Oct
Have you ever tried Howard Yount flannel pants? I have Lands End tailored fit, but would be willing to shell out more cash for an infinitely better item.
I don’t have HY flannels, but I do have a pair of HY tropical wool trousers. From what others have said, the LE flannels are a bit thinner and not as hefty. If it was my money, then I’d probably go with HY. Still, a good mid-road alternative would be J.Crew or L.L.Bean.
ADDING: transparentstyle replied:
Re: the question about the HY flannels—I have two pairs, and I absolutely love them. Wholeheartedly recommended for someone looking for a slim fit.
There you go, an endorsement!
Oct
Incredibly entry level question for you. Where should trousers/suit pants hit around the ankle? I always feel like mine are a little too long or a little too short. Where's the happy medium?
Depends on your personal tastes. For more casual and warm-weather trousers (chinos, especially) I tend to go short to no-break, since I prefer to usually go sockless.
On more conservative and cold-weather stuff, I go with a medium break, especially if it’ll be used over a boot (and I’ll likely do a cuff as well).
Worth giving a read at Put This On and Brooks Brothers.
Sep
WIWT: 9-29-11. Did you get those LE flannels cuffed from the factory or did you have them cuffed yourself? I just ordered the same ones (on back order until 10/14) and got them cuffed. I just want to know what to expect. Thanks!
They’re not the flannel trousers, they’re the regular year-rounder wool ones. I got them unfinished and took them to my tailor, who tapered them to a 7.5” leg opening, took in the seat and did the hem and cuff.
I don’t typically get my trousers pre-hemmed or cuffed if I can help it. While it’s a nice service LE offers, I know I have to take them in anyway to a tailor, so I might as well get them all done in one shot.
Definitely a fan though of their trousers (and suiting). Probably the best budget-buy trousers out there you can get, provided you’re willing to fork over some extra money for alterations.
Sep
If you could only have one pair of corduroy pants, what color would they be?
I don’t have any cords, so that’s an interesting question. I think it depends on what’s going on with the rest of your fall-winter wardrobe. I have two brown tweed jackets and two navy jackets. I’m tempted to say I’d go with a dark, chocolate or medium brown. But burgundy would be extremely tempting, too, kind of like wearing bright red chinos in the warmer months.
Regardless, I’m not going to buy cords anytime soon. I’m probably going to get a plaid flannel instead.
Sep
It’s on sale: Brooks Brothers Black Fleece trousers — While most of Thom Browne’s line for Brooks Brothers isn’t something I think would fit me, I do find the odd trousers really interesting.
First off, they come unhemmed, so you don’t have to worry as much about them being too short. Secondly, while their retail prices are astronomically high, their clearance prices put the trousers around the price range of options from the likes of Howard Yount. Third, they’ve got a slim fit.
Available options include linen, cotton and wool — all made in the U.S.A. I believe sizing is a drop six — ie: BB0 = 36 chest = 30 waist.
Aug
Flannel cargos for #Irene
I honestly still am on the fence about cargo pants. Sure, these look nice, but I wonder if their functionality is necessary in the winter. In colder weather, you’re usually wearing layers, which means a jacket to put your EDC in.
I think cargos make more sense in the summer, when you’re trying to shed layers (like your jacket) and yet still need the pockets for functionality.
Which leads me to my question: Tropical wool cargo trousers: Could it be done and would it look OK?
Aug
First off, I wanted to say how much your ties series has helped me. I'm greatly looking forward to more. Secondly, I was just wondering how to decide what color pants to wear with your outfits? I'm guessing you can never go wrong with neutral colors right? But then can you also contrast or match right? This may all may sound confusing, so what I'm trying to ask is how do you choose what pants to wear with an outfit?
A lot of the stuff I’m saying about ties can probably be applied across the board — maybe. I have more grey trousers in my closet than any other color, but I have them in a variety of shades, weights and fabrics. This makes it easier.
For colored trousers, like red chinos, I try to make sure that I pair it with something simple up top — like a navy blazer, blue shirt and navy tie. You want to balance the overwhelming element against the more sober ones. Same thing goes with plaid or check pants, I’d say.
I generally try to avoid matching grey trousers to a grey jacket, even if they’re different shades. It just looks odd to me, like you couldn’t find your suit pants. In this case, I’d go with navy trousers or chinos. Or denim. Or khaki or brown pants. Or a lot of other colors, which will work because grey’s neutral.
Same goes for navy trousers/chinos with a navy jacket. I avoid that altogether.
This is why I (mostly) buy only navy/blue jackets and grey/charcoal trousers right now.
Aug
Is it OK to wear a cotton blazer with wool pants and vice versa?
I do this on almost a daily basis. So, yes, it won’t get you beat by #menswear bloggers.
Jul
I've been on the hunt for classic grey wool trousers. Something with a flat front, high-quality fabric and a good fit. Any suggestions?
Howard Yount. A summer sale is going on, so you might be able to get some warmer months trousers there. I have a pair in tropical wool that I’m actually wearing right now that’s fantastic. Subscribe to his newsletter, too, so you can jump on when new releases drop in his store (they tend to sell out quick in some sizes).
Cheaper alternatives would be J.Crew’s Bowery pants. They have a variety of fits and sometimes can be found on final sale. I have a charcoal flannel pair of trousers from them that I’m a fan of wearing in the cooler months.
The Lands’ End tailored fit line is fairly decent, however, I’ve found they need to be tapered and taken in at the seat. Still, they have frequent sales and are pretty good quality for the price.
Jun
HTTTGAP: On Odd Jackets That Are Not So Odd
Yup. Definitely a solid idea. Makes it super easy to incorporate F-U plaid pants and such.
Jun
this is by no means a criticism, just something i've been wondering-
why are your jackets so very much more fitted than your pants? it seems on tops you're going for a much tailored look that isnt quite mirrored by your bottom half. maybe im just catching it wrong, but what im talking about is sorta evident in your most recent wiwt.
and again, this definitely isnt a criticism, your shit is always on point.
Just an FYI to everyone: I’m cool with criticism and critiques, so don’t go feeling like you’ll hurt my feelings or anything. (Obviously, don’t be a dick though, as there’s enough of those on the Internet.)
Anyway, I see your point on the pants. Just to throw out some numbers, I typically got 7.5-8” (laid flat) on my leg openings. A couple of chinos I have from Brooks Brothers (Milano cut) came at 8” and I thought they looked fine and weren’t worth having reduced down toward my usual 7.5”. Most of my other grey trousers are 7.5”.
Could I go narrower? Sure. I have a few that are 7”, but I feel like that’s just not me most of the time. It looks like I’m trying to squeeze my body into this pair of pants designed to look like a lookbook model, which is definitely not my body type by any means.
I’m a bit tall and lanky, but my thighs are kinda big, my waist and gut fluctuate with my alcohol intake and that’s just what I’m working with. (Sidebar: I gained 2” on the waist last month. That’s what happens when you can’t cook for yourself and drink four nights a week for a month.) Plus, I do feel a bit restricted by “skinnier” cuts and I feel a bit looser cut still looks all right and just gives me more — ahem — movement.
Typically, for most pants I get, I have the tailor take in the seat (maybe the waist if it needs it) to avoid having “diaper butt”, and taper the legs the whole way through. I could maybe ask for a greater taper, but it’d look weird as my thighs are substantially greater than my mid-calf area. So, this would mean it’d be tighter in the thighs, or I’d have a wide upper leg and a super narrow lower leg. I opt to keep it even throughout — starting at the leg opening.
I feel like some guys go for a really extreme taper on their clothing, which is slimming and all, but I think you need to have the body structure for that to pull it off (ie: Street Etiquette).
Do I have my alterations completely correct or at a level of perfection? Nope, but I think it’s a process of finding what works for your frame and being realistic. You can’t just carbon copy your fit from models. I think part of this whole thing is knowing yourself, being comfortable with it and choosing the right clothes to suit your lifestyle.
May
What pants go best with a grey herringbone blazer? Is this blazer appropriate for summer?
You could go with grey pants a shade darker or lighter than the grey of the blazer. Navy chinos, dark denim, and white denim would all work. Glen plaid trousers would work. Maybe some colored chinos or seersucker, too. The main think though is that you don’t want to have your pants be too close to the shade of grey of the blazer.
As for if it’s summer appropriate, that’s a tough call to make without having hands on and a photo. If it’s lightweight wool and not fully lined, it might be OK. If it’s medium to heavy weight and fully lined, you’re going to be heating up.
May
I’ve got no issues with receiving critiques — in fact, I welcome them!
I see your point about higher-waisted pants, but I also think my waistcoat is a bit short, too. Or a combination of both.
To be honest, this look is something new I’m trying (usually I just wear a sportcoat/blazer) so I’m trying to get an idea of what works and what doesn’t.
I think maybe wearing my 501s would work better since it has a higher rise. That said, I’ll probably keep wearing chinos with it, too, and they’re all low rise (which I’m growing less and less fond of).
Apr
I've been reviewing your WIWT posts and was wondering, do you feel that your pants could use a slightly smoother taper? They appear somewhat shapeless, but have the right break. I just feel that a more tapered leg could significantly improve your look.
Also, I love the jacket project; very creative and cool.
I suppose they could, but I’m not sure how comfortable with it I would be. I generally go for a 7.5-8” leg opening on my pants and have the tailor taper it through the leg and also take in the seat (if needed).
I don’t like the super skinny look. I do have larger thighs, but scrawny legs from the knee downward and I’m rather tall, too.
I will note that the chinos from yesterday aren’t tailored at all. They’re the Milano cut from Brooks Brothers, which I think fit me well enough to where I wasn’t concerned about having them taken in for alterations.
Apr
Just bought enough tropical wool fabric off Etsy to make a pair of pants for $8. I guess it was originally meant for Hart Schaffner Marx and woven in Italy, so I think it’s a bit of a steal.
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