Its paper-bag-waist style is a hit among
fashion editors. Victoria Beckham is focused
on tailoring, offering double-pleat-front
pants in chambray, chartreuse and peach.
Elsewhere, the workwear spec ialists Me+Em
and Arket are also joining the trouser
revolution, with egalitarian wide-leg slacks
emerging as this season’s must-have.
The overall aesthetic is sensible,
bordering on geeky, which is why the
internet calls them “dad pants”. Indisput-
ably the rise of this trouser style can be
tracked alongside our transition into
post-pandemic life. As more and more of us
call time on WFH (or at least admit that
spending five days a week with only the
washing machine for company is not all it
was cracked up to be), “proper” trousers are
emerging as wardrobe winners. Jeannie
Lee, head of womenswear at Selfridges, has
noticed a renewed appreciation for trousers
in their most traditional sense, with pairs
by Gabriela Hearst and the Californian
label Amiri among those on her customers’
wish lists. “Women are falling in love with
trousers again as a way to reset day-to-night
dressing for now,” she says. “We don’t want
to give up on comfort entirely, but there is a
definite desire to feel polished.”
Undoubtedly the return of trousers
marks a moment of rebirth for the smart-
casual wardrobe. “We want to feel put
together again but in a way that works for
our lifestyles. Loose trousers in a great
fabric with an immaculate cut can
change the way you look — and the way
you feel,” Lee says.
The trouble is, of course, figuring
out how to wear them again. Trousers
that look cool and not corporate are
the key to winning at fashion in 2022.
It takes both thought and effort to
do so. I know this because, having
recently returned to office life, I have
found myself thinking (and talking)
about trousers more often than is
reasonable. I have also spent time
(again, more than is reasonable)
study ing pictures of those who wear
them well.
From my extensive research I can
conclude that trousers should be wide
but not oversized. In most cases theyshould also be long enough to skim the
floor. While Gen Zers continue to push
the cropped jumper as a possible pairing
for the new super-slacks, a great white shirt
will do just fine.
Shirts should be tucked into super-slacks
using the “fashion” method: loosely, leaving
marginally more fabric at the front than
at the back (I know, ridiculous, but these
details matter). A leather belt, in black or
brown with a gold buckle, is another
key component of the look.
As an advocate for trainers whatever
the occasion, I wear “proper trousers”
with Nike Airs (retro-inspired styles
are the thing this season) or, in my
eternal quest for a look that channels the
iconic British fashion photographer
Corinne Day circa 1992, a pair of plain
black Converse.
But for those who fear wide-leg
trousers on the grounds that they will
make them seem smaller, heels are a
smart move (a couple of inches will
make a world of difference). You can
also embrace a slightly shorter length,
or the “hobo” crop, as the tailoring
expert Nick Wakeman, founder of
Studio Nicholson, describes trousers
that leave just a sliver of ankle on display.
“There is something inherently playful,
androgynous and youthful about trou-
sers worn at this length,” she says, “and
they’re ideal for this awkward time of
year when we’re dipping in and out of
different temperatures. The transition
to this shape takes time and guts for
many women, but once you’re on the
other side you rarely look back.”
You heard the woman: take strides. ■
@karendacre‘Loose trousers
in a great fabric
with an immaculate
cut can change the
way you look and
the way you feel’
MOTHER OF PEARLME + EMShop with Style
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fashion weekThe Sunday Times Style • 37