Trouser style for BIG MAN LEGS

[CorneliusP]

What style of trousers is best suited for a guy with big quads? I wear a US 33-34 waist and have 26.5" thighs. I have only recently begun to look for higher quality dress slacks and have been having some trouble with them.

I recently bought some Incotex US 34s from the B&S forum. They are fine in the waist but the legs seem a little snug. I can pinch less than 1/2" of material at the thigh. How snug should I be with dress slacks? I have some slim jeans and am fine with them, but tight dress trousers look kind of weird to me. Do I need to buy 36s and take in the waist?

I then went and tried on some Mabitex 34s at the store without measuring and they were tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Unacceptably tight. Ridiculously tight. 0" material pinched tight. So I sized up to 36 to get some leg room. The 36 waist seemed about equal to the 34 Incotex, which led me to believe that they were mis-tagged. All of the 34s were like this though. Is Mabitex just slimmer than Incotex?

(As an aside, what other differences are there between the two? Quality? I see people posting Mabitex in the B&S for more $ than Incotex, but Incotex seems to be much higher quality to me.)

A preemptive thanks from a man with fatto legs.

 

[needshoehelp]

I have the same problem as you. I find pleats -- single and double -- work better for me. Flat fronts just don't work for me because although the waist may fit the thighs don't. I find that pleats give me more room where I need it. I'm not sure whether you've tried flat, pleated or both, but at least in terms of Incotex the single-pleated ones from Portugal work well for me in a 34.

 

[Axelman 17]

Go up a size and fit the pants according to the thigh. You can then have a tailor take in the waist. Easier to go that direction then trying to alter the thigh, at least from my experience.

 

[Eustace]

Originally Posted by Axelman 17

Go up a size and fit the pants according to the thigh. You can then have a tailor take in the waist. Easier to go that direction then trying to alter the thigh, at least from my experience.

This. Don't skip flat fronts just because you're blessed.

 

[CorneliusP]

I have some 34 double pleated Incotex that fit very well. The ones I described above are 34 flat front Incotex and they have about 1/2" loose material at thighs, which seems a bit tight.

I also have some 36 Mabitex flat front that have about 3/4 - 1" loose material in the thighs. These seem to fit well but need to take in the waist obviously.

So I guess my future purchases will be: Flat front 36 waist, Single pleat 34/35, Double pleated 34

Crazy

 

[CorneliusP]

I do like me some flat fronts!

How much material should I be able to pinch in the thigh region? I'm thinking 1/2" max. (I am wearing some huge-normous cargos right now that I can pinch 1" in, so loose)

 

[philosophe]

Taking in the waist more than 2" is a problem.

I would recommend that you try Zanella trousers. You can find them at Nordies and at Saks' Off Fifth outlets. The cut is fuller than Mabitex and even the Incotex from Portugal. If the cut turns out to be a little too full, you can always have a tailor slim down the legs a bit. That's not a difficult alteration.

 

[needshoehelp]

Also, I now avoid "slim" pants. They are all the rage here but if it doesn't work for your body (like it doesn't for me) then it won't look good. I go for more of a straight fit.

 

[CorneliusP]

Man zanellas are like 80 bucks at off saks

I woulda paid that before I discovered B&S where 80 bucks nets me 2 incos (almost)

Thanks for the tip though. I always skip past zanellas at off saks because I was unsure of their quality.

 

[porcelain monkey]

Shop around for pants that are cut fuller in the leg. I have some Banana Republic khakis and J Crew "relaxed fit" pants that are fuller cut but still fit in the waist. Also some Armani wool charcoal dress pants that are similarly full cut. Unless you really love Incotex and nothing else will do, I wouldn't go up a size and have everything tailored until you have exhausted the ready to wear options.

 

[philosophe]

Originally Posted by CorneliusP

Man zanellas are like 80 bucks at off saks

I woulda paid that before I discovered B&S where 80 bucks nets me 2 incos (almost)

Thanks for the tip though. I always skip past zanellas at off saks because I was unsure of their quality.

Get on the Saks email list. I get coupons virtually every day.

 

[Aaron01]

Originally Posted by Axelman 17

Go up a size and fit the pants according to the thigh. You can then have a tailor take in the waist. Easier to go that direction then trying to alter the thigh, at least from my experience.

This.

 

[Jack2000]

The other thing to be aware of is if you have big legs and the pants are too tapered the effect is not good. I find that pants with a straighter cut, larger around the calves and ankles than the slimmer incos look a little more balanced on my larger legs and also seem to have more slimming effect than my tapered incos.

I also find that straight leg jeans (or god forbid a slight bootcut) look better on big legs than anything too skinny or tapered.

 

[needshoehelp]

Originally Posted by Jack2000

The other thing to be aware of is if you have big legs and the pants are too tapered the effect is not good. I find that pants with a straighter cut, larger around the calves and ankles than the slimmer incos look a little more balanced on my larger legs and also seem to have more slimming effect than my tapered incos. I also find that straight leg jeans (or god forbid a slight bootcut) look better on big legs than anything too skinny or tapered.
Exactly right. I had one pair of incos that was too tapered for me and it exacerbated my thighs. I'm not a big person (33-34 waist) but it made me look it. I prefer a straight leg now.

 

[Nicola]

Originally Posted by Axelman 17

Go up a size and fit the pants according to the thigh. You can then have a tailor take in the waist. Easier to go that direction then trying to alter the thigh, at least from my experience.

Me to.