The Big Summer Trouser Edit

And they're all on sale.

I’m a big trouser fan. If you’re a regular reader of this Substack or you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that 9 times out of 10, I’m wearing a pair of trousers. In fact, a few months ago I tried to whittle down my collection to ‘x favourite pairs’ and struggled to choose so much, that I had to change course and write about my favourite trouser categories instead.

There’s a practicality to it, of course. I live in the UK and it’s rare that the temperatures rise to a point where it’s warm enough to go bare-legged. But there’s a lot more to it than mere function. I love how many shapes of trousers are out there, and how a change of leg can completely transform an outfit. There are barrel legs, straight legs, cropped legs, wide legs, and tapered legs. There are pleated fronts and flat fronts. There are high waists and low. When it comes to trousers, the styling world really is your oyster.

The good news is, I don’t have to completely pack them away for summer either. There are plenty of trousers out there in hot weather-friendly fabrics like linen or cotton poplin that help regulate your body temperature and keep you cool. Luckily for us, there are loads of great styles in the end-of-season sales that are currently filling our tabs too (or is that just me?). I’ve picked 12 of my favourites that are perfect for everything this summer: beach days, wedding days, everyday days and transitioning into autumn days.

Psst, this is a long post so it will likely be cut off if you’re reading this in your emails. Click the headline and it will take you to the full post online.

Toast canvas barrel-leg trousers. £185 £110. I love a barrel-leg trouser and have a couple of pairs similar to these that I wear in summer (and spring, and autumn). Wear them with a T-shirt, a button-down shirt or a vest and you’ll instantly add shape and colour to your outfit.

COS wide-leg tailored trousers. £95 £45. Crisp, wide-leg trousers in light cotton that can be worn low or high on the waist (thanks to adjustable tabs at the waistband). I’d wear these with a chocolate brown tank top and flat sandals.

Faithfull black linen straight-leg pants. £229 £138. A pair of black linen trousers is always a good idea. These would work well with a simple tee and sandals or a button-down shirt when you want to look and feel smarter but still cool in the heat.