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Wearing men's pants?

Roberta

Veteran

Has anyone (female) worn men's pants as a regular thing?

I recently read this great article about men's vs. women's pants - and I heartily agree that men's pants are better made all around. That's one reason I love Boden's Hampshire pants, they are tailored like men's pants and correspondingly easy to alter. I find that most women's pants these days are too high waisted and cut in too much at the waist for my body.

So, I am considering looking at men's trousers in the future, especially since it seems they have a lower waist in general, deeper pockets, and a much bigger range of colors these days.

Has anyone gone in this direction and have comments for me?

Dressing

35 replies

Latest reply was from Zaeobi

Irina

Veteran

I was intrigued by this idea some years ago when I could not find jeans I like. Unfortunately for me, men’s jeans were all too long and big on me. But I would definitely check. I actually want to try it next time I’m at Uniqlo. I know bloggers buy from men’s selection there, so I’m curious.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I would love it if men's pants would fit me. I was at Eddie Bauer the other day, looking at shorts--inspired by you, Roberta! The women's were all a little shorter than I prefer. I saw some men's bermudas that looked exactly like what I was after, but I didn't bother trying them. Maybe I should have!

LJP

Veteran

I have this fantasy in which I wear a lower slung- but -tailored mens wear pant. I have never actually pursued the idea as I'm not quite sure I have the body type or overall *look* to make it work without looking like an idiot. I don't want every pant to be so high waisted and fitted; I actually like the idea of a slouchy tailored pant and think this might be the way to achieve it.

kkards

Veteran

back in my high school/college days I wore men’s/boys jeans almost exclusively. But as I aged and got curves, I found that they no longer fit….but it’s been years and I’d be inclined to try again.

Star

Veteran

I have small hips and when I am a bit overweight it all collects on my tummy so I have had a little difficulty getting perfect fits in female pants. I have a pair of cords that I thrifted that are Zara Young Man and they fit great. They are cut differently for teens I guess. I have worn male Levis Jeans before. It needs to be noted that generally male jeans have larger back pockets and they are placed much lower than females. That style seems to be more trendy for gals now than it was a few years ago. It does make for a different look from behind. Just something to keep in mind to check out the rear carefully.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ha! kkards, I'm betting I'm the opposite. I had slim hipped girlfriends in high school who could wear mens' jeans but I never could. I'll bet I'd manage better now than I did back then due to body shifts over the years. My waist is relatively bigger now than it was in those days; thighs a little slimmer than back then, although still apparently too substantial for some women's pants, sigh.

I think for some, the issue is crotch length/ space. Even if you have a longer rise (as I do) all that fabric in the crotch area can be a problem with men's pants. My nonbinary child who looks masculine now has a heck of a time finding pants that work -- from either department! And that is often the issue. It works better in a soft, drapey fabric (because it is less bothersome or noticeable) but with a thicker, firmer fabric, it becomes an issue. It can really shorten the leg line visually but more than that, it just feels uncomfortable. You need to do a sit test.

Still, I think it might be possible to go for an oversized/ dropped crotch look on some styles and it could work really well.

cjh

(website)

Veteran

Yes, Suz, the men’s are cut to allow for traditional men’s anatomy, IFYKWIM. Therefore perhaps challenging.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I wore Levis 501's in the '90s. They were mens jeans that women wore too. Lower slung or reined in with a belt on a woman's body. That is the only time I wore mens bottoms!

Exactly what Suz said on the crotch point fit challenges. I've dressed some clients in mens bottoms who were not men. It can work well in knitted drapey silhouettes, like sweats.

Kate

Veteran

Yep, I have, typically from Uniqlo, but not as a regular thing. Just whenever I've seen an appealing pair of men's pants in a style that isn't offered in the women's line. I'm slim hipped and straight legged, with a long torso and rise, so men's pants often fit me pretty well. So do men's shoes and almost always men's shirts and sweaters.

LaPed

Veteran

Like Angie, I've had several pairs of vintage Levi's in men's sizing. Women's pants are often less roomy through the thighs and calves than I prefer; back in the skinny jeans era vintage 501s were my bread and butter.

bj1111

Veteran

So funny—I literally just tried on jcrew men’s skinny chinos . I think I need to size up to 32x30 but I really liked the cut and fit of the 30x30 if only I cut button the waist!

I also had a pair of beat up men’s Levi’s before I had real menopausal hips and belly. They were skinny days panta for sure

Indigoprint

Veteran

I almost exclusively wear mens jeans/ pants.
They just seem to fit me better. I have little defination between my waist/ hips so mens sizing typically works for me.
Sometimes a pleated front pair would have too much fabric for my liking but that was not always the case.
In addition to a better fit for me, I also appreciate the deep pockets, secure seaming and consistency of sizing.

RobinF

Veteran

Very interesting! I never have, which seems strange because I have a very straight figure and it seems like it would be an obvious solution. I do think the rise would be a problem. And the length of course. I actually did try on some old pants my hubby was getting rid of but they were much too small - he's quite thin.

I do have a mens cardigan that I love and have worn for years.

Roberta

Veteran

This is all sooo interesting and helpful, thanks! Last year I found men's t-shirts and a sweater that fit me very well, and now I am encouraged to try pants. They never worked in my youth, but like Suz, my waist is now larger and my hips and thighs are slimmer. I will give them a try this fall, when I think I will be clearing out some pants that are uncomfortable in the waist.

Minaminu

Veteran

I had a few men's jumpers in the past but never looked at the trousers, partly because of the crouch size, as explained by Suz and Angie, but the opening as well.

Joy

Veteran

In the 60's when women started wearing jeans, all there was was only men's available. My first pants were men's worn belted to take in the waist. They were Levi cords, a light tan color. I wore them with a sweatshirt worn inside out...the thing to do then. I loved those cords with their deep pockets and tight fit. Smaller men's sizes were soon discontinued to discourage women we thought. DH took a 28-28 when we were married...impossible to find. The crotch was too tight on boys' sizes which was what was suggested. . We could get longer lengths and have them shortened and usually did. Sometimes the SA could find the correct size in a back room. When really poor, I would buy boys sale pants at old Navy. Good luck to all those wearing pants made for men.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

My hips and thighs laugh at the notion.

Runcarla

Veteran

In the past I’ve appropriated some pants from DS#1 after he grew out of them, ‘cause I liked the colour, but the fit was so-so. Though I haven’t shopped in the men’s department for bottoms, I have shopped for tops. I get a better fit through the shoulders and length in the arms that I struggle to get in women’s wear.

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Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I can wear some men's jeans and - my waist is relatively big compared to my hips and thighs, so it works out occasionally. Definitely a case by case situation though.

Sloper

Veteran

Original shrink-to-fit Levi’s 501’s, but otherwise no, unless one has a boyish figure.

Vildy

Veteran

Well, I'm a boyish figure gal so I always have men's pants, depending on what catches my eye or what bee I have in my bonnet. The only few pair of sweatpants I have are both men's because they're barrel legged and funky shaped.

Val

If they’re big enough in the hips, they’re too wide/long in other areas. It ends up being an oversized look on me. Nonetheless I had a pair or two of men’s jeans in the early 2000s when I was desperate to escape low rises, and now I have a pair of knit shorts from Muji for loungewear.

DonnaF

Veteran

The boys’ purple shorts fit me better than the women’s on the left. Since Petites have become so scarce, I’d like to find a nice boys size 14-16 blazer. My waist is too small and thighs are too big for most boys pants to fit, although they might fit better in the booty which is a problem area for me in women’s pants.

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Anonymous

Never tried it, since my hips and bum are so curvy. I need a much higher back rise than front, so expect mens pants would just give me polterwang!

Aquamarine

Veteran

Funny….just yesterday my husband put a J. Crew men’s linen shirt (slim cut) in a hot dryer. It shrunk way too much for him to wear, so I tried it on and was impressed with the fit. My shoulders are broader than my waist (classic IT), so I often have to size up to accommodate that plus my chest, but then the waist is too big and I look pregnant. This man’s shirt worked for those for issues.

Megane

Member

Yes, it is not uncommon for women to wear men's pants as a regular
choice. Many women find that men's pants offer a better fit, more
comfortable styling, and practical features such as deeper pockets.

It's also worth noting that the fashion industry has become more inclusive in recent years, offering a wider range of gender-neutral clothing options. Some brands even offer pants designed specifically for women that incorporate elements inspired by men's pants, such as lower waistlines, deeper pockets, and looser fits. Exploring these options might provide you with more choices that blend the qualities you appreciate from both men's and women's pants. For me this is normality.

kellygirl

Veteran

Coincidentally, I tried on some JCrew men's bermudas and liked them better than the women's version but couldn't pull the trigger because in the back of my head, I thought they're men's! Fast forward to this morning when I put on my green "army" pants. I looked at the tag and it said 29x30. I think they're mens! So yes, men's pants fit me very well plus they're mid rise which is better for my waist (or lack of.)

judy

Veteran

I wear mens pants and unisex brands also. Sometimes the quality of the fabric or denim is a bit better, I find.

Bee

I wore my hibby’s old adidas pants as pijamas back when I was barely leaving my room. He he’s pretty slender through the hips and legs with a thicker upper body but the pants hadn’t fit him in years and I was practically swimming in them. My self esteem had hit rock bottom by that point and I just wanted to be as invisible as possible. But as a women’s US size 0 and still wearing mostly skinny fit pants and leggings, I find them quite uncomfortable now that I’ve recovered. Especially since I’d have to pull the cords so tight to keep them from falling that It creates a bulky fold in the from from the extra few inches of waistband. They certainly did feel more comfortable than women’s pants when I felt bloated from laying in bed all day eating junk food during the first part of my illness when I gained a few kg.

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