Pleats, Width and the Case for a Fuller Trouser
The runway is narrowing again, but a pleated wool trouser with room in the leg remains the most useful everyday shape.
There is a contradiction in this season’s trouser. In Milan in January, the fashion houses pulled silhouettes back toward the body; Istituto Marangoni’s report on the shows singled out Prada for clothes that follow the body without clinging. Yet on the streets of Florence in June, Man of Many found relaxed tailoring everywhere, with trousers sitting over the shoes.
For a man dressing every day rather than for a show, the answer lies between the two: full, not baggy. A pleated trouser with a higher rise and some room through the thigh is still the most comfortable and flattering shape, and it suits the season’s heavier cloths.
## What to look for
- A rise at or near the natural waist, so a knit or tucked polo sits cleanly.
- One or two pleats. Reverse pleats lie flatter; forward pleats are more traditional and drape more.
- A straight leg with a modest taper, finished with little or no break. A turn-up of about four centimeters adds weight at the hem.
- Cloth with substance: grey flannel above all, then cord, moleskin and heavy cotton.
Brunello Cucinelli’s autumn collection showed garment-dyed trousers with utility pockets, a relaxed take on the same idea. Drake’s has brown corduroy painter pants and heavy cotton chinos this season, and Mr Porter is carrying wide-leg wool-blend chinos from Our Legacy. Simon Crompton’s autumn plans at Permanent Style include bespoke trousers in Fox flannel, worn with suede boots and a cream cashmere zip cardigan.
Shoes need to match the volume. A slim loafer can look lost under a full trouser; Opumo’s autumn report recommends Tyrolean derbies such as Paraboot’s Michael for exactly this reason. A substantial suede loafer or boot does the same job.
