How I hate narrow-leg trousers

[Miles R.]

I am so sick of narrow-leg trousers that I am beyond puking. When will they ever go away? Year after year, I say to myself that this stupid, repulsive, annoying fashion has to end; and every fall there are more narrow-leg trousers. Just today I got an ad in my Facebook feed for this business that makes trousers with beautiful ghurka design---but narrow legs.

Grand Le Mar | Gurkha Trousers

The Gurkha Trousers from Grand Le Mar are made with passionate loyalty to the craft of tailoring, and cut from pure British cotton. Available in multiple sizes and colours. Feature high-waist, cuffed hems and double pleats. Free delivery and returns.

grandlemar.com

No doubt there will be those who say, "If you don't like narrow-leg trousers, don't buy them." Indeed, I don't. But what that reply fails to recognize is that narrow-leg trousers take up the market share that should go to trousers without narrow legs. Time after time, a retailer will offer beautifully designed trousers but then make the entire line repulsive with narrow legs. (Pini Parma is a good example.)

I'm fine with having narrow-leg trousers out there as an option. And if they were merely an option, as they should be, I would not object to them. I might even own a pair (as in fact I do). What I object to is their taking over the whole blasted market.

 

[paxonus]

Given that higher rises and pleats and are now widely seen, as evidenced by both of your examples, I would think a fuller leg is sure to follow soon.

 

[Miles R.]

Given that higher rises and pleats and are now widely seen, as evidenced by both of your examples, I would think a fuller leg is sure to follow soon.

I hope so.

On the other hand, if in a year's time all the trousers on sale are balloon-legged clown pants à la the nineties, I may be sorry to have wished for the present fad to end.

 

[comrade]

Wide trousers can to narrowed to one's taste.
The opposite is not true.

 

[An Acute Style]

Agreed. I'm not a large guy, but I have a hard time finding comfortable trousers with room in the seat and thigh. Many of today's classic/relaxed fit cuts are yesterday's slim fit. J. Crew's relaxed fit and Ralph Lauren's Classic fit both feel very slim to me.

I've resigned myself to buying "vintage" Ralph Lauren stuff on eBay. Nothing new, but plenty of old stock.

 

[Miles R.]

I am happy with the trousers of so-called "contemporary" cut that I have gotten from Spier and MacKay; but I don't want all the trousers in my closet to be from the same maker.

 

[BPL Esq]

Agreed. I'm not a large guy, but I have a hard time finding comfortable trousers with room in the seat and thigh. Many of today's classic/relaxed fit cuts are yesterday's slim fit. J. Crew's relaxed fit and Ralph Lauren's Classic fit both feel very slim to me.

I've resigned myself to buying "vintage" Ralph Lauren stuff on eBay. Nothing new, but plenty of old stock.

I have the same problem. I've found that going to a more traditional fit solves it, although the legs can then tend toward billowy. I suspect some of that is just bias caused by the ubiquitous nature of very narrow legs. I've tried to avoid narrowing them so far except in extreme circumstances. I'm not sure yet if I'll need to modify the legs on my new Bill's Khakis M2 cut chinos.

 

[Bronze Age Sartorial]

Given that higher rises and pleats and are now widely seen, as evidenced by both of your examples, I would think a fuller leg is sure to follow soon.

True. What pisses me off is when the trouser is cut decently up top but gives way to a 7in cuff which renders them useless with anything but loafers.

 

[Viral]

How do you guys really feel about narrow leg openings though?

 

[TimothyF]

I am happy with the trousers of so-called "contemporary" cut that I have gotten from Spier and MacKay; but I don't want all the trousers in my closet to be from the same maker.

Interesting, I tried on the same cut khakis, one waist size up. Still the legs felt narrow and constricting.

 

[Stylewords]

True. What pisses me off is when the trouser is cut decently up top but gives way to a 7in cuff which renders them useless with anything but loafers.

Yep. This is the worst. Many of the popular menswear brands lauded here suffer from this problem.

 

[Zerase]

Model A by De Petrillo is the answer my friend.

 

[Miles R.]

Model A by De Petrillo is the answer my friend.

Ooh, forward pleats! I prefer single to double, but still, I'm glad to see them.

 

[Zerase]

Ooh, forward pleats! I prefer single to double, but still, I'm glad to see them.

I have them in grey flannel and dark brown corduroy. Smashing cut

 

[Eset]

I understand your frustration, but I deeply believe that trousers, regardless if narrow, something in between or wide, have a place in menswear. What really matters is the overall silhouette of person + clothes and we all know that men have different body shapes and that being mindful of different social occasions is an important factor in the choice of wardrobe as well.
My advice would be to leave the negative emotions aside (although I agree that clothing is something emotional!) and rather focus in a positive approach on what works for which body type at which social environment.