The 5 trouser styles which will see you through the in-between weather- and beyond
Have you ever had an enjoyable trouser-shopping experience? Thought not. And it always feels a little touch-and-go, doesn’t it, pulling them out of the wardrobe again? Aside from the obvious, ‘Will they do up/go over the thighs?’ question, I’ve often found that there’s a bit of a gap between trouser dream and reality. Those ones you thought made you look like Amal Clooney en route to a speech at the UN, can be more crumpled, baggy-knee lady by 10am.
It might sound as if I’m down on trousers, but get through the changing-room nightmare and they can be wardrobe best friends. Especially at this tricky time of year, when the whole wearing-tights thing is getting a bit tiresome but any notion of going bare-legged feels far-fetched. Instead, the trouser plus bare ankle look really comes into its own.
These are the five worth finding now:
The sleek tailored
Belted cotton-mix, £35.99, Mango (mango.com)
All my trouser dreams came true when I stepped into a black cropped pair by Arket last year – they were fitted but not tight and were pleasingly high-waisted (I find a lot of smart trousers are too low-cut). Haven’t found your go-to trouser place yet? Joseph is good if your legs are long, Zara excels if you have slim thighs and a bigger waist, Mango and Me+Em are excellent if your legs are shorter, while The Hour does great tailoring for plus-sizes.
The proper black jean
Margot cropped jeans, £160, Paige (libertylondon.com)
Probably the most useful style in my wardrobe, because they look smart but feel comfy. I really rate Mother Denim’s Insider and Paige’s Margot style. You won’t want to take them off.
The linen peg leg
Linen straight- leg, £330, Mara Hoffman (net-a-porter.com)
Very on-trend this summer, but also an item that will look good for years to come. And much more flattering than their classic, wide-legged counterparts.
The Hepburn wide-leg
Checked twill, £285, See By Chloé (matchesfashion.com)
The ultimate style for those days when anything tighter feels touch-and-go but no one would know because you look so fabulous and swooshy. Just don’t buy them in linen (see above).
The statement
Silk patchwork, £229, Stine Goya (stinegoya.com)
Whether in paisley, stripes or polka dots, you’ll thank me later when you can just sling them on with a T-shirt and call it a look.
