| Until I came upon an article written by Debra Lo | | | | the waistband pulled all the way up to the waist. |
| Guercio entitled "Giving the kiss of death to | | | | No exposed flesh there.Not so for the young |
| low-rise jeans", I thought low-risers were | | | | women. Since Mexico is still rather conservative, |
| exclusively a Mexican fashion. After doing some | | | | the tops here are not as brief as, say, Britney |
| research on the internet, I discovered this U.S. | | | | Spears wore hers before her pregnancy. The |
| fashion trend began in the 1970's. The latest | | | | tops, though so tight it's difficult to imagine the |
| revival began in 1995.Where was I? My husband | | | | wearers being able to breathe, end just above |
| and I did not move to Mexico until 2003. How | | | | the belly button. A wide expanse of flesh is |
| could I have possibly missed noticing all those | | | | exposed between where the top ends and the |
| bared bellies and hips in the USA?One reason | | | | low-risers begin.Some women look OK in this |
| could be that I don't have children. Children, | | | | style, though even the thin ones look as if they |
| especially teenagers, want to wear the latest | | | | have to buy their pants three sizes too small so |
| styles they see their favorite movie and music | | | | they will stay up (sort of). This style is not |
| stars wearing. Another reason is that I've always | | | | attractive on the too-thin, though. Who wants to |
| dressed for comfort, not for the sake of fashion. | | | | look at jutting hipbones? And forget about the |
| Finally, shopping has never been my favorite | | | | women who carry a few extra pounds. Just how |
| pastime, so I didn't spend much time at the malls. | | | | attractive is an inner tube of flab jiggling above |
| Since malls are the preferred hangout of | | | | and over the waistband?I laughed at Ms. Lo |
| teenagers and young adults, I missed seeing | | | | Guercio's descriptions of US women in their |
| many of the fashion trends.The city where we | | | | low-risers. She could have been describing what I |
| live in central Mexico does not have a mall (thank | | | | see here in central Mexico every day. I guess |
| goodness!) so the teenagers, kids, and adults hang | | | | women everywhere want to follow the latest |
| out in the parks, on sidewalks, and in the streets. | | | | fashion trends even if the clothes aren't |
| Here, we are exposed to clothing fashions in a | | | | comfortable or attractive.Low-risers are still the |
| way we were not in the USA.Most children here | | | | fashion today in the USA even though Vogue |
| wear conservative and not-overly attractive | | | | declared the trend over in May 2002 ( Since |
| uniforms to school. Even then, the girls strive to | | | | young Mexicans like to copy the fashions of their |
| express their individuality with hair ribbons and | | | | peers north of the border, I imagine low-risers will |
| jewelry. The boys, unfortunately, can't do much | | | | be in style here as long as they are in style in the |
| to look different from the other boys. Outside | | | | USA, unfortunately.I'm going out now to see if I |
| school, though, the "uniform" is anything but | | | | can find a pair of pants with more than 2 inches |
| conservative.Low-risers are the style of choice | | | | between waist and crotch. Wish me luck! I'm not |
| for teenagers and young adults, at least in central | | | | optimistic!THE PLAIN TRUTH ABOUT LIVING IN |
| Mexico. The young men have adopted the hip-hop | | | | MEXICOExpatriates Doug and Cindi Bower have |
| or rap style of very baggy pants. The young | | | | successfully expatriated to Mexico, learning |
| women favor very snug low-risers paired with | | | | through trial and error how to do it from the |
| very tight tops.As the style dictates, the young | | | | conception of the initial idea to driving up to their |
| men wear their pants belted at mid-hip (or lower!), | | | | new home in another country. Now the potential |
| crotch hanging between the knees, and several | | | | expatriate can benefit from their more than three |
| inches of material covering the shoes and | | | | years of pre-expat research to their more than |
| dragging the ground. The other day, I saw a | | | | two years of actually living in Mexico. The Plain |
| young man whose jeans were belted below his | | | | Truth about Living in Mexico answers the potential |
| rear end! I cannot see how these pants can be | | | | expatriate's questions by leading them through the |
| comfortable when they threaten to fall down with | | | | process from the beginning to the end. In this |
| every hip swivel and threaten to trip the wearer | | | | comprehensive guide, you will learn not only |
| with every step. I guess style is more important | | | | how-to expatriate but will learn what to expect, in |
| than comfort. At least the fashion dictates that | | | | daily life, before coming to Mexico. |
| boxer shorts are worn underneath the pants with | | | | |