I've been wearing straight pants since mid-2019 and I'm not going back.
It started with a pair of Norse Projects jeans . Then Officine Générale pants. And it hasn't stopped since. This article also traces my conversion to straight pants.
I understood that the straight cut is made for my body shape, especially for my thighs which are a little thicker than average. I've learned to love the comfort and allure that size allows.
Today I think that pants are an essential piece of clothing and that they can define an outfit on their own.
An outfit with beautiful straight pants as the main character. Photo credit: Scott Fraser Collection
And I would add that it is a garment that is still underestimated by many, who focus more on the top of their outfits (with particular thought on layering ) and who neglect the bottom. It's like at the gym: you have to think about your legs too!
Style is like bodybuilding: it's important to think about your legs!
At BonneGueule, we have talked a lot about the benefits of fitted pants: here for example . To the point where some now fear larger volumes. I understand that some are reluctant or do not understand this stylistic movement. But I tell myself that it's a bit of a shame to reject it outright, without looking further.
Because I think that beyond the fitted style that you know and which reassures you, straight cuts also have a lot to offer.
(Of course, this doesn't mean I want to convert everyone to straight cuts.)
Maybe straight pants are for you but you didn't know it yet.
But why this transition from adjusted to legal?
Some are surely wondering: “ but where does this fashion for straight pants that we have seen in recent years come from? Fitted cuts are great! ”
This is a complex, almost sociological question.
Here is my (necessarily partial) reflection on this subject: in my opinion, it is the logical continuation of things. After the baggy jeans trend of the 90s and 2000s, slim jeans took over in the 2010s, notably thanks to Hedi Slimane and his “rock chic” silhouettes offered at Dior and Saint-Laurent. In France, brands like Bill Tornade , The Kooples and Sandro have contributed greatly to the popularization of fitted silhouettes.
At Hedi Slimane, the pants are well fitted. Photo credit: Saint-Laurent fashion show, Fall 2013.
Of course, BonneGueule's work, particularly his beginnings, also played a role.
But today, after 10 years, things are changing and pants are getting wider again.
This movement finds its echo in all universes:
- In the streetwear environment: characterized by ample volumes, it has invaded the catwalks and collections of luxury brands in recent years and has greatly influenced today's men's style, much more relaxed compared to 10 years ago
- In classic elegant styles: pants there have always been wide
- In workwear and military : fullness is part of the DNA of these styles
Photo sources: Needles, Thomas Farthing , Nigel Cabourn
And very pragmatically, the return of looser pants can also be explained by their comfort (after 10 years of slim, it makes sense to want a little more ease) and by the fact that they can dress more legs (we will return to this point later).
If you want to explore this idea of trends and cycles in fashion, I invite you to watch this great video from Nicolò .
When can pants be considered straight?
20cm.
To keep it as simple as possible, we can consider that pants start to be straight when their leg opening is around 20cm for a size M (so 48IT or 31US).
If you have a small pant size, this figure may tend towards 19cm. If you have a large pant size, this figure may tend towards 21cm.
But 20cm is good. It's easy to remember.
To be a little more precise, straight pants have ease at the leg opening but also at the thighs: let's say that from 33cm in thighs (for an M), we arrive at a straight cut.
33cm in thigh, 20cm in leg opening: our Renji jeans are a good example of straight cut pants.
Carefully measure the leg opening and thigh width
As a reminder, leg opening is measured like this:
And the thigh width is measured like this:
(Photo source: Rivet&Hide)
Straight cut pants are made for you if...
(Agreeing with just one of these propositions is enough)
( Sorry Jordan I took your title , it’s good)
1. You have muscular thighs or calves
If you have larger than average legs, you should wear straight pants.
I still see too many men with muscular legs wearing fitted pants in which they are tight, baggy. It is neither very aesthetic nor very comfortable.
What you need to keep in mind (and as Nicolò said) is that the names of the cuts always designate a result compared to a standard, often with medium to thin legs.
If you have muscular legs, you should wear straight cuts... because it really won't look that baggy on you. On the contrary, it will be exactly what you need for your body type.
Pants considered straight on average legs make pants fitted on your wider legs.
In the two photos above, they are the same pants ( De Bonne Facture ).
On the left, it is worn by the brand's model, with slender legs. On the right, it is carried by Michel, who has quite muscular legs.
On Michel, the pants don't look that wide.
2. You tend to crack your pants at the crotch
The main reason pants creak in the crotch is because there is too much friction between your thighs and the material of the pants. This friction damages the fabric and it ends up giving way.
Looser pants result in less friction, therefore more strength of the fabric and more durability for the pants.
This advice is of course valid for people with muscular legs, but also for all those who cycle or do big movements on a daily basis.
Suit + bike: watch out for wear in the crotch of the pants
3. You want more comfort
I talked about it above, but straight pants are so much more comfortable.
Maybe fitted isn't so uncomfortable for you. You're used to wearing them, maybe for years. Maybe you wear pants with spandex, which helps with comfort.
But believe me: try straight pants and you will quickly notice the difference.
The natural freedom of movement allowed by the size is a real pleasure that is difficult to do without once you have tasted it.
Do you feel the freedom there? Photo from our Lane45 test
4. You want to explore other stylistic horizons and assert your style
Scale is a wonderful breeding ground for stylistic expression.
Let me explain.
To develop a personal and varied style, you can vary the colors, the universes (workwear, sartorial, sportswear, etc.), the materials... and the cuts.
By definition, the fitted is restricted because it must be close to the body and follow the legs. Of course, pants can be more or less fitted but still, the room for maneuver remains small.
Opening up to fullness opens up new styling possibilities. There are many widths to explore: moderate breadth, generous breadth, (almost) excessive breadth, etc.
For example, straight pants allow you to move towards more nonchalant silhouettes, which are often found in soft tailoring .
There is this idea of keeping a certain elegance through the shapes and materials used, but which is broken by the relaxation of a larger volume.
Look at the silhouettes at Stoffà : they thrive on this magnitude, at the top but also at the bottom. You wouldn't find this attitude with fitted pants.
5. To balance certain morphological particularities
Dressing well means, among other things, choosing clothes that harmonize with our body, which hide our imperfections . As such, I see two cases where wearing straight pants can positively help your silhouette:
- If you have (very) long legs
If you are tall with long, thin legs, fitted pants can accentuate the length of your legs and give them a “match” effect.
Taking looser pants can help minimize this slender visual effect.
Above, on the left you have fitted jeans (source: 2tall) which give the effect of really very thin legs, while on the right you have straight jeans (source: Berg&Berg ) which balance the silhouette more.
We still see that the gentleman is slender, but in more reasonable proportions. The pants do not lengthen it excessively.
- To avoid a “big feet” effect
Pants with a fitted ankle can accentuate the size of your feet.
This will be all the more the case if 1/ the pants are very tight and 2/ if you choose elongated, “pointed” shoes.
In this case, my advice is to wear slightly looser pants and slightly more rounded shoes to rebalance the proportions.
On the left, you have well-fitted jeans with slightly elongated shoes: a typical example of silhouettes that give a "big feet" effect, which I don't find very harmonious.
On the right, straight pants (source: Officine Générale ) which cover the shoe more and avoid a "big feet" effect.
My advice for getting into straight cut pants if you're not used to it
By the force of my words, you are now convinced. You are now ready to try the straight cut.
Well done.
But concretely… how to do it? Here are my tips for embarking on this adventure without being completely destabilized.
1. Take it gradually
If you've been wearing fitted pants for years, I don't necessarily advise you to suddenly switch to very wide pants.
Getting comfortable on loose fits can take time. Instead, start with straight pants but not too wide either.
Aim for pants whose measurements are close to the dimensions I mentioned above. For an M, 33cm in thigh width and 20cm in leg opening.
For example, I find that the volume of our Renji straight cut jeans is particularly suitable: they are wide enough that you feel a real difference compared to fitted jeans, but they are not so wide as to be confusing neither. Its cut is well proportioned and I think that is one of the reasons for its success with our customers.
Our Renji jeans : a reasonable width
More generally, straight cut or “regular fit” jeans or chinos from another brand will be suitable to introduce you to the (wonderful) world of the straight cut.
And once you've been introduced to the straight cut, you can decide if you want to continue on this path and stay with similar volumes, or if you feel like going a little wider.
2. Choose materials that hold up well
People who are not used to straight volumes sometimes complain of “floating” in them.
Straight, flowing pants will fly around your legs, swinging to the right and left, and can accentuate that feeling of floating.
To counter this effect, it seems appropriate to start your straight-leg pants adventure with a model in a material that fits well.
(Of course, once you are accustomed to straight shapes, it will be easier for you to switch to straight pants with a fluid fit.)
Above I talked about jeans and this is a good example: it is relatively easy to find jeans with fabrics that hold up well.
To take another example, I have in mind the balloon pants from De Bonne Facture . It is very wide but its material is a thick cotton twill which falls straight. Certainly, the thighs and calves do not “touch” the material much when you wear it, but its weight helps to give structure to your silhouette.
These pants are wide, but their fairly dense material allows them to fit well and not appear too wide
3. Wear your (dressier) pants with a center pleat
It's a detail that you've probably seen on suit pants: the central pleat.
It's a simple ironing pleat in the middle, along the entire length of the leg. But it also has another advantage: this fold pinches the fabric and brings it a little forward . This allows the material to be better distributed around the wearer's legs and not to go too far to the sides.
The pleat structures the leg and makes it visually less wide.
The central pleat helps balance the fairly generous volume of our Paris pants
I would almost say that the pleat “retracts” at the leg opening, compared to pants without pleats.
Visually, pants with a central pleat and 20cm of leg opening will appear narrower than pants without pleats with also 20cm of leg opening.
Choose elegant pants with a central pleat . This may fade when worn, in which case you will just have to iron it to mark it again.
4. Be careful about length
Wear your straight pants at the right length: not too long, breaking slightly on the shoe or not at all.
A good length for straight pants. A little longer and breaking slightly on the shoe is good too. But not much more. Source: Casatlantic
Wide, long pants will create a lot of excess fabric at the ankle and risk compressing your figure.
So yes, we regularly see wide and long pants in clearly marked streetwear looks, but it's not necessarily for everyone.
In conclusion
I want to end this article with a message of peace.
I regularly see vehement posts about slim and straight cuts. Fans of fitted styles will denigrate straight cuts and vice versa.
I find it a shame because there is no need to contrast these two volumes. It’s great that both exist. It takes all tastes. It's only positive to have more variety in volumes. This makes it possible to dress more body types, to match more stylistic preferences.
Everyone can choose a side without the other necessarily having to be booed. I wear straight cuts but I completely understand the benefit of slimmer cuts. In fact, you can even choose both camps by wearing fitted and straight. It's crazy, huh?
If you want to switch to straight cut pants and are looking for brands that offer them, I invite you to read this article .
You can also find straight pants from the BonneGueule collection here:
