Krissy Turner Girl on a budget
The most flattering trouser shape of the season
I’ll let you in on a secret, dear reader: I have all of my jeans tailored at my local dry cleaner. Paying around £14 to have a £40 pair fit perfectly has proved to be the best route to finding my seemingly elusive “dream” pair. Otherwise, I’m stuck having to wear belts as they gape at the waist – or if they do happen to fit there, it means they’ll definitely flatten my bottom and vacuum pack my thighs.
It’s an indulgence, but a small one compared to spending upwards of £200 on a designer pair that fits the first time round – and I keep the additional alterations cost in mind when I’m shopping. I’ve found that it’s the only way to get a brilliant fit on a budget.
Occasionally, though, you find a cut that needs no alteration, even on the high street: enter The Perfect Trousers. I was in a Gap shop late last year when I spotted a pair of high-waisted wide legs that stopped short of the ankle. They were in an expensivelooking oatmeal-camel-hued cotton, and I immediately pictured myself wearing them with trainers and an oversized white shirt all spring long (think Lauren Hutton).
If you’re looking for a casual pair of high street trousers that fit like a pricier designer version, this is the shape for you. The high waist falls just above the belly button, so it’s easy to tuck shirts in. They don’t have front or back pockets – it means they don’t add any bulk when you leave tops loose. The wide-cut legs skim over thighs, only fitting at the waist and over your bottom. The cropped length ends just above the ankle, at the slimmest part of your leg, which is both flattering and ideal for showing off a great shoe.
Gap was an early adopter of The Perfect Trousers shape; the new season high street collections are full of cropped, high-waisted wide-leg styles.
& Other Stories’ corduroy pair comes in four colours, and its cotton style, in pistachio and cream, would be a staple in the warmer months (£65, stories.com). Massimo Dutti is championing the style in its signature chic colour palette of chocolate, navy and forest green. My Gap pair now comes in several other colours, too: an autumnal rust corduroy, mid-blue denim and this versatile khaki iteration, currently reduced in the sale.
You’d be forgiven for thinking a cropped trouser would be impractical at this time of year, but I’ve barely taken mine off. On chilly days, I wear them with knee-high boots as those fit perfectly underneath. They look great with loafers or glove-style flat pumps, then with hi-top Converse at the weekend. They’re a year-round winner. The only one who loses out is my dry cleaner.
If you’re looking for a casual pair of trousers that fit like a pricier designer version, this is the shape for you