Okay... I am about to buy a very expensive pair of trousers, gift from my mother - Do I need to wear a belt with belt loops??

[loveyouradvice]

Really love these trousers and have NEVER bought anything this extravagant, so loving getting them as a gift...

Key question - Would you wear them with a belt? (If so, I need to buy, as not got the right colours) Or better without?? I don't want to detract from the beauty of the trousers....

Oh dear, OP, have just read the other comments and I see you've made the mistake of posting something nice but expensive on here. Cue lots of 'you can get them for £10 in Primark' comments, alternating with 'the fabric's crap'. Well, I like them a lot, and Me+Em are renowned for beautifully cut trousers, so ignore the naysayers.

@loveyouradvice , the trousers you like are by far nicer than the ones that @MissPrismsMistake linked, apart from the MH ones, but they don't have the same 'vibe'.

You want them, get them and wear them.

But I wasn’t saying other trousers are better! I like the ones the OP has chosen.

My point was that the Me and Em trousers were not horrifically expensive in comparison to nice trousers in natural fabrics from slightly more expensive / high profile brands.

(I need to remember to explain things more clearly here …)

I only wear a belt if I need my trousers to stay up. Isn't that what they're for? Have I been doing belts wrong ever since the day of my elastic snake belt?!

I am tall and slim OP, I would look great in these 👖

Yes, @rosemarble . Where can I buy a snake belt?

I didn't say you did, @MissPrismsMistake . The ones OP has chosen are fine, but don't appeal to me (cut wouldn't suit me).

Good quality, well-made clothes are expensive. Shame I can't affordjustify getting the MH ones.

I think that @Floisme nailed it.

I wouldn’t wear emerald green or bright red. The combination with the patterned trousers would look a bit department store staff or air crew. Muted colours would look a lot better with the patterned trousers.

Dunno....Amazon probably. 😁

Love them! And love the waistband so would be wearing these with no belt 100%, they don’t need one!

@rosemarble , I had one in a time when the word was only part of a book title.

. It was a striped one.

Talking of kiddie clothes, t-shirts with a contrast neckband and sleeve hems are on trend, as are daps or mary-janes.
hmm...

Hoping they are there for you in the sale @notwavingbutdrowning1 !

This has been such a helpful thread - I've learnt so much as I dip my toe into new waters.

The other statement trousers I bought and wore so much at Christmas were Me and Em too - interestingly, a gorgeous feeling fabric with a good weight to it which helped them hang well - and less expensive at £150. (Probably because of the elasticated waist?) Really interesting @floisme about their prioritising design and cut over fabric. Certainly the cut/design does something amazing for me, so that my legs look far longer than they are!

Finding a cut that flatters you is absolutely worth anything.

About twenty years ago when I was thin enough to make a profitable raid on the £30 and under sale rail at Harvey Nichols I found some Mark Jacobs cords that did that. And then about 15 years ago I had some printed Roberto Cavalli jeans from The Outnet that were even more miraculous. Wore both until there was nothing left of them but shreds.

Finding a cut that flatters you is absolutely worth anything. I agree.

Op, if you do buy them make sure you get a pair with a waistband that’s been placed evenly when being stitched. The one in the picture is drooping on one side.

@Weepixie , you're right. The stripes don't match up. That would bug me once I'd noticed.

My stripy snake belt would hide it.

No belt - the waistline is a feature. Tiny, thin one if you must.
They'd go with lots of bright tops.

I’ve got a few bits of Me + Em, a lot of it bought years ago and always during sales. They’ve always lasted well. They hold their value pretty well on Vinted, so if you do get bored of them eventually, you won’t need to give them away, but get a not bad price for them.

I bought a my first pair of Me&Em trousers (the classic, slightly cropped straight legged ones with a side stripe, made of I don't know what) in 2016 and they're still going strong despite being worn frequently including on a cycle commute. I do find the woman behind Me&Em a bit annoying but their trousers are the only ones that reliably fit me round the waist and arse.

I don't buy trousers from anywhere else now because the cost-per-wear is so much better. I buy one pair of trousers a year and now have a pretty complete wardrobe - like the year before last it was a pair of jeans, last year it was some dressy ones for evenings and this year, I've just got some canvas ones on sale.

Great approach @Sittingontheporch I think that's going to be mine and I'll scour every sale.. a pair a year is a great approach! And good to know they last

They have a lot of nice things in the sale section. Could blow a few £K there if I had the money, figure and lifestyle.

I agree @KnittedFerret ...but one (or perhaps two) things in their sale a year is going to do me!!

I don't know if they still do this as I've not bought from them in a while, but they used to send discount codes fairly regularly if you signed up for emails - not massive but 10%-15%.

I like them (not that you asked lol) but with the loops being there I probably would wear a belt with them. Either thin leather/suede very minimal or the mention of snake belts puts me in mind of the metal snake belt I got from Zara a couple of years ago. Mine has a swallow as the clasp.

No belt or a thin one. They are gorgeous. I’d go plain for rest of outfit so they stand out.

The pattern matching on the back view is perfect. Wish all garments were made so well