Have you noticed a shift in men’s tailoring? Trousers, once cut close and narrow, are widening. The spray-on silhouettes that dominated the last decade have quietly receded, replaced by fuller, more generous lines. On the street – and increasingly on the runway – wide-leg trousers have become the modern default.
While the silhouette has been gaining ground for some time, the response within traditional tailoring circles remains divided. It’s an understandable tension. The tailor’s craft has long been rooted in precision and proportion. Yet stroll along Savile Row and you’ll spot trouser hems with a little more sweep, a little more ease.
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So should suiting embrace the wide leg? It feels inherently casual, which tailoring is famously not. Could this be a sign that an artisanal production method is modernizing in line with contemporary tastes? Elite Traveler asked co-founder of Thom Sweeney, Thom Whiddett, and stylist Chris Amfo to present their case.
For a slimmer fit
Thom Whiddett, co-founder of Thom Sweeney
When a client is investing in a suit or a separate trouser to wear with jackets or knitwear, it should be a piece they keep, cherish, and wear for many years. I think it’s risky to follow trends too literally because they’ll date. Skinny trousers were a thing and now it’s gone wider, which we embrace, but there’s a point where a really wide-leg looks costume. In a perfect world it’s an elegantly cut straight leg which looks comfortable and natural.
From a technical and practical perspective, if something is cut too skinny and tight, it doesn’t let the fabric drape and offers no flow when you’re moving. When the trouser is specifically a part of the suit, then it’s important the whole look and fit is balanced – we would follow through with a flattering silhouette on the jacket so it works with the trouser.
A great suit has the right proportions – not too skinny, comfortable over the shoulder line, but shaped through the waist. When I had my first suit made, I remember the hem width was 16”, which is still a classic straight leg width. That was 25 years ago. It never dates.
For a straighter fit
Chris Amfo, stylist
There is nothing worse than the discomfort of tight trousers that cling to thighs and calves. I’m with the Happy Mondays frontman, Shaun Ryder, when he sings “Don’t need no skin tights in my wardrobe today, fold them all up and put them all away” in the ‘Madchester’ rave anthem Loose Fit.
For those who work out at the gym and are blessed with muscle gains, tight ill-fitting trousers can often be a dilemma. One solution is opting for a wider leg so you can walk with more ease and comfort.
A high waisted-wide leg trouser has such an elegant yet masculine silhouette, a timeless look popularized by Giorgio Armani, whose relaxed tailoring philosophy has been incredibly influential to modern menswear.
This cut is versatile with different shoes – pair them with loafers or flats and you get that lovely puddle-like silhouette, especially with more break added to the trouser length. The wider leg opening is going to sit easily over boots and lace up shoes, too.
