TROUSERS - it's all wide legs and flares - or is it?

[goldenlockets]

Well?

Looking at websites lately and it seems that trousers are now very wide, very floppy and anything straight (although they do exist) are confined to the bottom on the list.

And don't get me on about barrel legs- the John Wayne of Jeans.

I try to keep vaguely fashionable at my ancient age but I also resent being cynically driven to ditch the old and in with the new.
That's fashion, I know.

I do have some boyfriend jeans and some wide leg cords and linen trousers but I also have more straight legs and cigarette style.

What are you wearing, oh lovely posters in your 50s?

Sorry I hate wide leg trousers and never, never would wear flares. I remember them first time round! Never mind there are plenty of bargains on eBay now people are selling their skinnies. Wear what’s comfortable

I like 501s too. Wearing them today. I still wouldn’t commit to wearing them forever though.

you are definitely more fashionable than I am @Floisme (I’ve been on here under various names over many a long year) - I always like the idea of finding something and sticking to it, then the rest of my outfit has to work around it. In my imagination this reduces thinking but in reality I love thinking about clothes, so it’s just a different kind of thinking!

I went through a very large h&m the other day and everything seemed to be flares. I quite liked the look of what they had in, especially wen I noticed some very 70s tops as well!

Straight leg jeans will always look good though, they are just a classic shape.

Yet websites like Whistles and Jigsaw ( a bit more upmarket) are still showing slim leg trousers - like cigarette trousers- as part of their new season.

I’ve got some wide jeans (charity shop) which I like, because they’re side fastening, so more like denim trousers. I do think side fastening is much more flattering at This Age. What’s noticeable to me is that I started to pull on an old pair of skinnies the other day just for round the house and then ripped them off again as they felt like fancy dress. I haven’t embraced the barrel thing but haven’t ruled it out. I accidentally gave dp a pair of quite baggy jeans at Christmas and secretly don’t like the way they look on him so I may stick to straight only. I think I would need quite a few different tops to go with such a different shape.

That's interesting, @SisterTeatime and good to get different perspectives. I just get bored easily, and even styles I absolutely love lose their shine after a while, e.g. after several years of loving oversize, I'm now craving my fitted jackets again and digging them out of the cupboard.

I'm not particularly proud of it and I buy mostly second hand, and also store clothes when I'm not wearing them, to ease my conscience. But for me, wearing the same style forever would be like committing to read nothing but Jane Austen for the rest of my life.

For clarity, I adore Jane Austen, just not all the time!

im back to skinnies

Halara straight leg tummy control jeans or trousers all the way here. They do petite length but do size up if you buy the high rise so the tummy control panel is comfortable across your belly.

If it's warm and dry I wear wide leg jeans or trousers. When it's cold and wet, I wear skinny jeans tucked into fleece lined boots. I really feel the cold, and feel much colder in loose trousers 🤣

I'm 5ft 6 and a size 8, so skinnies look fine on me. And in the winter I'm more concerned about warmth than looking current 😬. I'm 48.

To be honest, I'm often currently back in what I'd have worn at 16 when I'm not in work: trainers, flares, band t shirt over long sleeve top. But I prefer my band t shirts tight these days. And my makeup includes foundation and lippie, rather than just sludge eyeshadow.

I’m not a fan of very wide trousers but also don’t really want to look outdated with my skinny jeans that I love so I tend to wear straight leg or slightly baggy jeans. I think it’s an acceptable compromise

I’m a recent convert to wide leg trousers as like you I’m petite, I’m only 5ft. . I find the jersey style more flattering as they fall nicer. I was very sceptical but tbh I love them and have received loads of compliments. I’m 57 so at the age I love comfort but also want to look good and feel fashionable not frumpy. Give them a try. You might surprise yourself. I wear mine with my adidas gazelles/bold.

What are boyfriend jeans, exactly??

Just bought a dark wash high rise flare in M&S.
I hesitated with the “bootflare” also dark wash, high rise. The flares were smaller on thebootflare and i felt it was too “cautious” as in not sure which way it is going.
i was worried the “full” flare jeans made me look too much like a teenager because of the high hem on the flares (im 50) but after multiple try i decided to buy it (£40).
will wear it on monday for my team away day with brown suede converse. Top TBD

I’m 5”4 too. Anything baggy, wide and barrel leg suits me really well, I think it’s because all my height is on my legs and I’m also an inverted triangle. Baggy bottoms evens me out. But if you are short with short legs then it’s much trickier.

I also have the much maligned cowboys jeans (from Anthropology sale) and I love them! Love the silhouette. They look good with a neat fitting, cropped length tops. (I’m very short waisted so anything cropped tends to be normal length for me).

Do you recommend any particular brands?

The ugliest I think I’ve ever seen - looked horrible even on an attractive, very slim model - was a pair of cut-off barrel legs - finishing a few inches above the ankle.

I ordered some jeans with a very limited description from the Next sale.
When they came they're Stovepipe whatever that is. Never heard of it before.

Carrot..thats a new one on me! I never really embraced skinny leg...5'4" now 54 and while i like wide leg, many can be far too palazzo-y...and comfy but hard to walk in. I prefer boot cut but feel so dated, like I'm wearing my 20-25 yo jeans (which I was!). Everything old is new again but for the love of god NEVER at any age wear those crazy clear knee patch, one side dark/one light, one leg only (seriously wtf) things or these $500 hot mess jeans! US $500 ???

@Angelic999 look at the Halara Jeans brand, their straight leg petite jeans are a slimmer version of proper wide legs ifyswim. So wide enough but not too much fabric like palazzo jeans but size up as the waist band is a bit snug.

I’m short and wide legs aren’t the most flattering but they are very comfortable so I have a couple of pairs.

i have both a wide and a barrel pair that are 4/5 length and it looks much better being able to see full ankle and shoe when you’re short - it makes the shape look intentional rather than ‘sack of potatoes’

straight leg jeans looks most fresh on me and they’re never totally out of date

Oh I love a cigarette look on me, also a paper bag trouser suits my shape. I have a pair of paper jeans I still wear a lot

Me too, I love cigarette pants, I think they can look fantastic.

I’ve got new look and primark, bought those as i didn’t want to spend a lot in case i didn’t wear them much, they are both good quality though and value for money. The new look ones i wear to work as dressier, the primark ones are more casual, out of the cosy ribbed wear tange and are soooooo comfortable whilst also look good, also a grey pair of knitted ones.