Should high rise pants be pleated?

[EricDL]

I am a skinny guy, and I have always read on sites that flat-front pants will flatter me more. But I have also realized that the same people who give this advice might wear their flat-front pants an inch or more below the navel, which I don't like to do. As a skinny guy I like to wear my pants at or above the navel. I recently bought, in keeping with this, a pair of MTM pants, flat-front with a high rise, and side adjusters rather than belt tabs. I really like the style, except that I find that high rise flat-front pants look a bit odd when worn above the navel. Am I right in assuming that high rise pants should be pleated? Were pleats always traditional around the early 1900's on all of the high-rise trousers, in Britain and America?

I have no problem with pleats, and I feel sure that they would flatter my skinny form as well. My question is whether high rise pants should have pleats, or if traditionally some were flat-fronted as well? I have also read on websites occasionally that some people dislike pleated chinos and pleated linen pants. I wonder, if I want high-rise chinos or high-rise linen pants, should I specify flat-front rather than pleats only on these? Or am I getting mixed signals from the low rise and the high rise crowd? All that I know for sure is that I like a high rise, but I wonder if pleats on certain materials like linen are inappropriate or odd. Finally, if I have horizontal pockets on a pair of casual linen pants, which I do, is it possible that these can have pleats? Or do the horizontal pockets, which fall in front of where pleats would conceivably be, prevent the usage of pleats?

 

[texas_jack]

I think normal rise (what you call high rise) pants should have pleats because you will have a large amount of space on your abdomen and having pleats breaks up the area. If you wear actual highrise(above navel) then you deff need pleats. That's my opinion anyway.

 

[The Happy Stroller]

Not quite often do we get answers as clear and pertinent as yours, Texas Jack.

How about forward or reverse pleats? When should a pair of trousers have one kind or the other?

Originally Posted by texas_jack

I think normal rise (what you call high rise) pants should have pleats because you will have a large amount of space on your abdomen and having pleats breaks up the area. If you wear actual highrise(above navel) then you deff need pleats. That's my opinion anyway.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Pleats on casual linen pants are unnecessary. You were wise to ask.

 

[LabelKing]

I recently saw LA Confidential; and the millionaire in there, who was quite thin, wore these attractive pleated high-rise pants, so they can work for thin people although they have to be cut extremely well.

 

[The Happy Stroller]

Would your advice apply to linen pants with button brances, especially a pair that is part of a summer suit, worn by a gentleman for strolling outdoors?

Originally Posted by mensimageconsultant

Pleats on casual linen pants are unnecessary. You were wise to ask.

 

[Margaret]

Originally Posted by mensimageconsultant

Pleats on casual linen pants are unnecessary. You were wise to ask.

What does this mean? When are pleats ever "necessary"?

 

[zjpj83]

I'm wearing them - high rise, double forward pleats - right now (Oxxford MTM)

 

[Despos]

High rise trousers are best with pleats, regardless of cloth used.

High rise + no pleats = flamenco dancer.

Choosing reverse or regular pleats is personal preference but I find reverse more flattering on most body types. Regular pleats make the trouser look like they are "grinning" to me.

Horizontal pockets don't work with pleats. Side, 1/4 top. or besom do.

 

[zjpj83]

Originally Posted by Despos

High rise + no pleats = flamenco dancer.

so true

 

[The Happy Stroller]

I'm only wondering whether forward pleats (i.e., the sharp edge of the pleat/s point towards the middle of the trousers' front) are for trousers (normally high rise, or defined by some experts, who are probably right, to be normal rise) to be used with braces, while reverse pleats (i.e., the sharp edge of the pleat/s point towards the sides of the trousers) are for trousers (normally low rise) with belt loops.

Any guide rules on this?

Originally Posted by Despos

High rise trousers are best with pleats, regardless of cloth used.

High rise + no pleats = flamenco dancer.

Choosing reverse or regular pleats is personal preference but I find reverse more flattering on most body types. Regular pleats make the trouser look like they are "grinning" to me.

Horizontal pockets don't work with pleats. Side, 1/4 top. or besom do.

 

[j]

Originally Posted by The Happy Stroller

I'm only wondering whether forward pleats (i.e., the sharp edge of the pleat/s point towards the middle of the trousers' front) are for trousers (normally high rise, or defined by some experts, who are probably right, to be normal rise) to be used with braces, while reverse pleats (i.e., the sharp edge of the pleat/s point towards the sides of the trousers) are for trousers (normally low rise) with belt loops.

Any guide rules on this?

There seems to be no correlation on that. It's mostly personal preference or random choice by the designer/suitmaker in most cases.

 

[Despos]

Originally Posted by The Happy Stroller

I'm only wondering whether forward pleats (i.e., the sharp edge of the pleat/s point towards the middle of the trousers' front) are for trousers (normally high rise, or defined by some experts, who are probably right, to be normal rise) to be used with braces, while reverse pleats (i.e., the sharp edge of the pleat/s point towards the sides of the trousers) are for trousers (normally low rise) with belt loops.

Any guide rules on this?

The only accepted practice I am aware of, this was years ago, is suit trousers had no belt loops and odd trousers had belt loops. I think braces were worn with suits and not with odd trousers so a belt was worn.

I see the English favor regular (forward) pleats and Italians reverse.
I am not aware if any connection to pleat direction and length of rise.

 

[augustin]

Originally Posted by Despos

Horizontal pockets don't work with pleats. Side, 1/4 top. or besom do.

I'd like to know more about the pocket-pleat relationship. Any source for pictures that show the different pocket types with forward and reverse pleats?

 

[Despos]

Regular pleats almost always are best done with the pocket done vertically on the side seam. The spacing of the first and second pleat are farther apart and the pocket is best on seam.

Reverse pleats are closer together and can accomodate and look best with 1/4 top on inset besom pocket.

Don't know if these are rules that cannot be changed. Just what I see as most commonly done and what looks best.