The Comfy Trousers I'll Be Wearing All Winter
Six pairs that definitely aren't loungewear.
Day to day, you’ll often find me in an outfit that prioritises comfort. Tight and restrictive isn’t my thing, especially as I spend a lot of my working week sitting at my desk and laptop.
But the thing about “comfy” clothing, is that it can conjure up images of loungewear. Pyjamas. Joggers. That’s not what I’m about. I still want to feel good, as though I’ve got properly dressed for the day — even if the only person who sees me is the postman or the guy behind the till at my local corner shop.
So I look for pieces that are designed with comfort and style in mind. That I’ll happily sit at my desk or potter around my flat in, and wear them out and about in public too. And at this time of year, they need to come with the added necessity of protecting me against northern England’s winters (or being adaptable so I can turn them into something warm).
Four signs of good, comfy trousers:
Flexible waistbands (drawstring or elasticated are great options)
Loose, relaxed or wide legs
Details such as pleated fronts. They’re an easy way to bring in an element of tailoring and veer away from tracksuit territory
Quality fabrics like wool, cashmere, cotton or linen will always look better than synthetic ones
Wide-leg linen trousers
If you’re not familiar with Beyond Nine, I highly recommend you get acquainted. Every piece of clothing is designed to be comfortable and to adapt to your body, so you can carry on wearing them (and feel comfy) through monthly cycles, bloating, too much pasta, pregnancy, and whatever else your body is going through. Take these trousers, they have an elasticated waistband that’s flexible and doesn’t dig in and they have a loose, wide leg that’s relaxed. They’re made from linen but they’re fine to wear in colder weather too — just put some leggings on underneath if you feel like you need another layer.
Wide-leg wool trousers
I bought these trousers in the Matches (RIP) sale last year and they became one of my most-worn items (so much so that I regularly had to get my fabric shaver out for the bobbling). They’re wide-leg and have pleats at the front, creating a great shape; loose and relaxed, yet a little structured. They’re also made from thick wool so they’re warm and cosy, and they’re lined so they don’t feel itchy or uncomfortable on the leg. I can’t find this style anywhere but COS has a similar pair and The Frankie Shop has this pair but the fabric is more lightweight.
I know this piece is about trousers but I couldn’t not talk about this shirt. Firstly, it’s oversized and 100% linen — two of my favourite qualities in a shirt. And secondly, just look at that embroidery. I’m not normally one for patterned shirts (stripes are about as jazzy as I get) but I was so drawn to the colours and shapes on this. It’s from Etnodim, a Kyiv-based brand (worldwide shipping available), whose embroidered pieces are inspired by Ukrainian art and culture. This particular shirt takes references from residents of an apartment block especially built for writers in Kharkiv called Slovo House in the 1920s and ‘30s, many of whom were later arrested and killed by the Communist authorities.