Pleats are passé

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Angie is co-founder of YLF and its resident fashion stylist.

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Pleats are passé

— by Angie

on March 11, 2008

Blokes, its time to move on from pleated khaki’s or chinos. This is a dated look. So much so that Banana Republic has eliminated pleated styles completely. Most department stores continue to stock pleated chinos because they sell to gents who are none the wiser.

Opt for flat front chinos instead. They’re a lot more flattering and will work for every age and body type.

Dress them up smart casually with a tucked button down shirt + undergarment T + dressy shoes + matching belt
Dress them down casually with an un-tucked T or polo shirt + fashion sneakers.

Flat front chinos are classic and preppy. I wouldn’t call them funky, trendy or sleek, but they’re a pretty decent smart casual look that’s often appropriate in a conservative work setting if dressy jeans are not permitted.

Pleated chinos are passé.

Flat front chinos are current and flattering.

Men's Style

19 comments · Add a comment

Marlene

(website)

And double passe are the pleated ones with CUFFS! Make it stop!

March 11, 2008 at 8:06 am

Lisa

Thank goodness! I always liked the flat front better any way…Time to take hubby shopping!

March 11, 2008 at 8:10 am

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Yay ladies! This is music to my ears.

March 11, 2008 at 8:15 am

Joey

Right again, Angie. My husband is short–those pleats put too much fabric on him and make it look like he’s swimming in his pants. Super dumpy looking!

March 11, 2008 at 9:23 am

Hannah Michelle

Oh thank you! I totally agree. I hope my brother loses all of his eventually, although he usually wears flat fronts when he goes out…he’s a very slim guy so the pleats just kinda slump and dump.

March 11, 2008 at 10:01 am

MTL

true for suit pants too?

March 11, 2008 at 11:37 am

Nicole

I can’t remember the last time pleats were “in” style for men. I think the last time my husband wore pleats was 20 years ago!

Kudos to B.R. for eliminating them from their line. I hate it when a store or company will carry something that is out of style (Gap still sells reverse fit jeans!) At the risk of sounding insensitive, certain styles are flattering on only one body type. These styles should not be made available in sizes that are not meant to wear that style. (like bikini’s, miniskirts, spandex anything) I have seen some brands alter the style ever so slightly to accomodate for fuller figures.

And while we are talking about pleats…is it just me, or are pleats and gathers becoming unavoidable in women’s clothing? All the spring and summer tops have poufs at teh shoulder, gathers at the neckline or chest line, and pleats on skirts that just are not flattering on 98% of women!

March 11, 2008 at 1:22 pm

Maya

I hate to say it, but I have to agree with Nicole. At the same time, I also know what the consequence of that would be: discrimination accusations up the wazoo. It makes me cringe when I see wide leg styles in the petites department, and skinny jeans in the plus size department. I’m sorry, but I have never ever seen either of these styles work on these body types.

Back to the topic at hand, I recently mentioned to my brother that the pleated pants he bought were no good. I also just saw my dad sporting them to work the other day. I’ve given up on making the men in my life listen to me, though. Hopefully as stores stop carrying them, they’ll be forced to stop buying them. Wish they’d do the same for women.

March 11, 2008 at 1:52 pm

Allie

(website)

Hear hear! Hate the pleats and are glad they are going away from the mall retailers! My husband actually told his best friend that “pleats are sooo uncool” and told him to get new pants. I was so proud!

March 11, 2008 at 2:37 pm

Rebecca

(website)

I have also always liked flat front, although my husband is so tall and outdoorsy looking that he looks good in almost anything.

What he doesn’t look good in, and you alluded to here, is a button-up shirt worn without an underwear shirt. Nobody does. Even traditional African shirts, like the one pictured here, are meant to be worn with underwear shirts, although apparently in Africa (I think the student we bought the shirt from was from Kenya) the traditional color is heather gray not white. The long sleeves are not traditional.

March 12, 2008 at 9:08 am

Sara

(website)

What a great post! I’ve been telling my brothers and guy friends for YEARS that pleates are not flattering … Maybe after the 100th time, they’ll listen to me.

March 12, 2008 at 2:11 pm

San

This is tough to hear after just investing quite a bit of money on 2 pair of Tommy Bahama pants with pleats for my husband. I bought them in early Feburary at Nordstrom’s and I didn’t see any without pleats.

March 12, 2008 at 3:03 pm

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

That’s a shame San. Try and take them back to Nordstrom. There are loads of flat front chino styles around, but perhaps not in the Tommy Bahama brand. It’s worth a bash.

March 12, 2008 at 4:52 pm

Sarah

My husband hardly every wears anything but pleated pants. He doesn’t own a pair of jeans and only has one pair of flat front khakis. The reason for this is that he’s, for lack of a better way of saying it, well endowed. He feels uncomfortable and exposed in flat fronts. Any suggestions?

March 13, 2008 at 11:41 am

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

There is something about the fit of the flat fronts that hubby has tried that is causing him to feel uncomfortable Sarah. I assure you that this problem can be overcome.

March 13, 2008 at 4:28 pm

Sarah

Thanks. I guess I’ll just have to encourage him to try on more flat fronts until he find the right ones.

March 14, 2008 at 2:40 pm

Ariella

Agh. Just had this discussion with my husband the other day. He went suit shopping without me and bought three pairs of slacks, all of which are pleated, and then had them cuffed. I just about died.

I told him that pleats make NO ONE look good, and he said that suit pants are supposed to be pleated. I brought up the Banana Republic issue, and he said that BR does not make formal suit pants and that that is just the “trendy” style. Finally I told him that as long as I don’t have to wear them, I don’t care. Now I am going to send him this article.

March 18, 2008 at 12:20 pm

Sara

(website)

I LOVE flat-front pants, on both men and me. My boyfriend is completely fashion-challenged, and the one pair of nice khakis he owns was quite a splurge at $50 from J.Crew — purchased under my careful eye, of course. They are flat-front and make even a plain tshirt look snappy. Yay for flat-front!

April 3, 2008 at 4:17 pm

youlookfab » Blog Archive » Dress code: business casual for men

(website)

[…] as unprofessional clothing is regarded as business casual appropriate because many companies accept khakis and knitted polo shirts as business casual […]

April 10, 2008 at 7:22 am

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