The boldest way to hide your legs this spring
BOLD trousers. I know what you’re thinking. Surely, that’ s something — like listening to A- ha records or backcombing your hair with half a can of Elnett in the school cloakrooms — best worked out of your system while you are young.
Not so. At the international catwalk shows over the past few weeks, they’ve been popular both on and off the runway.
It was the bold Italians in Milan who did the look most fearlessly. From botanical palazzo pants to floor- sweeping, wide-legged trousers you could sail a ship with, bloggers and fashion editors just couldn’t get enough of the look.
On the catwalk, meanwhile, there were plenty of variants of the loud trouser for the season ahead, from plaids and patchwork at Dior to psychedelic animal print from Tom Ford.
There are designers who specialise in this look. Take Dries Van Noten, whose collections are a masterclass in clever combinations of patterns, brocades, textures and East-meets-West influences. His spring/summer ’18 collection is no exception, with beautiful, orientalinspired pyjama suits.
Incidentally, chinoiserie prints were everywhere in the autumn/winter collections at London Fashion Week, from wunderkind designer Michael Halpern to print queen Mary Katrantzou.
When shopping for a pair of standout print trousers for spring, don’t be afraid to invest in a pair with oriental flair. I predict you’ll be wearing them for a couple of seasons to come.
SO WHICH pair to buy? Try not to have your head turned by a pretty pattern, but rather think about which cut works best for you. A good half hour in the changing room is time well spent — and check out your rear view.
My abiding fear with printed trousers is ending up looking a bit like Julie Walters in Mamma Mia! ( think: jolly holiday trousers with a comfy elasticated ‘mom’ waist).
I mean, I love Julie almost as much as I worship the Mamma Mia! franchise, but hers is not the look we are going for here. Instead, search online for the striking Thirties chinese-American movie star Anna May Wong for inspiration.
I tend to look for a high waist and a cut that flares away from the body, rather than hugging it, definitely more flattering if your preferred trousers are in a silky, fluid fabric.
On the High Street, J. crew cuts trousers particularly well; and I love the fabrics and quality of Essentiel Antwerp’s collection — the label’s light, bluebird print pair are terrific, and the white stripe down the side of the leg gives that lovely optical illusion of length (£175, essentiel-antwerp.com).
For a print that might have been taken from the curtains at chatsworth House, look out for the teal and magnolia print pair at Zara (£39.99, zara.com). For daytime, keep your top half simple — a nicely-cut T-shirt or a cotton rollneck with minimal jewellery will look chic and modern.
For evening, go all out with a kimono-cut blouse or smoking jacket; and don’t be afraid to do matchy-matchy (Topshop has a super- chic chinoiserie two-piece, jacket £49, and trousers £46, topshop.com).
Of course, those of us who remember the Eighties can indulge in bit of nostalgia. Me? I was the poster child for bold trousers. I recall a peacock blue pair with red piping and another in pale blue canvas with side zips and pastel pink panels.
I delighted in wild, blousy upholstery fabric florals, worn with a brocade waistcoat and a pair of boyish brogues.
Back then it was an antidote to the gloomy ‘apocalypse chic’ that dominated a lot of early Eighties fashion, which is doubtless why the look has captured the mood again.