I went to Zara in Soho today looking specifically for these trousers and it was an absolute madhouse. After I cruised the floor twice and hadn't seen them, I spotted a SA with a headset on and when I showed her on my phone what I was looking for, she radioed back to the stock room (the stock room! it really exists!) and asked her colleague to bring up two pairs, in two sizes, for me to try on. She then very helpfully suggested that I should get in line for a fitting room and said she would bring them to me.

That was very wise, since the line for a fitting room was at least 30 people long. I stood in it for 15 minutes before I took a single step forward. I was beginning to think I would have to buy both pairs, take them home to try on, and deal with returns later.

But -- in for a penny, in for a pound, and I waited it out. Forty minutes later, I had a fitting room.

Here's the report on those pants. Their shape is quite appealing, and the fabric is comfy. The "velour" they describe is not the poor-man's-velvet that we mean when we say velour in the US -- it's more like a french terry sweatshirt fabric.

But oh goodness, the fit. The waist is very large and the pants are very short. On me, the XS could be pulled right off while buttoned, yet the pants only came to my ankles before rolling. And my legs are short.

So, not a success pour moi. Too bad, because I thought they were so cool-looking on the website.

And it may be a while before I venture down to Soho again on a Saturday afternoon...