Eh but... But... I do believe that...
Because it was born from an obsession that has followed me for several years now: more original trouser closures , about which I have published a real guide.
Believe me, too many men choose pants that are very basic in their shape, and it's a shame because they're a gold mine for gaining style.
In short, it turned out that in the long list of more elaborate trouser closures, the one that stood out the most to me was also the most difficult to find.
All that remained was to get to work.
“Hollywood” type pants
And a high waist like no other.
Our camel cardigan (not mine, I'm crying at having let it slip away), an ecru collarless shirt, the belt that's a little reminder, ankle boots (Yeossal) and off we go!
Legend has it that this style was the favorite of elegant showbiz gentlemen such as Frank Sinatra or Fred Astaire in the 1950s in Hollywood.
It is
The model from Edward Sexton, who, in my opinion, revived this completely forgotten trend (at least in the small niche of the suit style). We must return to Caesar what is Caesar's!
And we actually find some period photos and old
But concretely, what separates them from the simple high-waisted pleated pants to the point of deserving a nickname is not just a nice story.
This is entirely compatible with a quasi-monochrome look that plays the sober and minimalist card to the fullest. (Coat, turtleneck and Brogues from us!)
These are its loops, and the construction of its belt.
1. Lower loops, flexible construction
It doesn't seem like it, but it changes everything!
The more generic term is “drop loop pants” : pants whose loops are lowered , and whose waistband is more flexible in its construction.
You might not know it, but your modern dress pants normally have an iron- on waistband that stiffens them to give more hold.
So why do it any differently here? Because these two elements work in synergy!
2. “Fake” high waist
... But real comfort!
Firstly, by lowering the loops, you correct one of the main faults of "real" high-waisted pants: since they hold us at the waist, which is generally the thinnest area of the torso, they are extremely comfortable standing and leave us more free of our hip movements...
But they tend to squeeze the stomach a little more when you sit down . Otherwise, they yawn and fall when you are standing.
This is also why belts were not necessarily preferred to suspenders at the time.
"You mean I can sit without tucking in my stomach... No, for real? Am I allowed to?"
But these pants are ideal for belts.
Because they keep it lower than your true natural waist, so more like a “medium” or “mid-high” waist...
While giving the appearance of being "high waisted" since the fabric rides up.
Secondly , the flexibility of its structure allows the belt you wear to do its job, without the pants ending up unsightly. Because with a rigid structure, if the belt is too tight, the iron-on will break instead of "bending" gracefully.
In summary: it retains the advantage of creating a more slender silhouette, highlighting the waist and lengthening the legs like all high-waisted pants, while avoiding certain practical disadvantages.
“Hey, your belt is pretty good!”
My Silver Ostritch western belt has finally found a pair of pants that reveals its full potential.
With these pants, you might hear this compliment more than usual.
Because the last strong point of these drop magnifying pants is that they are made to highlight your prettiest belt.
You will notice that the loops are thin : this is intentional, it is important that the belt does not float since it will really contribute to support.
Combine a well-maintained belt with the fact that it is "framed" by the fabric, present below and above it, and you will understand why it makes it stand out so much.
Here I'm wearing it with a layering chambray western shirt (ABCL), textured ecru tee, casually tied scarf (Altea), a pair of Jodhpur ankle boots and a western belt. Half western rider, half modern dandy.
So, style-wise, I recommend wearing it with a belt...
- Quite fine . A width of 4cm or more has no place there, and even if it fit in the loops, it would monopolize too much of the eye.
- Equipped with an oval or rounded buckle , to have an elegant little belt without being formal. It's not as essential as finesse... But still I find it better, between us.
- Western style, or " ranger belt" , like I do. Well, it's a stronger piece, it's not for everyone, but it works.
Moreover, if this style of pants reminds you of something a little cowboy , it is precisely because outfits typical of "American South-West heritage" often put the belt in the foreground.
And for leather: suede, smooth, grained, treat yourself. I even recommend the braided belt!
From what I've seen, our color works particularly well with medium to light browns, beige and even very dark burgundy.
3. Pliers
... Much more than a detail!
After the belt-loops synergy, there remains one last element that characterizes these pants: these are these very generous double interior pleats .
Beyond the retro-chic aesthetic that marks people's minds, their presence can once again be explained by the overall synergy of the design:
When tightening your belt , if the waist is a little large, English clips are more tolerant of excess fabric than “exterior” or “Italian” clips.
Because the excess can be placed in the hollow formed by the darts at the front , rather than hanging over the back of the pants.
“IT’S NOT A BUG, IT’S A FEATURE”
Moreover, some men who are a bit sharp have a downright style bias due to having excess material at the waist on such pants.
They benefit from the flexible construction and the placement of the loops, to let the top of the waist undulate slightly , which further reinforces the impression of a “thin waist”.
It's done more discreetly on men, but if you pay attention you'll see that this tip has been used on women's models for years , where it is applied much more visibly.
Experience has shown me this time and time again: from slim cuts, to elegant drawstring joggers, to the return of high waists, everything new in men's pants first arises from a tendency in women, which is then skillfully readapted to men.
A more generous cut
...Not stingy on the thighs!
For these pants, I wanted a straight cut . Be careful, “straight” does not necessarily mean loose, even if it can go with it.
But neither the bottom nor the thigh had to be too tight.
Quite simply because on such models, the darts and their central pleat structure the cut , and greatly contribute to giving this continuous leg line , very elegant, despite a more comfortable volume.
If you are too tight in it, in the thigh or in the calf, the clips open, break and the magic disappears.
Finally, it is true that these more generous cuts also increase the total volume of your legs. But it's a logical choice when it comes to high-waisted pants, since a higher waist adds, in return, visual length to your legs.
Well, don't worry, I know what's going on in your head when you read my technical explanations...
"That's all very good... But would it suit MY body type?"
Well, I can tell you about the people I've seen it worn on:
I saw the prototype of these pants on David, who is just shy of 1m90 , for a rather standard build: it suits him well.
I saw it on Jason, our AD Photographer who is the same height as me (a bit taller than 1m70), but for a slimmer body type : it suits him well.
As for me and my complicated body shape for pants, I think we're doing pretty well either.
"Hello you... You have nice folds you know? Are we going out together tonight?"
What do you think ?
My advice for choosing size and retouching
...If I were you, I would listen to them, eh.
Normally you should take your usual size.
That said, we all sometimes hesitate between two sizes.
In which case, if you are often tight in the thighs but wide in the waistband, I recommend a size smaller than the usual size, because there will be no shortage of room in the thighs!
Besides, what's nice about this kind of volume is that they are easy to retouch to obtain a silhouette that suits us best.
1. Respect the volume
And the volume will respect you.
But be careful not to be too heavy-handed either: do not touch the leg opening and the calf, if at all. You would really miss what makes this cut so charming.
Ultimately, if you want something less loose, tighten the thigh a little, but not the bottom!
To be completely honest with you, that's what I did on the size 48 that I'm wearing on the shoot.
See how it's slightly straighter on me? This is what I prefer as a fall, that's why I tightened the thigh, just a bit!
This may surprise you, but I would have liked the leg opening to be a little wider to make the pants even straighter, or the thigh to be a little tighter.
But hey... We didn't want to rush you with a cut that was too unusual for you, so our product manager tempered things a little. 😉
The cut is therefore very close to the volumes we call "straight" at home, such as on our Venise chinos.
2. Length
... Without breakage, but not too short!
You probably already know that ready-to-wear pants always have a standard length , intended to dress as many people as possible by being altered. And here too, I have quite strong convictions , and therefore advice to give you.
The cuff should ideally just go "boop" on the top of the shoe... Ah, look: "Boop!" ... Yes. It 's perfect !
-
1st tip: when receiving or trying on the product, if you are not used to a looser volume like this, when the pants are too long, they can give the impression of being “really too wide".
Don't panic, breathe ... You'll see that if you fold the fabric inwards to adjust the length a little, it fits much better. You will have a better idea of the final result. - 2nd touch-up tip : really choose a drape without breakage, therefore without excess length. Because you would no longer have that heavy, clean fit that we are looking for in these pants. But not too short either , because you have to take advantage of the beautiful continuity offered by these generous darts to make your legs look slimmer. Don't bare your ankles too much, then.
This is important for all pants, but it is even more important for a model as special as this one.
All that remained was to find the material…
“Ah well yes, well, what about the fabric then?”
Surprised I'm only talking about it now?
It's just that it reflects the order in which we designed the product ...
When we develop a garment, sometimes it is the fabric which gives the initial impetus and which imposes itself on us.
And sometimes we have the idea of a shape, but we don't know with what fabric we want to express it.
For these pants, it was rather the second scenario: I already had very clear ideas about the style and cut, but for the material, I had more of a list of criteria...
1. I wanted it not to crease too much
“He who too often passes away, passes away.”
It's always nice, a trouser fabric that doesn't wrinkle too much.
But for this model, it was simply non-negotiable , since all its charm rests on the clarity of its fall.
Do you know “The reed bends but does not break”? Well here, it's more like "The fabric waves but does not crease". (Okay, rather “little”. Let’s be reasonable)
So just imagine, if we were forced to repeat it every two ports... That would be unbearable, right?
This is why cotton, linen or materials incorporating them were excluded in advance. Sorry, Mr. Cotton and Linen, that will be for next time!
2. I wanted her to mark the folds
...And a heavy and fluid fall.
And then you think:
“What, but Nicolò contradicts himself there! He just said he didn't want it to get messy. We have to stop the showbiz parties in Hollywood, I say!”
Oh no, it's not an error or a contradiction!
I'm talking about marking the central fold so that it holds well... Without causing the rest to crease.
See the very slight crease on my leg? Well, I'm the one who messed up while ironing. To give you an idea, on the other hand, I have never had such a marked crease from simply “creasing” the pants.
And it's true that normally, the materials that make one also make the other: the more “crunchy” a cotton is, the more beautiful folds it shows... The more it is wrinkled at the end of the day.
The correct answer was therefore a well-chosen 100% wool.
Suit enthusiasts know that nothing beats a beautiful, smooth woolen cloth when it comes to meeting these criteria of fluidity and clean folds while requiring relatively little maintenance.
3. I wanted texture and a little color
...A beautiful mixture to embalm our hearts!
Because it reflected the project of these pants: an elegant but not stuffy piece, which is original AND in good taste. +
We needed an elegant and discreet fabric because we already have a stronger design than the standard. No flashy pattern or too strong color, that would have been too much here.
For example ! If the pants had been too smooth, too little nuance, it would have been difficult to wear in this cool look, in hoodie, sneakers and overshirt mode.
But we couldn't afford a smooth, boring fabric : pants would have immediately been relegated to the status of a retro, formal piece, too difficult to wear in an era of relaxed dress codes .
Ehhh yes, unsurprisingly, we needed that good old “just right” entredeux. And to find that, you have to pay the price, and go to the best...
The answer: a 100% brushed wool loro piana fabric
The great Italian weaver who... Roh, all the same! You our Instagram page Thursday evening at 6 p.m.
On Thursday !
