Branching Out with Wide Pants
Oversized t-shirts, sweatshirts, and jackets have been a staple in streetwear for years now, and it seems that legwear has finally caught up. Loose, draping trousers have taken over runways for the past few seasons, and these styles have worked their way down to everyday looks. Now it’s hard to check out a fashion forum, or even walk down a city street, without seeing at least a few pairs of loose-legged pants.
In a previous article we talked about the basics of wearing loose pants, so now we’re going to look at some slightly more interesting styles.
Here are five options to look out for on your next hunt for wide trousers:
1. Full-length trousers
Cropping loose pants is the easiest way to wear them, it makes sizing a breeze and you don’t have to worry about any odd pant/shoe interaction, but letting full-length loose pants pool on your shoes can look great when it’s done right.
The easiest way to pull off this look is to find loose pants that taper to a slightly smaller leg opening, this allows the pants to sit on top of your shoes instead of swallowing them. For this same reason bulkier shoes are the safest bet with pooled loose pants. It’s also important to get your pants hemmed to the right length, excessive stacking on a pair of trousers can look awkward, aim for something in the realm of a half- to full-break and things should work out pretty well.
2. Heavy texture and pattern
Wide pants can take up a lot of visual space in an outfit, which makes them a perfect canvas to show off some pattern or texture. Texture is an easy way to add visual interest to your trousers; thick cozy wools and comfortably wrinkled linen can add some serious depth to your whole outfit.
Patterned pants are a bit bolder than textured ones, but they can be stylish and eye-catching, and loose pants offer enough surface area for them to really shine. Subtle plaids and tonal patterns are the safest way to ease into things, and pair well with more complex outfits without taking over a look. Bolder patterns, and even prints, are fun options, and tend to look their best when they are subdued by less out-there shoes, shirts, and outerwear.
3. High-waisted pants
Low-rise pants have been the standard for a long while now, but once you make the move to something higher-waisted you might have trouble going back. Aside from being surprisingly comfortable once you get used to them, high-waisted pants are an easy way to play with your proportions; they can drastically lengthen the legs, and can create an illusion of extra height.
High, or higher-waisted pants are also far more comfortable for tucking shirts into. You don’t have to worry about things coming un-tucked, and you avoid messing up your proportions by tucking into low-rise pants. Tucking your shirt into low-rise pants can often make your torso and legs look the same length, which is rarely a flattering look.
4. Pleats
Pleats have been a no-go in men’s fashion for years, but just like wide pants, are experiencing a resurgence of their own. Pleats provide some extra room in the top block of a pair of pants without loosening the waist, providing some extra comfort and breathability. This extra room can also be important if you’re going for high-waisted pants, and it becomes a necessity if you’re waist is narrower than your hips. Pleats are used to gather wider fabrics to smaller circumferences, take advantage to achieve maximum wideness while maintaining properly sized pants.
5. Relaxed jeans
Jeans have been the slowest legwear option to loosen up, taking a while to swing back after the popularity of Hedi Slimane’s skinny silhouettes. While loose denim has long been the staple of less-than-fashionable fathers, straight- and loose-fit jeans are another interesting option to play with.
They have been common through norm-core and other similar trends, and are most easily worn cuffed above bulkier shoes. Cuffing the jeans makes it clear the fit of the pants is intentional, preventing the wearer from falling into dad-jean territory. A great option for heritage and workwear looks, straight and wide fit jeans are starting to find their place in streetwear as well.
Check the inspiration photos below for some examples of well-worn wide pants in a variety of different styles:
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