Alter these pants? ETA clarification of altering, pix in comments

What do I want to do with them: keep, alter, or pass on?

The size is good; I'm wondering about the style/cut. Is there fabric in the thighs/legs (not the butt, lower down than that) that could be taken out to make them look less baggy/dowdy?

They are very plain looking, but so comfortable and the fabric, which is all cotton, is sooo soft to touch, like suede. I like the idea of keeping them more than the idea of finding new ones, but don't think I want that "scoch more room in the hips and thighs".

It will be too warm to wear them here for at least another month. I don't think I want to wear them right now anyway, because my belly still makes them look like I've tucked a football sideways in the top of my pants. I'm supposedly losing that by New Years, but I've been so lazy about working out, don't know if I'll make it.

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8 years ago

Grey Rainbow

Active Member

I’d do one of two things with these: sew the pockets shut and wear them with an oversized, tunic-length (28-30”, below the rear) top. Perhaps a chambray shirt and shorter (24-25”) black leather jacket. Maybe add a stripe tee under the chambray shirt. Or a black cocoon-shaped knit tunic sweater and a jeans jacket. Or I’d let them go.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

The pockets are one of the "tells" about the belly. No way would I want to give up pockets, but I agree that the pants shouldn't be worn like this. I could go out the pants on again, pull the pockets straight, and do another picture, but I hope people can imagine that on their own.

Jenn

(website)

I have some chinos where I sewed the pockets shut, as Grey Rainbow suggests, and it made a huge difference. You know your body, so it might be a "tell" for you, but it might also just be that the pants aren't cut for curves. Covering the waistband will also help, and I'd roll the hems to make them look more modern casual. I have a strong aversion to the "khaki and polo shirt" aesthetic, though, so I always try to push items that might fall into that zone into a more relaxed vibe.

So your advice on alterations is no?

I'm not the most knowledgeable about what alterations can do, but I'm not seeing a lot of extra fabric in the thighs...and they look fairly tight across the rear. You say they're comfortable, though, so how can you style them so they work for you?

Agreed that the torso/butt doesn't have extra fabric. I'm thinking of lower down, like my hamstrings.

I got them at the same time as these. I've always thought of them as being the same cut, but now I notice that these don't have the pockets.
I decided a month ago to take out extra fabric in the thigh/legs on these, but haven't done it yet. Now I'm trying to decide if I should do one, both, or neither.

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That second pair looks much better! They seem like a better fit across the hips, but I can't tell if it's just the pockets or not from the pics.

So the baggy back-of-the-knees doesn't transport you to the 90s?

I notice that the first pair has creases by the pockets. That's the kind of thing I want a steamer for.

I liked the 90s.

(Also, I really like my steamer. I just have a little handheld one and it's so much more convenient than an iron.)

Jenn, do the edits in the original post make my question more clear than it was?

Diana

Honestly I would pass them on. The second pair you showed is a much better fit.

So, on to specifics, if you are interested. The biggest issue to me is the lack of visible waistband. To me, it's an odd look and makes the pocket/rise area appear too long and disproportional. Of course wearing a long top would hide this if you are so inclined. However, to me it also looks like the front rise is too long, which is a difficult thing to alter. And the style of these does not lend itself to being worn with a dropped crotch, so you're getting some extra fabric bunching at the crotch. (If we are being super nitpicky, I think the rise on the second pair might be slightly too long also, but because the fit in the thigh/hip is looser, it hangs better and doesn't show nearly so much.

Diana, so you don't see the reason to alter the legs in the second pair?

Even with your clarifications, I don’t think that alteration would make a significant difference, because that’s not where the most pronounced fit problems are. In your side view, look at how the seam curves backwards at the hip. I think that’s what’s making them awkward, not the fabric lower down. It’s really hard to tell from pics, though, and I can’t quite picture how you ideally would like these to fit, given the cut of the pants overall.

Jenn, isn't that due to the fit/gut? I think I'm going to let this thread die and post again later in a couple months, when it's cool enough to wear them and I might not have that same issue tugging at the sides of the top part of the pants.

That makes sense, fashiontern. I don’t think I’d get an alteration until you’re at the size/shape you’d be wearing these at. Just too many variables.

krishnidoux

What Diana said.
Forget the first pair, work on the second.
The second pair shows off your cute curves in the most flattering way, and has a lot of potential (lest you wear it as is with square toe flat loafers, straight button down and no belt... but I think you're not into this look, right?).
OPTION 1 The second pair looks like an excellent candidate for tapering the bottom and making them into cigarette pants (you may need to have the hem shortened slightly). I would then wear with tucked flowy slightly oversized white blouse and a large belt in the loops.
OPTION 2 Or, alternativly, if you don't want to taper the bottom, shorten the hem to just below mid-calf length so they are more gaucho pants. Then wear with loafers or boots and a cute tee.
OPTION 3 Before taking to the seamstress, I would try it with a large leather belt in the loops with a somewhat puffed blouse, and pointy, cowboyish bootie. The perfect color for the bootie would be cognac IMO. You can't really do a heel now because the present hem length pretty much confines you to flat footwear. .

I kind of like the wider legs, I think it looks quite elegant and wider legs are trending right now. However, I'd have to see them with the shoes youd want to wear because I can't tell if they're too short. If they are on the short side I'd probably taper the bottoms. I would probably not do anything to the hip and upper thigh area because I don't think I'd want that area to be any tighter.

Diana, right. I agree on the hip. Not sure how that was introduced to the conversation. The thigh/hamstring is what I'm thinking of. But I'm putting the whole convo on ice for a month or two.

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