How to Choose Dress Trousers for Men
Choose a button or zipper fly., Decide if you’d like pleated or plain-front dress trousers., Decide what type of pockets you want., Choose your fit., Choose between lined or unlined pants., Decide what material you want., Pick your color., Select...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a button or zipper fly.
The choice between a button or zipper fly is a purely aesthetic choice.
If you prefer the look and feel of a button fly, choose dress trousers that have a button fly.
If, on the other hand, you prefer a zipper, choose dress trousers that have a zipper fly., Pleated dress trousers have pressed lines running down the center of each leg and are more flexible than plain-front pants.
Plain-front pants have a smooth uniformity to the fabric across and around the legs.Pleats will make you appear heavier., There are two types of pockets: slash pockets and slit pockets.
Slit pockets are vertically-oriented openings that close with buttons.
Rear pockets are always slit pockets, though they may or may not have buttons to close them.
Front pockets might be slit pockets, but are typically slash pockets – angled openings that descend from the waistline toward the outer leg.Both front and rear pockets are crucial elements of well-chosen dress trousers for men.
Ample pocket space will enable you to easily carry your wallet, keys, and other knick-knacks with you.The pockets should not bulge when burdened with a reasonable volume of a few small items.
If you’re getting your dress trousers tailored, wear them with the necessities you usually keep in your pockets.
Instruct your tailor to adjust the pockets if they bulge or are uncomfortable when packed with your typical necessities. , Dress trousers for men are available in three primary fits.
First, there’s the slim fit.
These dress trousers have legs that hug the shape of the leg and taper toward the ankle.
Next, there’s the wide-leg fit.
This type of dress trouser fits loosely in the waist and thigh area.
Finally, there’s the straight leg fit.
This fit, as its name implies, allows the trouser leg to fall straight down from the waist to the foot.If you are a slim person, you’d be better off wearing slim-fit pants to prevent excess fabric from hanging off your legs.
If you are a larger person, you’d do well to wear wide-leg dress trousers to ensure visual balance between your trunk and lower body., Some dress trousers – typically those made from wool – are lined with silk.
But if you prefer the feel of wool (or whatever the material the trousers are made of), choose unlined dress trousers., Dress trousers are available in a variety of fabrics.
Choosing the right material for you means taking into consideration how much you’re willing to spend and your personal aesthetic preferences.Wool dress trousers are more durable than other types of dress trousers but will require more care.
They should always be dry cleaned, and should be stored in cedar chips or moth balls.
Dress trousers of rayon feel like cotton.
Like wool dress trousers, rayon dress trousers will require dry cleaning.
Polyester blends make dress trousers more affordable and easier to care for.
You can wash dress trousers made with polyester blends in a regular washing machine.
Flannel is a type of woven wool that has been brushed to maximize softness.
Flannel trousers are comfortable no matter the season., Dress trousers for men are available in many colors.
Gray, navy, and black are the most common colors.
Typically, you’ll match the trousers you choose to a suit, shirt, and tie combo.
For instance, you might choose navy or gray dress trousers for a navy suit and light blue dress shirt., The break is a measure of how your dress trouser cuff ends.
Trousers with a full break will crease quite noticeably at the ankle.
Trousers with a half (or medium) break will crease somewhat, but less than those with a full break.
Dress trousers with a quarter (or slight) break crease only slightly.Some dress trousers have no break, and the ankle cuffs end at an elevation that prevents creasing or bunching upon contact with the shoes.
This style looks best with a tapered, slim-fitting pant leg.There is no right or wrong way to select a break.
Choose the type of break that makes you feel good. , Dress trousers often have a cuff at the ankle.
This means that the ankles are rolled up slightly and sewn into a thin strip of fabric.
Cuffs can shorten the visual impression of the legs.
If you are shorter, therefore, you might wish to avoid wearing cuffed dress trousers.The cuffs of dress trousers should come to a creased “beak” at the front of the pant leg, and should lightly touch the top of each shoe’s heel.
Cuffed trousers might wear a bit better than uncuffed trousers.
You could always cuff the uncuffed trousers later, though you’ll lose a bit of length.
Plain-front dress trousers tend to be uncuffed.
Pleated dress trousers tend to be cuffed. -
Step 2: Decide if you’d like pleated or plain-front dress trousers.
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Step 3: Decide what type of pockets you want.
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Step 4: Choose your fit.
-
Step 5: Choose between lined or unlined pants.
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Step 6: Decide what material you want.
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Step 7: Pick your color.
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Step 8: Select your break.
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Step 9: Decide if you wish to cuff your dress trousers.
Detailed Guide
The choice between a button or zipper fly is a purely aesthetic choice.
If you prefer the look and feel of a button fly, choose dress trousers that have a button fly.
If, on the other hand, you prefer a zipper, choose dress trousers that have a zipper fly., Pleated dress trousers have pressed lines running down the center of each leg and are more flexible than plain-front pants.
Plain-front pants have a smooth uniformity to the fabric across and around the legs.Pleats will make you appear heavier., There are two types of pockets: slash pockets and slit pockets.
Slit pockets are vertically-oriented openings that close with buttons.
Rear pockets are always slit pockets, though they may or may not have buttons to close them.
Front pockets might be slit pockets, but are typically slash pockets – angled openings that descend from the waistline toward the outer leg.Both front and rear pockets are crucial elements of well-chosen dress trousers for men.
Ample pocket space will enable you to easily carry your wallet, keys, and other knick-knacks with you.The pockets should not bulge when burdened with a reasonable volume of a few small items.
If you’re getting your dress trousers tailored, wear them with the necessities you usually keep in your pockets.
Instruct your tailor to adjust the pockets if they bulge or are uncomfortable when packed with your typical necessities. , Dress trousers for men are available in three primary fits.
First, there’s the slim fit.
These dress trousers have legs that hug the shape of the leg and taper toward the ankle.
Next, there’s the wide-leg fit.
This type of dress trouser fits loosely in the waist and thigh area.
Finally, there’s the straight leg fit.
This fit, as its name implies, allows the trouser leg to fall straight down from the waist to the foot.If you are a slim person, you’d be better off wearing slim-fit pants to prevent excess fabric from hanging off your legs.
If you are a larger person, you’d do well to wear wide-leg dress trousers to ensure visual balance between your trunk and lower body., Some dress trousers – typically those made from wool – are lined with silk.
But if you prefer the feel of wool (or whatever the material the trousers are made of), choose unlined dress trousers., Dress trousers are available in a variety of fabrics.
Choosing the right material for you means taking into consideration how much you’re willing to spend and your personal aesthetic preferences.Wool dress trousers are more durable than other types of dress trousers but will require more care.
They should always be dry cleaned, and should be stored in cedar chips or moth balls.
Dress trousers of rayon feel like cotton.
Like wool dress trousers, rayon dress trousers will require dry cleaning.
Polyester blends make dress trousers more affordable and easier to care for.
You can wash dress trousers made with polyester blends in a regular washing machine.
Flannel is a type of woven wool that has been brushed to maximize softness.
Flannel trousers are comfortable no matter the season., Dress trousers for men are available in many colors.
Gray, navy, and black are the most common colors.
Typically, you’ll match the trousers you choose to a suit, shirt, and tie combo.
For instance, you might choose navy or gray dress trousers for a navy suit and light blue dress shirt., The break is a measure of how your dress trouser cuff ends.
Trousers with a full break will crease quite noticeably at the ankle.
Trousers with a half (or medium) break will crease somewhat, but less than those with a full break.
Dress trousers with a quarter (or slight) break crease only slightly.Some dress trousers have no break, and the ankle cuffs end at an elevation that prevents creasing or bunching upon contact with the shoes.
This style looks best with a tapered, slim-fitting pant leg.There is no right or wrong way to select a break.
Choose the type of break that makes you feel good. , Dress trousers often have a cuff at the ankle.
This means that the ankles are rolled up slightly and sewn into a thin strip of fabric.
Cuffs can shorten the visual impression of the legs.
If you are shorter, therefore, you might wish to avoid wearing cuffed dress trousers.The cuffs of dress trousers should come to a creased “beak” at the front of the pant leg, and should lightly touch the top of each shoe’s heel.
Cuffed trousers might wear a bit better than uncuffed trousers.
You could always cuff the uncuffed trousers later, though you’ll lose a bit of length.
Plain-front dress trousers tend to be uncuffed.
Pleated dress trousers tend to be cuffed.
About the Author
Amber Russell
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