anything. I’m not precious with them, and I don’t need to be. I live in Brooklyn and am more likely to wear these to a happy hour than on horseback. What matters, though, is that I could do either.

Part of this beloved versatility comes from the wash I chose: Good Life, as Levi’s calls it; it’s a medium wash that is deeper than light blue but lighter than dark indigo. This color is seasonless, which is why I picked it. These jeans also come in two lighter washes, one darker wash, and a gray-black color, too.

The jeans come in sizes 23 to 34 for most washes. Online reviews are all over the place, with some that say to size up and others that suggest you size down. I found these jeans to be true to size, if not a little big. My usual size fits perfectly, falling a few inches below my belly button. I can tuck in my shirt and still have room to breathe, but the jeans aren’t so oversize that I need a belt.

At the Levi’s store, I tried these jeans one size up and one size down. One size up, the jeans were far too baggy, but when I tried them one size down, they felt more mid-rise and fitted around the thighs, which I didn’t like. If you can try them on in person, it’s worth it since everybody is different.

These jeans also come in a few lengths: with 30-, 32-, and 34-inch inseams. I am 5-foot-7, and the 30-inch inseam works perfectly for me. Unfortunately they don’t come in a petite length. For what it’s worth, the jeans do look quite cute cuffed.

The one and only critique I have of these jeans: Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Low Loose jeans are, in fact, loose on the bum as well.

I don’t need the apple-bottom shaping of the 2000s, but I’d appreciate a little more accentuation. The yoke (the V-shaped seam above the back pockets) helps to shape the bum a bit, but I found the excess fabric below the pockets can look saggy at certain angles. If you want a more-sculpted look, I would consider sizing down.

I’ve washed these jeans many times (always on cold and tumble-dryed on warm), and they do come out a tad more snug at first (like most jeans). This could be a greater issue if you choose to size down, but I’ve found they bounce back to their usual fit very quickly.

Even with the booty-less-ness of it all, these jeans are worth the price. Because I want you to save the money that I did not, you should know that these jeans are constantly on sale. Although I paid full-price — I didn’t have the patience to wait after trying them on — I’ve seen them for as low as $64.

But I’d pay full-price time and time again. Having blue jeans that truly bring you joy with every single wear is a luxury that’s hard to put a price on.

These Levi’s have taught me that when low-rise jeans are done correctly, they can be chic, sophisticated, timeless, and elevated. While they may not convert you into a full-time low-rise lover, I hope we can unite on one thing: These are not the low-rise jeans of the past but instead the low-rise jeans of the moment.

This article was edited by Hannah Rimm and Catherine Kast.