There's nothing like a new trouser shape to sucker me. I've tried them all. The stranger the concept the more likely I am to wear them. I have shorts (for over tights), harem pants (am I the only person to find this term just a teeny bit racist? I live in a Moslem area and see lots of women wearing wide flowing pants with an elasticated ankle who wouldn't take at all kindly to the notion of being part of a harem). I have knee-length cropped, leggings with leather patches on them and high waisted, very skinny jeans. The only trouser I can't do is wide all the way down which makes me look like I'm trying to escape from a bolt of sailcloth. Inevitably, when sarouel came along, I was prime for fleecing. And knee-length sarouel - a trouser that looks like a skirt! What could be better? I like my garments tricksy, which may be cool in fashion terms but in is very rarely a good thing in normal-people-walking-down-the-street terms.
So I was suckered again by a piece of Kookai publicité (I can't find a copy to scan, but she's all over Paris, in magazines, on billboards...). She's looks so business. And yet not. She's wearing my favourite jacket already. The whole look is so cool, so fresh, so original. Surely it'd suit me?
I went straight to the Kookai counter at le Bon Marché. After about 15 minutes' fruitless searching I started to panic. A million other girls had obviously seen exactly the same magazine ad and there'd been an unexpected run on pants that look like nappies. The sales girl was helpful:
<<The sarouel? Ouais. We have them somewhere. I think. Have you looked?>>
<<Yes.>> (She's seen me looking for the last quarter of an hour.)
She wanders around for a bit, prodding the rails with all the enthusiasm of a guard frisking an unwashed traveller for dynamite at airport security. I follow. Suddently, I see what I'm looking for. I grab them. I grab the next pair. and the next. None of them in my size.
<<Do you have any in a smaller size than these?>>
<<I think we have your size in imprimé Liberty.>>
<<But I don't like imprimé Liberty>>
<<Imprimé Liberty will be better for you. What size are you?>>
<<I ususally take a 36. These are 38.>>
<<Madame, you should try the 38. It will be better for you.>>
There's no answering that. What would be the point? If I argue, I'll look like a vain size obsessive. Especially if she's right. Maybe Kookai cut small. I take the 36 Liberty and the 38 grey into the changing room...
...and, would't you know it. The size 38s drape on my with all the style of a condom on a pencil. The 36s are fine, but I still don't want to go around looking like I sowed a garden in my pants.
<<How was it, Madame?>> the sales girl asks.
<<The 36 were better, but I still don't like the print.>>
<<You should take the 38.>>
<<But they don't fit me.>>
The salesgirl shrugs. <<It's meant to be a loose fit. On the hip. It will be better for you that way.>>
So I leave without buying more strange trousers. Looking at my wardrobe, this is probably a good thing...
Abouve : this year's most dangerous trouser shapes: short sarouel; full sarouel; denim shorts without tights...
I greatly admire your trouser-related bravery...I'm a conservative girl myself; it took me years just to warm to the idea of skinny jeans...
xx
Posted by: Miranda | May 18, 2009 at 04:39 PM
oooo, a woman after my own heart....leather leggings with patches??! looove it!
Posted by: arlene | May 21, 2009 at 05:39 PM
Difficult to believe after all that, but I just bought these instead.
http://www.toast.co.uk/product/trousers/c4su1/churidar.htm
told you I was a sucker...
Posted by: badaude | May 23, 2009 at 11:08 AM
I heard about the churidar trend in the Guardian as well as the harem trousers. They're both styles of trousers that you find as part of salwar kameez suits.
I'm British Indian so the whole thing is doubly vexing for me. The English side of me is thinking 'WTF? They look ridiculous', and the Indian side thinks 'WTF? How can you wear just half the suit?'
I'm tempted to just buy some nice fabrics and get a bunch of shalwar kameez suits sewn up. Less hassle than thinking of how to wear this in a Western way. And cheaper too!
Posted by: Divya | May 23, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Ooh,where in the Guardian? (I like their fashion writing particularly Hadley Freemen). My Toast churidar haven't arrived yet (they're on mail order) and I'll let you know how silly they look on me when they do, but for the moment my main worry is that the fabric looks so fine I'm kind of worried my pants might show...
Posted by: badaude | May 23, 2009 at 05:18 PM
Here's a piece on trouser styles (see also article and gallery in siderbar on roadtesting):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/apr/08/fashion-crotch
Denim nappy? Oh dear...
And they mention the Toast churidars here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/may/02/fashion-tips-lourdes-cheryl-cole
I don't know how the top of the Toast churidars are cut but on my salwar kameez suits they are baggy with a drawstring and not intended to be shown. The ugly top bit is covered by the matching tunic anyway. The appeal of the churidar style is the close fit around the calves and the excess folds around the ankles which look like bangles (churis).
The Guardian piece above also suggests wearing them under tunics much like a salwar kameez, hence my exasperation!
Posted by: Divya | May 24, 2009 at 02:18 PM
I just got them! I must admit I'm still dithering. I'm not really a tunic-wearer and - even long, untucked - shirts and t-shirts do look a bit odd. They are rather sheer, though not dangerously so. I think what I need is churidar but with a western waistband to make me feel a little more structured.
Posted by: badaude | June 01, 2009 at 02:25 PM
From the pics on the toast website, it looks like they're intended as a summer version of leggings ie. to be worn under long tops/tunics/short dresses. The thinness of the fabric and the looser fit at the top would be more comfortable in summer than leggings or skinny jeans. I think the sheer fabric looks quite nice on the lower legs (as long as the top part is covered).
I tried my churidars with a normal t-shirt and it definitely didn't work for me. Wearing them with a tunic top from another set worked better though. Not hugely adventurous but a bit more creative than wearing a matching set.
What about a long top/shirt with a belt? That might work better than just wearing it untucked.
Posted by: Divya | June 03, 2009 at 01:13 PM
i LOVE those illustrations :)
so great.
-steph107
Posted by: Steph | June 03, 2009 at 05:58 PM
That is hilarious! I, too, am a lover of the cargos!
Posted by: French Women | June 13, 2010 at 04:08 PM
The thinness of the fabric and the looser fit at the top would be more comfortable in summer than leggings or skinny jeans.The ugly top bit is covered by the matching tunic anyway. The appeal of the churidar style is the close fit around the calves and the excess folds around the ankles which look like bangles.
Posted by: combat work trousers | December 21, 2010 at 08:18 AM