Is It Time To Give Your Legs Room In A Pair Of Wide Trousers?

The proliferation of wide-leg trousers on the shop floor means there’s a will and way to wear them. Take note.

We said it more than a year ago. Then also in February. We even encouraged you to rethink skinny jeans. But truth be told, not everyone has warmed to the idea of a pair of trousers with a voluminous leg. They might be a pair of languid palazzo pants, or a pair of elevated cargo trousers rendered not in cotton drill, but in silk or satin.

My colleague Tyson Beckett recently proffered a helpful guide to jeans that feel of the moment – with not a single skinny jean in sight.

Concerns range from dealing with too much fabric to tripping over unhemmed lengths that drag and collect dirt along the way. But if there was ever a time or season to explore the merits of a pair of trousers that aren’t strangling your legs, it’s now, as designers prepare to deliver their spring product on the shop floor.

Of course, we’re not here to dictate what you should be wearing (that’s never been the motivation here at Viva) but rather, we’re here to offer you a guide on what to buy right now. And wide-legged trousers are it; in fact there are loads. You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone not including a pair in their collections whether your budget stretches from Glassons to Gucci.

Some retailers have gone as far as to remove all traces of tapered legs and skinny jeans from the shop floor, replacing these piles and racks of trousers with plenty of leg room.

But there are a few things to consider when sliding feet first into a pair, the most obvious is ensuring you get the perfect break at your foot. Longline, wide-leg trousers in any fabric require a few key, pragmatic tips.

1. Alterations: Wide-leg trousers should not drag along the ground. Pay a few additional dollars for alterations (we have expert recommendations here) and avoid tripping on your trousers. To make it more precise, take the shoes you’ll most likely wear with these trousers to your alterations appointment for a precise measurement. If it’s a variety, then take the shoe with the lowest sole.

3. Fabric is key: There’s a time and a place for slippery silk palazzo trousers or a skater-style jean. Consider your personal style; are you at the office from Monday to Friday? In that case, perhaps investing in a smart pair of wide-legged black trousers is an easy segue. Are you a casual dresser who is often outdoors? Make a trip to your local skate store – you’ll be surprised to find a range of hardwearing cotton drill and denim options that work well with sneakers for the weekend.

4. A belt is your best friend: Much of the trend for a smart pair of wide-leg trousers comes with a waistband that snakes up the torso for something that elongates your silhouette. The concept works for many body shapes but does require a decent belt. Depending on the size of your belt loops, always opt for something slim - a chunky belt on a wide leg trouser is fine on certain occasions, but if in doubt, take your cues from the school of Annie Hall and go for a classic, preppy belt on a trouser with wide legs for ample support.

5. Pleats please: To help temper an easy silhouette, consider the support of pleats. These work well again on more formal fabrics and help provide shape to a garment that requires a lot of fabric.

Professional Preferences

Start with black then work your way toward other neutrals that will offer you plenty of cost per wear - this season and well into the next.

For the majority of styling tricks employed to make wide-leg trousers look professional, many of the wide trouser options for work being sent down the current spring/summer circuit have a matching tonal top half. Of course, you can work with a faithful white shirt or even a T-shirt under a blazer as temperatures defrost, but there’s something smart about a matching set that ticks several boxes – the main one being it immediately looks pulled together with no time to spare and often does away with the need for the rigidity of a blazer.

Left to right: Juliette Hogan trousers $469, Kate Sylvester trousers $429, Glassons trousers $50

Casual Corner

Reliable denim is offered in a variety of colours and wide-leg shapes (see our denim guide for the new season here for additional tips).

From jeans to the kind of cargo trousers that would look at home on an All Saint, wide-leg trousers that fulfil a casual brief are aplenty. Taking much of its styling inspiration from the skate world – a sub-culture we owe much to in fashion for its ability to make everything look cool – a tidy hemline is ideal for these hardworking options, all the better to see a pair of retro kicks or summer sandals, the ideal accompaniment to wide leg trousers for the weekend.

Left to right: Wixii trousers $195, Ruby jeans $269, Karen Walker trousers $445

After Five

Wide-leg trousers offer an easy alternative to a parade of predictable dresses ahead of those impending party appointments.

From Erdem to Emilia Wickstead, the moral of the story for wide-leg trousers after five is to throw a slinky dress over it. Yes, that 90s styling hack has reared it ahead once more for an easy layer that works around the clock. As with most sane advice we like to dish out around here - throw a blazer on and presto - you’ve got a winning outfit formula that will take you from day to night (another fashion trope that sees no sign of waning.)

Left to right: Paris Georgia trousers $745, Pecchenino trousers $329, Gregory trousers $489

Dan Ahwa is Viva’s fashion and creative director and a senior premium lifestyle journalist for the New Zealand Herald, specialising in the intersections of style, luxury, art and culture. He is also an award-winning stylist with more than 17 years of experience and is a co-author and co-curator of the book and exhibition Moana Currents: Dressing Aotearoa Now. Recent stories to catch up on include looking at how some of the country’s leading executives and CEOS get dressed for work, interviewing Team NZ CEO Grant Dalton and a look at why LinkedIn can sometimes be cringe.

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