Wide pants: six tips for taming them well (1/2)

Need a reminder on the correct length of pants?

Jordan takes charge :

3. FIND THE RIGHT MEASUREMENTS

What's better than numbers to bring rationality into feelings?

1. Take the pants you wear most, with a slim fit
2. Measure them at the thigh and leg opening
3. To go for something a little wider, look for pants that have between 1 and 2cm more at the thighs or leg opening
4. Of course, if you want to go much wider, you can go even further, and aim for 3 or 4cm more than what you have.

This method nevertheless requires:

1. To know how to measure pants at the thigh and leg opening. If you are having difficulty on this point, I invite you to take a look at my article on size guides
2. The presence of a size guide with these measurements appearing in the case of an online purchase, which is not always the case.

Once you understand the general idea, you can apply it everywhere, including comparing size guides from different brands.

For example, on a size 30:

1. At Le Pantalon , you have 30.5cm in the thigh and 16.6cm in the bottom of the leg . It's a slim fit.
2. At Casatlantic , El Jadida cut, you have 33.5cm in the thigh and 20.5cm in the bottom of the leg . It's a straight cut, noticeably looser than the pants
3. At Berg&Berg , Alf model, you have 32cm in the thigh and 19.5cm in the bottom of the leg . It is a straight cut, wider than the Trousers but narrower than Casatlantic. It's somewhere in between.

On paper, using the measurements, we can clearly see the differences in the cut between these three brands. This feeling is confirmed when we look at the photo rendering:

Point of caution: don't become obsessed with measurements either . For example, there is no need to make millimeter-precise comparisons.

A simple technique to avoid falling into this pitfall is to determine measurement ranges that suit you . For example, instead of saying "I need precisely 19.3cm of leg opening", say instead "I need between 19 and 20cm of leg opening".

4. THE POWER OF THE CENTER FOLD

Some pants have a center pleat in the middle of the leg. Others don't have one.

For example, suit pants often have a center pleat. Jeans don't have any.

What does this pleat have to do with wide-leg pants?

Without a center pleat, pants may tend to stretch across the width. In this case, the volume is distributed on the sides. The pants appear wider.

We can see in this visual that the bottom of the pants, without a central pleat, tends to spread out a little to the side:

A central fold pinches the fabric, bringing it a little forward . This allows the fabric to be better distributed over the wearer's legs: on the sides but also at the front and back. The central pleat allows the pants to appear less baggy by giving them structure.

In this visual, we can clearly see that the central fold brings the fabric forward, preventing it from spreading laterally:

The point is this: the same width of pants can appear different visually depending on the presence of a central pleat or not.

In your quest for wide pants, don't hesitate to look for pants with materials that accommodate the pleat at the front. Said more simply, you can go for pants that are shown in the photo with a central pleat . This is particularly the case for dress pants, but not only.

To ensure your pants hold the crease well, you can iron them. A simpler tip is to store your pants at an angle, along the center crease.

5. THE SAFETY SOLUTION: HEAD TO A CARROT CUTTER

The carrot cut as I understand it here is defined by a thigh rather generous and a tight calf.

Why would carrot cutting be a good solution?

With such a cut, you have anchor points on your figure.

An anchor point is an area that clearly demarcates a part of your body. A shoulder seam is an anchor point for example.

In the case of a carrot cut, the ease of the thighs is framed by two well-defined zones: the waist and the calf.

Even if in the middle of the pants (thighs) there is volume, the eye is not too disturbed because the two ends (waist and calf) are well defined.

Nicolò's note : it's not bad though, far from it. It's just less easy to access, especially if you don't know how to create consistent volumes on the other pieces to keep a balanced result.

There are of course different types of carrot cuts, more or less wide. What defines it is above all the presence of a fairly marked gap between the thigh measurement and the leg opening.

6. ARE YOU DESTABILIZED AT THE START? ACCEPT IT

Going for a volume different from what you have known and worn for years is bound to be a little disturbing at first. You might say to yourself as you float in the pants, pinching fabric between your fingers: “ Look, it’s too big!” »

If this is your case, first of all know that it is normal.

I would then advise you to take it step by step : do not go from fitted cuts to very wide cuts all at once.

Give time to time . It may take a few weeks or even months before your eye gets used to this volume.

Note from Nicolò : I was particularly reluctant at first. I confirm, even if I remain very moderate in how far I go in the "large".

Also, I invite you to look for successful outfits with this kind of volume. You'll find inspiration in the team's 40 recommended Instagram accounts .

This is also what I was looking for through the visuals inserted in this article:

And if, in the end, you really can't get to grips with this kind of volume or appreciate it, it's not a big deal.

Wider pants are a style possibility, an option. It is never an obligation.