Trouser help for a size 16

[YorkieTheRabbit]

Having read the thread about what outfits make you feel good, it got me wondering about trousers.
I tend to live in jeans come Autumn and Winter, wearing Next straight leg at the moment, which are ok.
on the thread there are several posters talking about wide leg jersey trousers, M&S with stripes, I’m not that brave 😂
It got me thinking about different shapes.
Im 5ft 4 and a size 16, used to be pear shaped but along came the menopause.
Is it doable to wear wide leg trousers without me looking like a clown or would I be better with straight leg ones.
I seem to have lost my way over the last few years with clothes.
In my head I’d love to wear some black wide ones with a black roll neck jumper but I’m worried the reality would be clown eats the Black Magic chocolate man.
Online shopping only as my nearest town is absolutely dire.
Any help gratefully received
Thanks 🙏

I'm a couple of inches taller and a similar size. I live in widelegs these days - usually with a v neck jumper with a crew neck t shirt underneath. Todays have side stripes but most dont. I tend to stick to black and navy so not as out there as the rather lovely red ones on the other thread. If you're not quite ready for all out widelegs you could try some jazz pants which are slimmer to the knee and taper gradually thereafter. I also wear wide legged crops with boots or thick tights and shoes at this time of the year which have a more skirt like sillhoutte so might be a way in to wider trousers.

@londonmummy1966 Thanks 😊 I’ve never heard of jazz pants but I’ll have a look

These are the trousers I’m looking atM&S trousers

I am a size 18 and I love wide legged jersey trousers from Yours. They’re about £20 and basically like pj bottoms. They go with everything. You can also buy them from Asos.

Thanks @Afterfire I’ll have a look,. How tall are you? I’m 5ft 4

I don't think these look flattering even on the model. Sorry OP.

I’m 5ft 6. They’re ankle length on me. I guess you could take them up a bit if they’re too long. But to be honest you can pull the waist up high on the yours ones to suit really, and this makes them shorter or longer.

These are the ones on asos I got recently and I love them. They look smarter in real life…

www.asos.com/prd/202978487?acquisitionsource=pasteboard

That’s my friend!she’s gorgeous.

I think you would actually need to try them on to see what they look like. I’m just over 5ft 4 and a size 10. Long legs, bigger bust, flat bum, no waist. These trousers look terrible on me. I look much better in slimmer trousers.

@HundredMilesAnHour Thanks, 😊I think they probably look better on her than they would on me
@NinjaMeemaw Im far more curvy and definitely have a bum, my concern is that only being 5ft 4, I could end up looking as wide as I am tall.
@Afterfire those are nice although I think I’d rather not have pockets, jeans aren’t a problem but I’ve never seemed able to keep pockets in trousers flat if that makes sense.

I think I’ll probably order the straight leg ones and a couple of jumpers and see how I go on. Thanks 😊

There are wide leg trousers on the actual Yours website that don’t have the pockets.

Hope you find ones you like.

I'm your height and possibly a bit fatter, and I find a lot of wide-legged trousers don't work if they're cut quite straight - if they're wide enough to go around my enormous waist there's then a lot of fabric flapping around further down. I've found success with ones that have a bit of shape in them, like these Seasalt cords www.seasaltcornwall.com/asphodel-cropped-wide-cord-trousers, but they're not cheap.

Just a word of caution about M&S and apologies if you’ve already seen the thread about it - they have lengthened the legs of their trousers so if you were previously a Regular I would go for Short. And there seems to be an Extra Short length now in some styles. I’m 5’3” and a Regular which previously fit in most styles are ridiculously long, so I’ve moved to Short.

At 5'4" size 16 with a menopausal belly and larger pear shaped lower half I don't think wide legs will suit you. I'm saying this as a 5'3" size 14 bottom 12 top menopausal pear shape. I just find everything wide just makes me look wide. There is no in bits. Just out. So wide things just hang from belly and thighs (the widest bits) and make me look that big all over. I find straight cuts like these Uniqlo ones are good. They skim but still give me a sort of shape.

https://www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/product/smart-comfort-ankle-length-trousers-439247COL69SMA006000.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw166aBhDEARIsAMEyZh6kY9Y0knNsGRC5H6BUUh4UNLj214vvraC3Jm5gnEvvfatJ98w7mYaAgrVEALwwcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

@Snailsaresweet I’m high waisted, I definitely go in there but have a tummy now, I’m bothered about just looking too wide.

@Saucery Thanks, I had seen the thread but glad you reminded me, short will be what I need now

@pocketvenuss yes I think you’re right. Thanks for the link, I’ve not tried Uniqlo

I'm bottom size 16 but a bit taller - I just bought a pair of black cords from COS and am practically living in them. 100%, not polyester like Uniqlo, and looks good with jumpers, t-shirts and pretty much everything.

I am a 16 pear shape and prefer a flared or bootcut trouser, I also find jersy to flimsy in winter but I cant drive so walk a lot.

I have combat trousers in a loose straight cut and cords from white stuff at the moment alongside my bootcut jeans.

Problem with cords (and I've tried them in Cos this season) is that they make your thighs look chunky. I don't know why but they do. Same with velvet

@pocketvenuss Hmm, I don't actually find that. I think that was maybe a thing with the cords I had as a teen in the 90s, but these definitely don't bulk up. Ths fabric is fairly thin, they're definitely for the autumn, not for winter. I often find that jersey material clings more yo lumps and bumps, whereas the slightly more structured material creates a longer, straighter line.

Oh you aren't wrong there!! Jersey definitely clings!! I just find cords do too. The ones with stretch anyway. Maybe Cos did some non stretch ones I didn't see. The stretch ones literally looked like bad leggings on my thighs then loose lower down.

Oh yes, these are cotton with no stretch so I feel like they have more structural integrity!
Think my biggest tip when trouser shopping is to keep an open mind and try things you don't normally wear. Our shapes change and cuts in clothes change, so you might be surprised in what you find flattering. I tired on pleated trousers recently, expecting them to make me look hideous but they were surprisingly ok. Not 100% but I'd certainly not rule out pleats again straight off

I have just bought those M&S wide leg jersey trousers and I can’t recommend them enough, I am a 14 with weight around my bum and thighs but small waist, they are so flattering. I’ve worn them with a vest and short cardigan, a body suit and long chunky cardigan, oversize denim jacket and I wore them for work the other day with a high neck top and an oversized shirt tucked. Very versatile. I agree with the previous poster who said to get a short. I did too and I’m 5.3. Everywhere I’ve worn them someone has said “I like your pants”.

I’m the same size and height as you , and in the same rut .
I ordered these from m and s , in navy to wear with a white shirt and white trainers . short length as I have been caught out with the length changes before.
these do have pockets but they seem to lie flat , and are not jersey as I find they don’t have enough structure for me and jersey always manages to show off my dimply behind .
sorry can’t do links , pic below

I'm a 16 bottom half and dorothy perking jeans are by far the best jeans fit wise I've ever worn plus they have a petit range so ladies like yourself get the best fit length wise as well. And they have a wicked sale atm and very good quality x