...a most excellent man, though I could have wished his trousers not quite so tight in some places and not quite so loose in others. - Charles Dickens
With trouser tribulations everywhere, pairs and pairs thrown out season after season, you need to invest in some good quality pairs that are more versatile than suit trousers.
After all, you may not find yourself wearing a full suit very often though there are enough occasions to dress up a bit and go for mixing separates instead, a style the Italians usually call Spezzato (meaning: broken).
What are odd trousers?
Odd trousers are any pair of trousers worn on their own with no other matching garment and worn with separate items. Strictly speaking, jeans are odd trousers too, so we are working with a very basic concept here that will not cause any confusion.
Are odd trousers the same as my suit trousers?
Now, you might want to grab hold of those navy trousers from your first suit and start pairing them with something else. This is mistaken. You may get away with it, but it isn't easy. Why? Suit trousers are made from worsted wool (very fine) and will look like suit trousers and not entirely right with another jacket or coat. An Italian tailor told me recently that 'Suit trousers are for suits and that's it.'
Moreover, navy is a challenging colour to pair with because it is a very rich, muted colour. For those reasons, you will need some separate trousers entirely (odd trousers).
Two Essential Pairs of Odd Trousers
Grey Flannel
Forget black or navy. Grey flannel trousers are the way to go. Grey goes with absolutely everything, and a pair of flannel trousers in mid-grey is one of the most classic pairs you can own.
Go for pure wool (at least 50% if the budget is tight), and make sure they have a cuff at the bottom. It is far easier to pair these trousers with your navy suit jacket and make it work than your navy suit trousers with a grey flannel jacket, though keep separates in similar fabrics.
Don't start mixing linen with flannel.
Off-white City Trousers
City trousers are odd trousers too, but they're usually a bit more sartorial and have that extra oomph.
Wearing garments trousers with jackets as separates will require you to have enough of a contrast in colours, as a general rule. For example, it is much easier to pair light trousers on the bottom with dark jackets on top than the reverse.
A pair of off-white or cream trousers are also great for the warmer seasons. Start with chinos or jump straight into high-wasted pleated trousers - a real compliment magnet if you feel confident. The pair you see above are my own from Pini Parma.
If you want to dive further into classic menswear and master the essentials before starting your sartorial journey, then click here to await news of my latest book The Modern Gentleman's Handbook of Style.
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