Trends do exist in the tailoring world. Yes, its a very timeless industry and your custom garment can still stand the times in decades to come, but there are subtle details that come and go which define different eras and add a touch of modern sensibility to a commissioned garment.
Today we’ll be discussing through a style that is back in vogue after its resurgence in the 90’s – Pleats.
So what is a pleat in tailoring? Its a fold of cloth sewn beneath the trouser waistband at the front layer. They can also be found in various other parts of a garment, however less often seen.
They were initially created to allow for cloth widening when the wearer sits down or stretches the cloth through an extreme moving position.
Below are a few type of pleats you can style your trousers with. (Hover over images)
Now seen on many well dressed style conscious men, they are more subtle than the 90’s, fitting in an elegant manner, sat high on the hips and go neatly with your trouser crease running down to your cuffs. They also look wonderful on high waisted trousers, giving the illusive feel of a modern classic outfit.
They add character to an outfit and can come across as an alternative touch to your formal business attire, through the added personality it bestows. Being someone who loves adding understated statements to my attire, I look at pleats as the perfect example as only a few can appreciate its effects to the overall view on an outfit.
in more detail, the forward pleats give an illusive perception of a slimmer hip area whilst reverse pleats do the opposite. So always make sure to take this into consideration before commissioning pleated trousers. You can also look at it from a different viewpoint, that is slimmer individuals who like fitted trousers can opt for reverse and individuals with a looser preference can opt for forward pleats just to give it more of a tapered look.
Few extra tips to bear in mind when commissioning pleated trousers in the modern times.
- Make sure you’re trousers an effectively tapered to keep a slick look and avoid bulky feel from pleats.
- Ensure the pleats sit flat and do n0t pull as this can upset the overall feel and shows that they are too tight.
- Try them out with cuffs. This gives the look a more dressy feeling and balances the upper pleated area.
Your Favourite Stylist,
Yinka Jermaine
