Loosen Up

Get More Leg Room

Take some style cues from insiders such as Josh Peskowitz and Nick Wooster who've been sporting the relaxed pants lately.

(Photos: Phil Oh and Robert Spangle)

After a decade of tailored, slim and ultra-skinny fits, pants are finally getting wider. It's certainly good news for anyone who makes time for leg day at the gym or, you know, enjoys beer. It was probably time for a shift anyway. "Everybody is bored with the same silhouette," says Patrick Grant, the designer of E. Tautz, the London-based brand which, alongside such labels as RRL and Beams Plus, is loosening up in the legs. He says it's more enjoyable to wear clothes with "a bit of drape to them," and I'd have to agree. I enjoy the roominess and the opportunity to let the boys breathe a bit. But what's the difference between this fresh, relaxed style and your average sloppy, baggy pants? The key is all in how you wear them. Some fits are more cropped and tapered while others, like E. Tautz's, are straight-cut wide-leg trousers. But they both benefit from the right pairing. First, keep your waist defined by tucking in your shirt or wearing a top that's more tailored to the body. And secondly, you want footwear with some heft—be it sturdy sneakers, substantial lace-ups or heavy-duty boots—so your feet don't look like a child's poking out of these fuller pants. Herewith, some of the best new styles to try.

Tamachi trousers, $149 by Scotch & Soda

Garment-dyed utility pants,
$290 by RRL

Relaxed fit Italian cotton chino,
$158 by Wallace & Barnes

Military field pants, $438 / $175.20 by Chimala

Bronson cropped pants, $203 by G-Star

Field trouser, $349 by E. Tautz

Military B+80/3 pants,
$179 by Beams Plus

E-waist Italian wool trousers,
$185 by Bonobos

Wide-leg twill trousers, $76 by MKI