Despite a brief flirtation in the 1960s, it’s taken until the last decade for men’s fashion to accept the smart-casual crop. The trend began in Italy and has since been embraced throughout. But the question remains:
How and When Can I Wear Cropped Trousers?
Work
Suits with cropped trousers, like the Hemmingway, are the perfect compromise for summer office styling. The tapered leg and obvious tailoring of the trouser combine to deliver an indisputably elegant aesthetic. Especially when paired with the Hemmingway jacket or waistcoat. But the cropped length helps to improve ventilation. So, worn with loafers and no socks, you’ll feel cooler and more comfortable without flouting your company’s dress code.
If you don’t need to wear a full suit to work, but smart attire is still a must, trousers like the Daylight blue stripe crop are a good fit. Wear with a plain lightweight shirt and loafers – no socks – and you’ll look the part without finishing the day par-broiled.
Play
How you dress in your own time is entirely down to you. There are no rules. But a cropped trouser like the Chi in orange check can be a fun way to punk up your downtime. Wear with braces and a t-shirt for the full punky pizazz. Or style it up with a plain shirt. As for your feet, wear with loafers, flipflops or casual pumps and avoid socks at all costs. You can carry these crops across to winter too, with a pair of good dress boots. The look is yours to own, any way you like.
A wide-leg cropped trouser like the Leo is also a great choice for casual occasions and down days. Delivering cool, understated elegance, you can dress these trousers up or down. But they’re at their best with a plain t-shirt and trainers for that relaxed, unaffected air.
Formal
Cropped trousers don’t necessarily preclude a fully formal occasion. With ankle-grazers, like the Hamilton skinny-fit cropped tapered black trouser, you can easily elevate the look to black-tie standards. Match with a waistcoat, jacket, formal white shirt and loafers, and you’ll look the part whatever the circumstance.
For weddings and other summer occasions where it’s important to be well turned-out, a suit like the Dracon in silver makes a great eveningwear option. While for a daytime less formal do, the Champ suit will cut the mustard. Wear both with a plain shirt and loafers.
The main thing to remember about wearing cropped trousers is that the same occasion rules apply: smart for the office, jackets and waistcoats for formal affairs, and find the footwear to match. The cropped trouser is no longer outré. But like anything else, if you’re going to wear it, you need to wear it well.
