Straight or Narrow

The Cut of Trousers

Biblically speaking Straight and Narrow are one and the same but when it comes to trousers they could not be more different... 

Straight-leg trousers as the name suggests, go straight down from the seat to the ankle, gradually tapering to follow the natural silhouette of the body with two near-straight lines which offers the wearer a more comfortable ride with ample space in the trouser leg for healthy hams, quads and calves. It is also the most common style offered by tailoring houses the world over. 

Narrow-cut trousers on the other hand (or leg) taper from the seat to the knee first and then the measurement from the knee to the ankle is nearly identical, thus forming a drainpipe-like shape at the bottom of the leg and were often referred to as drainpipes.

When I started tailoring the average ankle width of a pair of trousers was 18-19” and ergo so was the knee but with ankle widths now commonly 14-15”  it is seldom wide enough for anyone’s knee to fit through, healthy quads or otherwise! 

The Bootcut style is cut in the same way i.e. from the seat to the knee but often with a wider ankle which ensures they sit perfectly over boots as it prevents the hem from catching on the back of one's boots, which can be frustrating. Most jeans are cut in this way.

Of course, Brown in Town is happy to cut your trousers or indeed jeans anyway you want us to to wear with any style of footwear you prefer, whether that be a pair of shoes or boots, sneakers or even flip flops. 

As they, if the shoe fits..