There is a shape of trousers that has staying power among designers and high street: Harem and Peg or Jodphur trousers. You either hate or love  them.They are combining both Arabic (harem-style) and Asian (fisherman’s trousers) influences, ultra-modern dropped-crotch, gathered waist and hem, slouchy cut- they can come in high waisted trousers or/ cropped leg.

I am sorry to break the myth, but they are not easy to pull off and only suitable for a few body shapes and who have a good set of legs. These trousers drape and add volume at parts of a female body where most women have already their natural female curves and really do not need the extra fullness, detail, attention, draping  and volume on top of them. It is even more of problem when they come in a bright colour or in a strong pattern.

Here is some body shape advice:

• Style is noting without a fit and with style we need to create visual balance. Let’s keep in mind that the neat hourglass is the perfect body shape, because it is all proportional. The rest of the 6 body shapes need to do proportional dressing in order to create the visual balance.
• The Harem/Jodphur/Peg trousers are baggy in the crotch- some of them more than others. The baggier they are they not only add more volume to that area but shorten at the same time as well your leg length visually. Even more if they come with turnups!
• Therefore they are not suitable at all for the following body shapes: Apple, Full Hourglass, Pear. These shapes have already female roundness around their waist, tummy and thighs and don’t need the extra fullness. It is wrong to assume that the baggy shape will hide ones female curves. Instead they will just make them look rounder and fuller.
• But they are suitable for lean columns , rectangles, inverted triangle and neat hourglass. Lean Column can always do with extra volume and roundness to their body shape, while the roundness of these trouser shapes balances the edgy shape of a rectangle body shape. And it provides a perfect counter balance to the inverted triangle to balance with their broader upper body. The neat hourglass are in total ease to wear more or less what every they want.
• The baggier the shape is the taller you should be since they will shorten you in your leg line even more when they come in cropped style or in shorts.
• Also, the thinner you leg and calves are the better because the baggy style and drapes are only coming out to shine when they can create a contrast between their full style to a thin leg. Drapes need to “hang” and they will only do that when they have enough leg space. The fuller the leg the less “leg space” is in the trouser and the drapes start to change their shape by being “ stretched”!
• Some of them come as well with a high waist in that case the rectangle shape is out of the equation and will be only suitable for lean columns, neat hourglass and inverted triangles. A high waisted trouser style needs a waist and this is not what a rectangle has. Though a lean column doesn’t have much of a waist as well, but due to heir petite frame the drapes and bagginess of the trousers will “ create artificially one”!
• Last not least if Harem, Peg or Jodphurs are low in rise it is not creating a problem for the body shapes which are ok to wear them. But they will find another restriction if these trousers are mid or high in rise.
• The bagginess, drapes need space to shine. Even more when they are coming in a belted version. So, if the allowed body shapes have a short waist it will be as well a no no for them, because the volume of the trousers style will “kill the waist”. If you are high waisted the bagginess and drapes might create an unproportional shape. That means it most suitable for women who have a normal to a long waist.

Some style advice:

• Don’t clutter this look where it has already volume. Jackets and coats should not finish on the thighs or bottom. Keep lean on top and combine it with a cropped jacket or with a long coat  that is lean in style.
• Choose shoulder details like puffed sleeves or batman or dropped sleeve style to balance with the broader bottom.
• Best for visual effect is when you choose shoes that keep about at least a 10 cm distant between the end of the trousers hemline and the beginning of the shoe top.
• Cross body bags go best with these type of trousers since it goes with the theme. Even if they site at the fullest part. Wear them right in front of you rather at the side.
• Always wear with a heel!

As I said these type of trousers are only suitable for a very few women, which doesn’t include me as well. So, if you are not one of the lucky ones but you must have them and you can’t live without them, I suggest you wear them then at home for comfort only instead- in the manner they were intended when created:-)

Have a nice day,
Michaela