Choose Your Best Trouser Style

Each season seems to introduce a different style of trousers. We are supposed to love the new style and fill our closet with every color and nuance we can find. This, of course, is good for the retailers but not necessarily for us, the consumer. Good news! This year, it seems that options are wide open and you will have your choice of those styles that fit and look best on you!
Pleated front trousers with a waistband are a recent return to the fashion scene. Taken from men’s trousers, they present a professional look and are a good choice for an hourglass or triangle, provided they have a flat tummy. If your tummy is your nemesis, pleats will only exaggerate that little bulge. The straight leg should hang from the widest part of the hips. Length should be close to the floor on any trouser with a wider leg. The goal is to have the trouser form a continuous line from the waist to the floor elongating the legs.

Wide legged trousers are another excellent choice for a triangle figure where your hips are wider than your shoulders. The width serves as camouflage for the hip width. If you have a longer body and shorter legs, straight trouser legs will be a more attractive look and cropped trousers should be avoided.
Skinny jeans or slender cut trousers will be a great choice if you have slender hips and legs. They work beautifully with boots. The biggest consideration is the cut does not accentuate hip width. No one wants to look like an ice cream cone!

Many slacks are designed with a yolk or narrow waistband and flat front. This style is a winner for minimizing a tummy. It is also good for the figure-8 body shape – the body with a high hipbone.
One of the most challenging fits considerations is achieving good fit through the rise of the trousers. Use the three-way mirror in the fitting room to carefully assess the fit from behind. If the pants pull through the crotch or have draglines, they don’t fit. Your alterations person will be your best friend when it comes to fit. They will tell you if a proper fit can be achieved or not so rely on their expertise.

You will continue to see cropped trousers, adding a wide legged, cropped version as well. This style will probably not endure but could be fun for the season. Proportion will be important with cropped trousers so take a long look in the mirror.
The upcoming season holds great hope for the trouser-challenged lady. Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution short of custom made. Don’t forget to give a long, hard rearview evaluation and rely on your alterations expert. Better to have one great fitting trouser than several ill fitting!