That jogger pants are different from drawstring pants?
That the “ranger belt” and the “western belt” are two different types of belts inspired by the American West?
That there are more styles of perfectos than fingers?
The world of clothing is full of possibilities and small variations on each type of clothing. And in Compendium, the team will work to identify and explain the stylish details or design iterations that give your clothes style.
The goal ?
Ultimately offer you reference documents that you can refer to to understand these variations, or simply to get inspiration.
Like a sort of catalog: clear, illustrated, concise, and precise. We will define these variations, where to find them, as well as two or three tips for clearly identifying the style to which they belong, and therefore wearing them well.
I remember it like it was yesterday.
It's 2015, and it was my first months at BonneGueule. It had been just two years since I became “seriously” interested in clothing. I spent long hours browsing all the e-shops, meticulously reading the sales pages of my favorite brands, questioning the salespeople in the stores... In short, window shopping, both virtual and physical.
And, as I began to get a better idea of what the market was offering at the time, a question came to mind, and I was quick to ask Benoît.
"Hey Benoît, once you have one or two jeans, a few chinos, and suit pants... What's left in pants? Are there no other choices? That's all there is ?” I asked.
“Well basically, yes I think so. At least in humans.” he answered me.
“Ah…” I sighed, with palpable disappointment.
There was a time when the zippers on almost every pant on the market looked like this. Simple, effective... But we quickly get the hang of it. (Uniqlo chinos)
I found it a bit of a shame that there were a whole bunch of shirt collars and types of jackets, while all our pants looked the same, apart from the color and material.
Besides, at the time many of you asked yourself the same question as me via the comments and by email.
Fortunately, more than five years later, times have changed, and the men's market has since grown enormously in terms of pants options !
The types of pockets have multiplied, lapels are commonplace, the cuts have diversified, and above all... We now have relatively easy access to a whole bunch of types of closures , which change from the simple standard buttoning that you have worn on your chinos and jeans for years. This first part of Compendium will focus on this determining point of the style of your pants.
A quick overview of twelve of these trouser options that give stylish twists to your frocks.
The dressed
1. Offset-button belt
Like the basic sandwich available in all airports and train stations in France and Navarre, we could say that this closure is the "ham and butter" of the original pants. Still quite basic , I would almost have hesitated to include it here, as it remains a widespread option.
Despite everything, it must be admitted that it already represents a small bias compared to classic buttoning . This placket that extends to the side gives an extra level of detail, and will elevate your basic casual chino to a "little dressy" chino. The rest depends on the material and other details.
Here a model from Pini Parma, decorated with side clamping tabs.
How to wear it?
Like normal chinos. This type of closure adds just a very slight touch of dressiness to the pants, but all the other factors (fabric, cut, pleats or not, cuffs, etc.) will be much more decisive in knowing in which register you should wear them.
Brands:
Pini Parma , BonneGueule , Le Pantalon , Suitsupply , Benevento , Claudio Mariani , Sartoria Corrado... Consider this list far from exhaustive, because you can find them absolutely everywhere, in fact.
2. Wide double-breasted belt
Here we start to arrive at a style of belt that makes us say “Sartoriale!” to your pants. With the Italian pronunciation which ends with "é" .
By Pini Parma, on a more summery fabric.
This wider belt obviously lends itself to higher-waisted pants. And it turns out that the higher waist works especially well with the formal, dressy register. It’s a synergy that we’re rediscovering these days.
Nine times out of ten, you will see these types of pants decorated with tightening tabs and pleats, for a completely formal result.
A model from Benevento, very dressy with its striped flannel.
How to wear it?
Clearly, there's no need to search for midday to two p.m.: opt for the dressed register. The moccasin is the maximum relaxation allowed with this style of pants. There may be exceptions for certain models where everything else is casual, like these cargo pants that we released at BonneGueule. But that's probably the only exception I can think of.
Brands:
Pini Parma , Benevento , Claudio Mariani , Luxire
3. Extended Double Tab Belt
A slightly more ostentatious and original version of the double-breasted belt. This double strap adds visual complexity to the pants, making them that much stronger. Some will say that it is a more "show off" version... And that is undoubtedly true.
A model from Pini Parma. Sometimes showing off is good, I think.
How to wear it?
In the same way as double-breasted wide belted pants: formal . Note, however, that this version is more ostentatious , and that you will have to take this into account in the amount of originality that you instill in the rest of your outfit.
Brands:
Pini Parma , Sartoria Corrado.
4. Passers-by “Hollywood”
This style of pants is characterized by its non-rigid (and therefore comfortable) high waist, contrasted by narrow belt loops positioned lower than it , and is always decorated with pleats. It takes its inspiration from the beginning of the 20th century, and was brought up to date by Edward Sexton, a British tailor whose offering is increasingly extending to very high-end ready-to-wear.
The flagship model from Edward Sexton, worn with a braided leather belt.
It has the effect of highlighting the waist and making it the central anchor point of your outfits.
Still at Sexton, the pants are worn here in "relaxed" mode on the top with the striped sweater, and a little more dressy on the bottom with the moccasins. Honestly cool.
How to wear it?
With a beautiful belt! This is arguably the most important piece to think about when putting on these pants, because everything about its design is done to show it off. So make sure she returns the favor.
Depending on the outfit you will be building around, it is possible to choose a more formal or more casual belt. However, avoid the typical "business" belt with a large rectangular buckle: it would not honor the cool and slightly retro side of this style of pants.
On the contrary, if you feel it, now is the time or never to take out your more "fun" belts : braided belts, or even, for the more daring, the "western" belt or the "ranger belt".
It will also accommodate narrower belts better: 3cm is a good standard, but you can even afford thinner belts than that if you really want to accentuate the effect of the pants.
As for shoes, you can go for formal or more casual, but I find that these pants don't support any type of sneakers quite well. So go for boots, moccasins or brogues if you want to wear it “cool”.
Brands:
Edward Sexton, Claudio Mariani , Luxire, second-hand goods and vintage, eBay
Note that this type of pants is still quite rare, and still very much associated with the Edward Sexton brand. Also, it is quite difficult to find it elsewhere, apart from half-measure brands which offer options for customizing more "trendy" pants.
The belted
1. The belted buckle:
The most fashionable and chic version of belted pants in my eyes. It consists of a complete belt made from the same fabric as the pants, which attaches with a simple metal buckle.
It's quite showy, which will make your pants a rather strong piece. However, the result is more refined than that of other belted models that we will see below, which makes the piece a little more versatile, and surprisingly easy to wear despite its originality.
Our BonneGueule belted pants, in ferla fabric.
From a functional point of view, the belt can help if your pants are a little loose after losing a few kilos, but consider it above all as ornamental: the main fastening system of these pants remains its buttons, often hidden under the belt or inside the pants.
It's difficult not to mention the models from Officine Générale, which was quite ahead of this trend, and recently made it a trademark on almost all of its pants.
How to wear it?
With a little bit of everything, except the extremes: derby, sneakers, or moccasins, no problem, but brogues or double buckles will be too dressy, while big workboots or combat boots will generally be too rustic.
Above all, it is the material of the pants that will set the tone: wools with beautiful, clean drapes will work better with dressier options, while cotton twills with a washed effect will call for relaxation.
Brands:
Claudio Mariani , Officine Générale , BonneGueule
2. The D-ring
Rather visible on women in the past, the D-Ring has managed to take a small place on men thanks to the touch of refinement it brings. The principle of the D-Ring is simple: a pair of D-shaped metal rings, a strip of fabric that goes one way, threads through the rings, then goes back the other way to lock everything in place.
In other words, the D-ring applies the same principle as a clamping tab.
The D-ring closure on Yeossal pants. Rather formal here
This little “return” effect of the fabric embellished with a metallic touch gives it a certain charm, but also gives it a clearly more precious air. This needs to be balanced when choosing your other pieces: be sure not to overdo the coquetry in the rest of the outfit.
A model halfway between the D-ring and belted pants, by Claudio Mariani. On this gray blue denim, it gives a very original piece, quite casual, and ultimately not so difficult to wear.
How to wear it?
As with belted pants with a buckle, the D-ring makes your pants a stronger piece, the quality of which will mainly depend on the material and other details. However, I would distinguish two types of D-Ring: a more formal one, which, as in the first photo, has a fairly short return of fabric, then attached to a button.
And a more casual one, with a longer fabric return, which can be compared to belted pants, and which lets the excess length hang like a belt.
I would see the first type with shoes and formal tops, but not really the second, which is more to be treated like belted pants with buckles, as described above.
Brands:
Yeossal , Luxire , Claudio Mariani
3. The classic Gurkha
Widely popularized by the Neapolitan brand Rubinacci and its "Manny" model which it offers each season in all possible colors and materials.
The Gurkha is a vintage military-inspired pant, named after the British and Indian brigade of the same name.
It is characterized by a double adjustable superimposed belt. This allows both to ensure excellent support of the pants, and to have a large tightening range on the same size.
The famous "Manny" model from Rubinacci. Here, it is halfway between dressy and casual, since it is in a smooth cotton twill. A wool model would be more formal.
It has received enormous success in the world of sartorial clothing, and has been available in all flavors: from the most military "first degree" to the most elegant in prestigious wool flannels, up to versions with jackets. matching suits. Its advantage lies in the obvious character of this belt.
A very casual version of the Gurkha, in "stonewashed" denim, by Craftsman Clothing.
How to wear it?
By not overdoing it.
Due to its extremely visible belt, the Gurkha is already a very strong piece on its own, and works best when its role is to be the central touch of originality of an outfit . If you pile on stylistic stances while wearing these pants, you run the risk of having an outfit that goes all over the place, especially if you've decided to opt for formal versions of these pants.
When you wear its casual version, more faithful to its original inspiration, don't be afraid to assemble it with pieces that evoke something rustic, or adventurous, like brogues, boots, a western shirt, a overshirt... You can also emphasize the military inspiration by wearing, for example, an M-65 jacket or a fishtail parka.
Brands:
Craftsman Clothing , Luxire , Suitsupply , Scavini, second-hand clothes and vintage (surplus, Brut Clothing , Broadways & Son, Saunders Military...)
4. The one-sided Gurkha:
A rarer version of the Gurkha, which takes the belt shape of the original version, but only places it on one side. This has the effect of both recalling the style of the more formal closures that we saw above, and of visually lightening the style of this very showy belt.
A single-belt gurkha by Yeossal, which the brand rather calls "self-belted". Here in a fairly thick and rustic cotton twill.
In a formal fabric, they can therefore fall into the category of dress pants and be treated as such.
A single-belted Gurkha, by Benevento, in a beautiful silky flannel. See how he immediately looks more dressed up.
How to wear it?
Like the classic Gurkha, but you can probably afford a little more daring in the other pieces, since the belt is less ostentatious than in its double version.
Brands:
Yeossal , Luxire , Benevento , Sartoria Corrado.
5. The double-strap Gurkha
This one has a misleading name: it is also called Gurkha, but is very different from the models mentioned above. However, it uses the same principle (a very adjustable type of closure, with strong support), and was also intended for military use.
It is sometimes embellished with large buttoned belt loops.
It is less common than its double-belted cousin, and it is more often found on shorts than pants. This double strap greatly accentuates the utilitarian side of the piece, and therefore gives it a much less formal, and much more rustic side than the classic gurkha.
Shorts from Informale, which use this type of belt. In summer, this kind of piece can make an entire outfit on its own.
We will therefore not be surprised that, the rare times we find it on pants, it is often on cargo with a very military design.
Vintage British army trousers, sold by Saunders Militaria , decorated with two buttoned loops.
A denim model that I find extremely cool, by Sartoria Corrado (photo by Barrocoitalia ).
How to wear it?
Big boots, an overshirt, a parka, possibly sneakers... Everything that evokes the great outdoors, the military, workwear, and ultimately, streetwear.
Formal has, a priori, little to do with this type of belt.
Brands:
Informal , Yeossal , Sartoria Corrado, second-hand clothes and vintage (surplus, Brut Clothing , Broadways & Son, Saunders Military...)
Knotted models
1. The backstage
Undoubtedly one of the most popular styles, the drawstring pants are characterized by a closure via two cords, which can be tightened and tied with a simple lace knot.
Very comfortable, adjustable, and easy to use, it reflects a marked relaxation, although it can quite have a relatively dressy look if it is decorated with pliers, and made in a more precious fabric.
A sliding closure on quite dressy pants with their double pleats and pretty micro-patterned wool, by Claudio Mariani.
In more textured and rustic fabrics, it can on the contrary be very casual, and works particularly well in a summer context.
Much more relaxed in its very airy, indigo-dyed cotton fabric, that's what drawstring pants can look like in summer. By ABCL
The drawstring model from Informale, the T005. Undoubtedly the one who launched the success of the brand, and a reference in the field.
How to wear it?
It all depends on the other details of the pants! I would tend to say that this type of closure is more original, a little more relaxed, but not incompatible with formal wear. It's a piece that has great potential for creating diversity in sartorial registers, so I can only advise you to try mixing and matching. Over the years, I have seen as many successful outfits with blazers as with tees, polo shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, sneakers, moccasins, brogues, boots... I have even seen costumes with such pants, and it was the most beautiful effect!
Just remember to consider the overall style of the rest of the pants, and you should be just fine.
Brands:
ABCL Garments , Hartford , BonneGueule , Yeossal , Claudio Mariani , Informale, COS
2. The jogger
Perhaps you thought that jogging and sliding were the same thing? Well, not quite. Although the two are similar, jogger type closures are made with a cord that is in a different material than that of the pants.
A model of joggers from ABCL Here the cord is coated with a rubber sheath to accentuate the sporty and technical side.
This directly reflects a more marked air of relaxation, and an inspiration more directly drawn from jogging. This is even more the case if the belt is fully elasticated. The nuance between the two may seem subtle, but this simple detail significantly changes the stylistic direction of the pants.
Flannel joggers by Sartoria Corrado. More elegant jogger, but jogger nonetheless! Choose sneakers. (Photo by Barrocoitalia )
How to wear it?
Rather with sneakers and casual clothes, mainly inspired by streetwear.
In the event that all the rest of the pants give off something more formal (presence of pleats, precious fabric, etc.), it is possible to wear boots, moccasins or brogues, but don't go adding brogue or more formal derbies.
If, on the contrary, the rest of the pants are even more inspired by jogging (fleece-type material, ribbed bottom of the pants), then it is almost exclusively streetwear that you will have to turn to.
Brands:
ABCL Garments , De Bonne Facture , BonneGueule , Sartoria Corrado, Officine Générale , A Kind Of Guise , Suitsupply
3. The elasticated (or semi-elasticated)
Elasticated pants contain, as their name suggests, a belt with elastic that tightens around the wearer's waist. This can go around the entire pants, or start from the sides to only enclose the back of them. In which case, we speak of "semi-elasticated" pants.
This category is a bit special, since it does not necessarily represent the entire closure of the pants on its own, and is most often combined with others.
A fully elasticated model from De Bonne Facture. Very casual, even if the original dress fabric gives it a certain chic.
It is most often found on drawstring pants or joggers, but in the case of semi-elasticated pants, I have already seen it combined with more classic pants closures, such as the offset buttoning mentioned at the very beginning of the article. , or even a classic single-breasted.
The back of a pair of Claudio Mariani semi-elasticized drawstring pants (the ones shown above). Here, this has little influence on the style of the pants since the pleating of the belt is discreet.
Its advantages lie mainly in its great comfort, as well as the flexibility of this type of belt. Among my collection of pants, the elasticated waists are the ones that best follow my small variations in weight throughout the year. Obviously, this type of belt evokes more relaxation than a classic belt, due to its obvious inspiration from jogging.
An elasticated model, without anything else, from A Kind Of Guise. Particularly casual (but enhanced by the choice of fabric)
How to wear it?
The fully elasticated waist imposes a key word: "relax" .
The t-shirt, sweater, or even sweatshirt are preferred on top. It's hard to imagine anything other than sneakers on your feet , although the more daring among you will undoubtedly find other unexpected combinations.
Even a simple shirt will often be too much . If you don't want to wear a tee when wearing these pants, maybe try a shirt with a stand-up collar in a slightly casual material, or better, a "tunic", also called a "popover" shirt.
Any type of very formal clothing is potentially "jaw-breaking" with this style.
As for semi-elasticated waists , it all depends on what they have on the front of the pants. Just consider that they are a “more casual” version of the pant variation in question.
Brands:
Refer to the brands of drawstring pants and jogging pants, they are the same!
The final word...
And here's the tip!
Obviously, there is not every possible variation imaginable, but I think this guide is a good overview of what it is possible to do on the waistband of men's pants. In case you find a type that is not described here, find the one that is closest to it: there is a good chance that the advice given is valid for this one too.
Finally, I encourage you to share with us in the comments your best brands for each type of pants, or to let us know if you think there is an essential type that we have forgotten!
