Jul 30, 2019

High Rise vs Mid & Low Rise Pants: What's The Difference?

You’ve probably heard phrases like “high-rise” pants before—even if you don’t know what it means. While this might seem like a slight detail, you’d be amazed what the rise of your trousers can do to affect your entire silhouette. Here’s what you need to know about getting tailored trousers with the right rise for your body. Discover the difference between high-rise, mid-rise, and low-rise pants.

What is “Pant Rise”?

While you may have heard people refer to high rise pants as being “high waisted,” what actually determines the rise of your pants starts at the crotch seam. That’s the seam directly between both legs. Measure this seam up to the top of the waist—the very top of the pants, in fact—and you have your rise.

One reason people sometimes call this “high-waisted” is that the rise of the pants tend to affect where you place your waist visually in an outfit. That’s true whether or not the rise of your pants actually meet your natural waist.

What’s the Difference Between High, Mid, and Low-Rise Pants?

Now that you know what rise is, that answer is simple: higher rises have more distance between the bottom of the crotch seam and the top of the waist. Low-rise pants have the opposite, and mid-rise pants tend to come somewhere in the middle.

Here’s what you need to know about each:

High-rise pants tend to visually lengthen your legs and shorten your torso, which can provide a natural balance for someone with shorter legs. For people with long torsos, this may be the best option, as a dress shirt tucked into a pair of low-rise pants can slide down over the course of a night, giving you a sloppy, unbalanced look.
Mid-rise pants are great for people with a good height balance between torso and legs. However, keep in mind that your rise size might be different than someone else’s of a similar height. That’s why it’s so important to have your trousers tailored to your specifications. What looks like low-rise pants on someone else might be mid-sized on you, and vice versa.
Low-rise pants can be thought of as the opposite of high-rise pants. If you have a short torso and long legs, a lower rise will help restore the natural balance between the two.

It’s important to keep the rise of your pants in mind when putting together the rest of an outfit. For example, adding an accessory like a belt can help “shorten” the length of a high-rise by taking up an inch or two of that vertical space. On the other end of the spectrum, a beltless look will do just the opposite, which can be great for men with shorter legs.

Select Your Preferred Rise with Berle Tailored Trousers

The height of your rise is a powerful tool for getting your outfit just right. When you order tailored trousers from Berle, you can select your preferred rise among your other measurements to get the perfect fit every time!