Great new trousers! As a pear shape, all trousers and jeans have a whiskering effect on me. In jeans it's never as noticeable because the material is thick and there is usually at least some whiskering in the wash anyway. With trousers, I think whiskering is more noticeable because there is not detail to the wash. I think these look fine in the front. Gorgeous color, this is going to work really well with your wardrobe!

Zap, thanks for weighing in again, and Tanya, thank you for allowing a slight derailment! I found that very helpful, Zapotee. I do agree with your grandmother that where clothing is cut purposely to hold to the body (as with darts, etc.) then "sizing up" is not a good idea; it fits or it doesn't fit (and it SHOULD fit!!) Although of course there are various kinds of cuts.

And yes, I hear you...it looks as if trousers are either voluminous, or slightly slouchy (as in Angie's pic) or narrow these days. And of course the PLACEMENT of the volume is also key. Volume on the sides (as in my fuchsia pants) is not a good thing these days...we are looking for volume in other places, other ways.

First of all Tanya, you are a GREAT sport. Thank you for graciously listening to all of our trouser fit ramblings. You rock :). And so does your new pair of cobalt Columnists. Lets see you style them up! I'm excited!

Zap, your Gran was a wise woman and I enjoyed your perspective.

Lisa, I agree.

Diana, I think you'd prefer to see a fitted top with the pants. That way we will see Tanya's very defined waistline.

Jonesy, I err on the side of loose and baggy too - and always want things loooooooooonnnnnnger than everyone else. Your MIL ramblings crack me up.

Suz, you are so cute and earnest. Trouser fits are tricky these days for sure. There is dated, classic, and fashion forward - all of which fit a little differently. The way I see modern fits these days is like this:

- skin tight
- straight
- classic and contoured
- boyish
- slouchy

Anything that does not fit like the above is dated.

No problem Angie. I have to admit that I am starting to have second thoughts about the fit. Maybe I indeed need one more size up? I did try it on and thought it was too big but maybe my eye hasn't adjusted to the looser silhuettes yet. Unfortunately, that size is sold out online and my store did not have it but maybe I can hunt it down in other stores. I would not like to have dated pants for sure. From your list of current fits would these be classic or they are not on the list at all.

These would fit into classic and contoured to my eye, Tanya. I would have been curious to see the larger size - but this size is fine too, and besides you want to save on the waistband alteration. It makes sense that you are still adjusting to looser fits for as long as I have known you - you prefer a very form fitted look.

Rest assured, these cobalt trousers in this size also look great!

Thank you for reassuring me Angie! If I happen to find them I'm the next size up I will take pictures but I will not spend too much time and energy on it. You are absolutely right, looser fit, particularly on the bottoms is very new for me. Strangely, loose fit on the top is much easier to adjust to. I have recently bought a sweater in M instead of my usual XS on purpose. I will post the photo tonight

Just a quick point I wanted to clarify, I used the term " not as modern", not "dated".

ETA: Nope, I re read my answer. I meant to say "not as modern", but I actually typed "not modern". Never mind on the point above.

Please ignore me all, it was not my intention to cause hesitation on your part Tanya.

Angie - Grandma is a riot. I quote her all the time.

Wow. I have been reading along and I'm not sure I get what a trouser fit should look like anymore! Call me confused. I ditched my Editors as they looked dated on me with the wide legs. I *think* pants that fit snug or straight through the hip and thigh are what I'm looking for with minimal extra fabric in the legs. Is that not what's current? For instance, I've had my eye on Gap's Modern Boot. I have worn jeans and other casual pants for so long I am adrift when it comes to dress slacks. Eek. (I thought these fit fine on Tanya, by the way)

Tanya, these pants, in color and size, look superb on you and I wouldn't change a thing. I have the Editor pants in red and must get them out and about! You wear these well and I want to see them in action!

p.s. What is "whiskering" and does it mean the horizontal looseness of material at the crotch to look like cat whiskers? I'm clueless, and please don't laugh me out of the house. ^_^

Vicki, since I think I might have mentioned whiskering earlier in this thread, I will chime back in. This is just my *personal* take, of course--others probably have different definitions of whiskering :). And maybe Angie will chime back in with something definitive!

To me, whiskering refers to those radiating lines at the crotch, caused by pants that are pulling right there at that seam. Pants could be pulling/too tight right there because they are not cut for that particular body, or because the rise is not right for that body, or because they are just too small overall. Probably other reasons too, but those are the ones that spring most readily to my mind.

Here is a pic of me in a pair of black trousers (wool crepe) that are whiskering because they are too tight through the hips (pic 1 is front view, pic 2 side view). I posted these a while ago, when I was still cutting off my head, and while I noted the whiskering, most people who replied to my post weren't bothered by it and thought the pants looked fine. I didn't wear these outside of the house because to my eye they didn't look that good and they felt too tight to me. So again, it's a matter of personal preference here--what looks a certain way to me may not look that way to someone else, and that's okay!! As I mentioned, I bat for Team Loose, so I tend to prefer looser trousers.

Third pic features the same pair of pants, but now there is no whiskering (i.e, no symmetrical radiating lines emanating from the crotch seam because the pants are pulling right there--it might be hard to see the difference in these pics, but IRL the difference is very clear). To my eye, they look better like this, and I am perfectly comfortable wearing them out of the house and to work.

I think it's harder to find non-black pants that fit perfectly, because at least with black pants, the darkness can hide or mask the fit imperfections, vs. a pair of, say, white or light khaki pants.

Just my two cents, of course, and thanks so much, Tanya, for hosting this pants discussion :).

Tanya, I think you (and most of us) have had a longer time to adjust to waist surrendering styles :). I'm excited to see your new top!

Zap, you crack me up.

Jonesy, that's a great explanation and thanks for taking the time to do that. I vote for Team Loose too (LITERALLY loose that is), and prefer as little whiskering as possible (although sometimes it is unavoidable on certain body types). How is it that the same pair of pants are not whiskering in photo #3? Did your body shape change during that course of time?

Ladies, pleated pants tend to whisker less because there is more room on the thighs and bottom area!!! I know that's counter intuitive to pear shaped ladies who avoid that shape like the plague - but trust me on this.

This is such an interesting discussion! I just went back and read the whole thread. I really like how the pants look on Tanya. I also like Angie's looser fit. Whenever I try to buy some pants that are looser, they just are baggy in the butt. How do you avoid that? I've always wondered about that, but maybe it's just my body shape?

I'm also wondering about Jonesy's pictures and how the 3rd doesn't have the wiskering?

The whiskering was eliminated by losing 10 pounds :).

Ah ha. That explains it, Jonesy

Jem, seat-alteration is one way to prevent that problem.

LOL Jonesy, that works!

Angie, I've tried that, since I sew. I've never been able to get it to work. Maybe I need to try a professional!

What a fantastic thread, I've learnt a lot about trouser fit and fit preferences;-)

Tanya, I absolutely adore this looser fit on you, and the cobalt is gorgeous. I think these trousers look modern and very elegant and I have a hunch you're going to have lots of fun with this new silhouette.

What a great discussion. I learned a lot about the pants fit as well.

Tanya: I have the same pair of pants in cobalt blue. It's been on the forum before.I'll have to go back to those pictures and check it out. Unfortunately I won't be wearing mine for at least a year (4 months pregnant and nothing fits right, which why I've been so silent) so please enjoy yours for me. It is a great fit with or without the whiskering.