Borrelli pants and rest of wardrobe

[STYLESTUDENT]

I recently purchased a mid-gray worsted pair (single-pleated)of Borrelli slacks (my first Neapolitan purchase) to wear with my navy blazer collection. Wonderful finish and fabric. Rise is fairly high (11&quot but knee width (9&quot and leg opening (7 1/2&quot are surprisingly narrow. I'd wear these with a navy Oxxford blazer (SB, single vent, suppressed waist), Hermes navy striped tie, MTM royal oxford buttondown shirt (double button cuff) and either black or suede Alden tassel shoes. I have lots of these kind of items and don't want to start again. I tried this combination with these pants, and it looked OK, mainly because, to my aging eyes, the whole outfit (including the tapered pants) somehow tied into Brooks/Chipp prep dressing of the mid '60s. Neapolitan fanciers will consider the analogy strained.

My question is whether you would widen the pant leg, by maybe an inch. Necessary? Will destroy the line of the pants if you do it? Leave it alone and worry about something else? Advice appreciated. Thank you.

 

[tdial]

StyleStudent,
The Borrelli made slacks are quite different than the pants that accompany their suits, which I found strange. I bought a pair from Ian at vintageusa after loving the suits I had bought. The legs were entirely too tight. I don't have the technical expertise, but I asked my tailor if the pants were correctable, and he indicated that anything more than an inch would be next to impossible (simply because there isn't enough excess fabric in pants in that spot). But if there's enough to do the full inch, it doesn't disrupt the look of the pants too much. However, the Borrelli pants I bought, were very tapered, which might affect the overall balance of the pants if you make them too wide.

With all the soccer and cycling Italians are known for, why the heck do they make their pants so darn narrow in the leg? You'd have to have toothpick legs to fit in these things.

 

[dorian]

You know, that is exactly why I have stayed away from Borrelli suits - although I have repeatedly been very tempted. The trousers seem to have been made for chicken's legs.

 

[tdial]

You know, that is exactly why I have stayed away from Borrelli suits - although I have repeatedly been very tempted. The trousers seem to have been made for chicken's legs.

Brings up an interesting point that could be answered by those more knowledgable than I:

When an Italian clothing manufacturer exports to the US (think Kiton, Brioni, Borrelli, etc.), do they export the exact product they make for their home market? I'm talking strictly in RTW sense here.

I have never tried on any of these suits at retail here in the States, but it would stand to reason that the American market, while demanding the jacket characteristics for which the respective manufacturer is known, probably does not care for the sleek, streamlined fit of the trousers.

I know that Borrelli for example, has different specs for their RTW shirts sold at Neiman Marcus than they do in their own stand-alone boutiques. But I don't know about the suits or trousers.

 

[johnapril]

I tried on a pair of cords by Prada and couldn't get my calf through the hole at the bottom. And I'm a skinny guy. And that was in Chicago. I nearly ripped the damned things trying to peel myself out.

 

[T4phage]

Originally posted by tdial:

... When an Italian clothing manufacturer exports to the US (think Kiton, Brioni, Borrelli, etc.), do they export the exact product they make for their home market? I'm talking strictly in RTW sense here....

No, they export sometimes with different specs. Many Kiton/Borrelli suits that are sold in the U.S according to A.Harris lack the "true" Neapolitan shoulder, if there is pleating there, it is not the same as what is being sold in Italy. Same goes for Incotex and I'm sure for many other brands. This is also the same as to the goods they export to other countries. Maybe it is the market preference.

 

[kabert]

I love Borrelli shirts. As for their slacks, I won't buy them any more on EBay. I've got one pair of Borrelli shorts and two pairs of their slacks. The legs are just as you described -- narrow. Cuffs don't work, as the bottoms are too narrow too. Thus, with Borrelli, it's "buyer beware" when buying a pair of slacks on EBay, as a size 36 may be a 36 in the waist, but the legs' width may be closer to a size 34 standard. Borrelli shirts' sizing is much more user-friendly -- I know any Borrelli 17/34 will fit me perfectly....

 

[kitonbrioni]

Of the dozen or so Borrelli pants that I have they are all narrow tapered legs. I've not had any of them cuffed. Gucci, Brioni, Kiton, etc. all have wider legs. I enjoy a variety of pant leg widths--just adjust ones attitude to go with the different pants.

 

[A Harris]

Sounds like you got a pair of Neopolitan pants there

Perhaps those pants came from the Borrelli store, or direct from Italy. I've heard that the Borrelli stores carry slimmer-fitting merchandise than the Borrelli you get at dept. stores. I don't mind slim, tapered slacks by themselves - my problem is when they pair them with a full-cut jacket. I've seen this from a few different Italian makes, and it looks ridiculous. If you wear slim-fitting slacks, make sure the jacket is slim and short as well.

 

[STYLESTUDENT]

Thanks to all for the helpful posts and advice. Andrew is right that the slim Neapolitan cut doesn't work with full-cut jackets like an Oxxford (it does look silly in the mirror if you focus on it). I probably should have been more careful about the cut as opposed to focusing just on fabric before I bought this item. I'm going to stay with more familiar brands of trousers like my favorite, Barbera.