Baggy pants are back? Say it ain’t so!
Gabe Alonso It looks like some fashion designers are finally loosening up the silhouette for men’s clothing. Yes, gentlemen, that’s right. Baggy pants are indeed coming back into fashion, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you should indulge.
The Wall Street Journal published an article last week about the new baggy, roomier look for men on the horizon. Yes, it’s been many years that designers have been showcasing snug, tight, and in some cases almost unwearable clothes for men. There were times that I cringed at how tight some of menswear had gotten. As a man that considers himself stocky, you would think that this new baggy trend would be a Godsend. I should be rejoicing at the thought that my man parts will be able to breathe again.
However, I find myself conflicted as to the merits of baggy clothing. I understand everything changes and menswear designers were ready for a change to the male silhouette. Calvin Klein and Louis Vutton were just two of the fashion houses that decided to go baggy this year. As someone who’s finally gotten adjusted to the slimmer silhouette, the new baggier trend comes as a bit of a surprise. But as Nickelson Wooster says in the article, “The pace of change is glacial” in the menswear industry. So, most likely any of these fuller looks won’t even reach the normal dude for quite some time. It’ll start as a fashion forward look (just as skinny looks did), before most men begin adopting it.
I think replacing “fuller” with “baggy” is a far better way of looking at this new trend. To me, baggy implies over-sized clothing, the type of stuff you would see in hip hop circles in the early 90′s. In some cases, they may be this baggy as designers are always trying to push the envelope. But what you should take away from this is that proportion is everything. Italo Zuchelli, creative director of Calvin Klein, admits that this look is made for men who are tall and in shape. Not everyone can (or should) pull off the baggy look.
For us shorter dudes, it’l be ok to go with a fuller cut, but make sure the hem of your pants allows for no less than an inch break. Anything more and it’ll look like you’re wearing your father’s pants (or clothes). Those of us who are more bottom heavy, fuller cuts are indeed a source of relief. But take special care of your leg openings and don’t allow them to get too wide. Stick with no more than an 8″ leg opening (diameter), take anything wider to your tailor for a taper job. Keeping your pants slim (not skinny) and with little to no break is a great way to give the illusion of height. It keeps everything clean and vertical. The last thing us short dudes need to do is accentuate our shortness. I think baggy pants could do just that if we’re not careful.
So, don’t fall for the hype yet. And I’m not saying that skinny is the way to go. I can’t wear skinny anything (nor do I want to) to save my life. I’m saying wear clothes that fit you and fit you well. That never goes out of style.
Ever.
A New Baggy Look for Men – [WSJ.com]
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