Cover credit: Scavini
Everyone wears pants: chinos, jeans, cargo, flannel, etc.
Alright.
But a type of pants that I see rarely worn and yet which brings a lot in terms of style is the classic elegant pants.
Here is a very good example to understand at a glance what I am talking about:
It's the pants that give all the character to this outfit.
Replace it with a simple chino: the outfit will remain nice, but will no longer have that little something extra, that wow effect.
What do we mean by “dress pants”?
Here, dress pants are considered:
- More elegant than what most men are used to wearing: classic jeans and chinos.
- Rather in a classic style
In a way, we can therefore say that these are sartorial pants
More broadly, we also use this term nowadays to refer to tailor-inspired clothing even if they are not necessarily made by a tailor.
Sartorial pants can be defined by a set of criteria:
1. One cut, one volume
- A higher than average waist : mid-rise or even high waist. The pants are close to the navel.
- A rather generous leg volume : thigh, knee and leg opening. We're not talking about immensely wide pants here either.
2. Details
- Tightening tabs or a Gurkha belt instead of the traditional loops
- An offset buttoning : the button with which you close the pants is no longer in the center of the belt but on one side
- One or two darts at the front of each leg, followed by a central pleat that extends to the bottom of the leg
This is what the belt assembly of such pants may look like:
Sartorial and contemporary dress pants: what are the differences?
I said above that sartorial-inspired pants take up the codes of classic masculine elegance.
In this case, what are the codes of more contemporary models?
Modern city pants have a lower waist, a more fitted leg. It often does not have clamps or clamping tabs. The central fold is barely visible because the leg presses on the fabric and blurs it.
Here's a more modern take on dress pants by Suistupply
What is the point of such pants?
It stands out with its cut and its details.
This is quite a change:
- To wear pants higher on the hips if you are used to having them lower.
- To have volume on the leg if you are used to having it fitted: you may feel a sensation of floating around the leg.
It's no longer quite the same silhouette, the proportions differ.
That is its whole point: to help you explore another vision of pants. A more sartorial pair of pants opens new style doors for you .
Choosing sartorial-inspired pants, easy version
If you like this type of pants but at the same time intimidate you
1. Choose a dark color
Dark pants are simply more discreet, in the background, in an outfit.
The “Pierre” model from Officine Générale , in cold navy blue wool. High waist, two pleats, pleat along the entire length of the leg, removable integrated belt.
2. Choose it fitted
Pants with a sartorial spirit often have slightly loose cuts. If you want to stick with fitted cuts because that's what suits you best, because that's what you're used to, it's possible.
I am thinking, for example, of the Scavini S1 cut or Suitsupply Braddon cut models.
Offset buttoning, tightening tabs, 2 darts on each leg: rather sartorial details. On the other hand, we also see that the cut is adjusted. Suitsupply
3. Cotton
The concept is simple: we take the form of quite sartorial pants, but we make them in a cotton fabric.
A more casual material for more dressy pants.
Exactly in this spirit, I presented to you the “sartorial chino” from the Benevento brand: it is a dressy chino.
Three simple tips for wearing it well
1. Wear it high enough on the waist
Since these pants have a higher than average waist, you have to adapt and wear these pants higher on the hips: closer to the navel.
This will prevent you from having a baggy effect (excess fabric at the buttocks and crotch) which is not the best with such pants.
2. Show the belt
As we have seen, this type of pants often has nice things to show off at the waistband.
It would be a shame if a t-shirt, sweater or shirt covered all of this.
So I invite you to tuck your top into your pants.
Yes, this can be done with a sweater! A very elaborate waistband on these Claudio Mariani pants tested by Nicolò.
3. Wear it at the right length
All your pants should be the right length.
This is even more true with dress pants: a clean drape without (or with a small) crease contributes to its elegance.
You can read our full advice article on choosing the right length of your pants.
Inspiration
You can of course wear sartorial pants in a sartorial outfit: with a sports jacket or in a suit, a nice shirt, dress shoes, etc.
With these inspirations, I rather want to show you how to integrate such pants into more casual chic outfits: with a t-shirt, sneakers, a little knit, etc.
1. The easier you die
A green short-sleeved sweater, beige pants (probably cotton), white sneakers.
A very simple outfit , enhanced by these mid-rise pants with a sharp pleat and central pleat that dress the leg.
These pants are exactly the right length.
This visual shows that a successful outfit does not necessarily need to be very complex.
2. Adjusted and balanced
Here is a more elaborate outfit: jewelry of all kinds, panama hat, bandana, yellow polo shirt, horsebit moccasins
Instead, I would like to draw your attention to the pants: they are a blue gurkha, in denim, with pleats. The pants are fitted and fit perfectly to their wearer, with a slender body type.
3. Belt, where are you?
This young man, claiming to "have fun", dares to hide the waistband of his pants with a colorful shirt with a camp collar .
The pants become more casual even if we guess they are rather dressy with their well-defined central pleat. It's twisted here like chinos.
The outfit works well because the proportions are harmonious : he doesn't look very tall, but his shirt is not too long and his pants are exactly the right length, which therefore does not shorten his legs too much. .
The knitted blazer is ingeniously integrated here, and the bucket hat is worn quite well.
4. Sartorial casualwear
Steve Calder perfectly embodies the spirit of his Informale brand: sartorial casualwear , which could be translated as “casual with sartorial inspirations”.
These pants are at a crossroads:
- Casual because 100% linen, green in color and closing with a drawstring at the belt
- A little dressier with two pleats on each leg, a mid-rise waist and fairly ample leg volume.
You will also note that the colors are perfectly mastered (brown, olive green, khaki, burgundy and blue).
5. Assert your style
Pants with a very assertive cut due to their classicism (high waist and wide cut) which reminds me of Hollywood Pants from the 1940s. These pants are sober because they are dark.
The top is also quite discreet with a polo shirt even darker than the pants and a blazer in brown tones. The sweater on the shoulders, I would say it's for show off.
Below, there's more to see: burgundy moccasins and especially apple green socks for a touch of color.
Brand Recommendations
Entry level
It's not easy to find pants with great style, cut and material in this price range. Here is what I have to offer you:
- Silbon offers some rather fitted trousers with pleats and drawstrings.
- Massimo Duti sometimes offers pants with slight sartorial influences in its collections.
- Amfeast International is a Korean brand offering pants with a fairly strong statement (denim gurkha, loose dress pants) and relatively accessible.
Midrange
Probably the most interesting range for beautiful dress pants. You will find them in a wide variety of colors, cuts and fabrics:
- Suitsupply : in addition to the Braddon cut mentioned above, look at the Brentwood, Ames or Bolzano models.
- Scavini offers a very wide range of dress pants in terms of cuts, colors, materials and prices.
- Officine Générale : the Luigi, Drew, Hugo or Pierre cuts will be your allies on this one.
- Natalino : young English brand, tight collection, classic and slightly contemporary approach (slightly carrot cut pants).
- Benevento offers a range of rather classic and dressy pants.
- Pini Parma : French brand offering beautiful pants with a very Italian inspiration and made in Italy.
- Luxire : affordable Indian half-measure brand that can make your wildest pant fantasies come true.
- Lopez Aragon : European equivalent of Luxire, a good step above in terms of quality (and price).
Top of the line
To infinity and beyond.
- Claudio Mariani : high-end Italian tailor-made pants brand entirely made in Italy.
- Informal : a very appropriate sartorial casulwear style for the young Australian brand.
- Berg&Berg : the Swedish touch for a rather classic style.
- Thomas Farthing : a distinct English style, à la Peaky Blinders.
- Yeossal : a beautiful half-measures brand (with a little bit of ready-to-wear) online in Singapore. Assumed sartorial style.
- Craftsman Clothing : Hong Kong brand offering pretty dress pants, including Gurkha.
- Bernard Zins : very nice pants tested here.
- Mariano Rubinacci : for the iconic Gurkha pants available each season in many colors and materials.
The final word
If you have a casual chic style, I think you should take a closer look at sartorial-inspired pants.
Well chosen, it probably goes with more things than you might think. In any case, this is what I sought to show in this article.
