I have been working with my tailor in developing the perfect pair of pleated pants and I am proud to say that after going back and forth and trying and failing, we’ve collaborated on a really good product. So many things can go wrong with a pair of pleated pants; don’t get me started with the horrors available in the market today. The ones that go up too high make you look like a septuagenarian, the ones are too loose on the hips/buttocks make you look like an infant in diapers, and the ones made of too heavy a fabric make you look, well, too heavy. I opted for a light, yet structured fine wool in black, had two sharp pleats placed on each leg, had it done mid-rise and relatively slim throughout, tapering smoothly down to a slightly cropped hem.Barba shirt, Hermes belt, watch from the MoMa store in Tokyo, turquoise ring from Manila, tailor-made pleated pants, vintage shoesclose-up of my tailor’s razor-sharp pleatingOn a side note, I have been over-wearing this printed jersey polo from Filipino designer Vittorio Barba for the last few weeks. It’s breezy and comfortable, yet looks polished with the button-down collar, and I like how the drape of the jersey contrasts with the structured trousers. Designers, please make more loose jersey polos.
For something so basic as a pair of pleated pants, it’s almost ridiculous how much attention to detail is required to make it right. It must be a menswear thing, eh? Props and cheers and kudos to my tailor for putting up with me.