What's the definition of "quality" trousers?

[koalb]

Is there such a thing as "better" trousers?

I've become somewhat fluent in terms of blazer quality, but what does more money get you for trousers? There's no such thing as half/fully canvassed trousers – or is there?!

And what brand/price point represents the quality sweet spot.

Just had a tear in a pair of Brooks Brothers slacks I picked up at the outlet store. Not overly impressed with the quality.

General advice welcome.

FWIW – wear a lot of Canali blazers because they fit me pretty well OTR. Just need some very minor tailoring.

 

[Caustic Man]

What a question! Quality can mean a lot of different things to different people. There is quality of construction, quality of cloth, even styling might be consider quality or non-quality depending on the person buying the product. The problem here is the inadequacy of the term "quality" to properly capture the nuance of what goes in to a nice trouser. Certainly you would want a cloth that can stand up to the beating that a trouser will take and a construction that wont fall apart after a few wears but beyond that there are a multitude of options out there and few of those options constitute something better v. something worse in an absolute sense. For instance, you can get your trousers lined but whether that's better depends on the climate, the cloth and your preferences. I would suggest that handmade trousers offer a higher likelihood of getting a good trouser because when something is made by hand there is more likelihood that there are minimal defects in manufacturing. A human hand can notice flaws and correct them whereas a machine usually cannot. But that's just a start. I'm sure other posters can add more to this. And no, trousers don't come canvased.

 

[starro]

You're generally right that the quality spectrum is narrower fro trousers than for coats. However the waistband construction can still differ. Savile Row tailors would use canvas or lining material whereas budget makers just glue, and the waistband can have an effect on comfort. And then there are things like fit, features like pocket placement, button flies, etc.

Overall for all but the most formal situations a good fitting OTR pair of trousers is entirely adequate. Considering the amount of daily strain they go through, it's unrealistic to expect them to last as long as coats. Therefore the cost of bespoke trousers is not justifiable in the same sense as coats. All my opinion of course.

 

[dieworkwear]

I've found quality in trousers to be almost entirely about fabric and fit.

There are some things that can make a pair of trousers "nicer," but they seem kind of marginal in terms of importance. It's nice if a pair of trousers has a hand attached waistband vs. machine sewn, but from what I can tell, this is just about making the interior look a bit cleaner.

It's also nice if the seams inside are bound instead of finished with overlock stitching (and if it's overlock stitching, finer looks better than rough). Notably, all my bespoke trousers are finished with overlock stitching and only my "nicer" RTW pants have their seams bound.

Bar tacks are nice, esp if they've been handsewn, but I see them being added more and more to trousers in areas that I'm not sure even need reinforcement.

I've read things about pieced waistbands vs. things made on the roll, but I've never opened up a pair of my trousers to check.

If there's handwork, it's good to check the quality of the handwork (insert comment about how Italian tailors sometimes cut corners here). Check the quality of the buttonholes, pick stitching, and how the cuffs have been finished on the inside. Since these are entirely decorative and for the sake of flourish, it seems pointless to have a pair of trousers with bad handwork vs. just good machine stitching (insert another cranky comment about how Italian tailors sometimes cut corners).

I also like certain features -- a curtained waistband, a button fly, and if the trousers are to hold braces, a stiffer waistband. But those seem more like features than points of quality.

Mostly, when I think of quality in trousers, I just think of the fabric and fit. I look for whether they hang well, feel good, and give a nice line. Like with suits jackets and sport coats, the more meaningful dimensions of quality seem like they should be obvious when you put on the garment.