What Trouser Shape Are You?
A guide to straight leg, barrel leg, horseshoe and more.
This post is in partnership with Beyond Nine.
A few weeks ago, I published a big guide to trousers, answering reader questions about finding the best trousers when you’re petite or tall, what shoes to wear with what styles, and even down to what kind of trousers to go for if you’d rather never step anywhere near an iron.
One of the things I looked at was different trouser styles, and in this post, I want to dig a little deeper into shape. I’m a big fan of playing around with proportions in my outfits. I love the difference in silhouette a straight-leg trouser can make to an outfit over a wide leg and vice versa, and how a barrel leg can instantly turn a relatively simple outfit into one full of shape and volume.
One brand that does shape really well is Beyond Nine and if you’ve been a reader of The Jones Report for a while, you’ll probably have seen me mention them countless times.
Beyond Nine is a small, British, female-owned and run brand that manages to blend comfort and style effortlessly. Every piece is designed to adapt to women’s changing bodies — through periods, pregnancy, perimenopause, you name it — as well as be the kinds of styles you actually want to wear. Think stretchy, flexible waistbands in the trousers, roomy jumpsuits, boxy tops and oversized jumpers.
But back to the trousers. They’ve nailed the easy-to-wear barrel leg (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been stopped and complimented on my Mabels). They’ve made linen wearable all year round (I pop a pair of thermal leggings underneath in winter). And their horseshoe and wide legs are the stuff of voluminous trouser dreams.
This post is dedicated to six of Beyond Nine’s different shapes and how to style them. One thing I love (besides the outfit-enhancing silhouettes and pure comfort) is the elasticated waistband. Yes, it makes them unrestrictive and comfortable, but it also means you can wear the trousers at different points to change up the shapes, depending on what you’re wearing. I find wearing them high on the waist lets the trousers hang in the way they were designed, whereas lower down gives a slouchier effect. I’ve noted how I’ve worn each pair in the images below to give you a better idea.
A note on sizing: I’m a UK size 8 and 5’4”, and wear size 2XS in Beyond Nine trousers. If you’re petite (5’3” or under), sizing down gets you a shorter rise and better fit. If you’re tall (5’8” or above), sizing up can get you a longer rise and better fit. As the waistbands are elasticated and flexible, they should still fit fine around the waist (I’ve tried 3XS and XS and I’d wear those sizes comfortably too).
Horseshoe leg (linen)
The style: Daisy in pencil & ecru stripe linen.
The features: An elasticated waistband and a design that’s narrow through the hip before curving into a classic horseshoe shape. They have two deep side seam pockets, and they’re made in the UK with 100% OEKO-TEX® linen.
Good for: A dramatic silhouette that doesn’t give you extra volume at the hips. Any height can wear Daisy but they’re particularly good if you’re on the tall side.
Worn: High waist.
In a recent post about my wardrobe staples, I wrote about how a co-ord is one of my go-to 'dressy' outfits. I don't often go to super fancy places so something like this strikes the right balance of looking like I've made an effort without being overdressed.
I’m wearing the Lily top in the same linen as the Daisy trousers. It's quite boxy and ends just at the waistband; long enough to cover it but not too long that the shape of the trousers is lost. I don't feel like this outfit needs much accessorising — just my usual silver rings and a silver necklace to pull it all together.
Horseshoe leg (jersey)
The style: Daisy in slate jersey.
The features: These trousers are a great example of how fabrics can create a different overall effect. They're also Daisy, the same shape and style as the ones above, but this time they're in jersey rather than linen. The fabric is thicker and slightly heavier to wear in a way that is cosy and cocooning rather than cumbersome. They have a soft, fleece back lining, darts at the waist, leg and hem for shape, a horseshoe leg, two pockets at the side and a comfy, stretchy waistband.
Good for: A cosy, casual option that feels like sweatpants, only elevated. Any height can wear Daisy but they’re particularly good if you’re on the tall side.
Worn: Low waist.
This outfit is pure comfort for me. The fabric of these Daisy trousers instantly makes them a more casual, everyday option. And Beyond Nine’s Coco jumper is a super soft and premium blend of extra fine merino wool and cashmere — I wore it without a base layer recently and there was zero itchiness (and I have sensitive skin).
The boxy fit of the jumper rests right at the waistline so the shape of the trousers can be shown to their fullest, while a touch of silver jewellery prevents the look from becoming too WFH-inspired (IYKYK, fellow freelancers). I’ve also worn this outfit with flat black chunky boots which is a good option if you’re not a fan of trainers.
Barrel leg
The style: Mabel in natural linen.
The features: An elasticated waistband, and a classic loose barrel leg shape created by a curved outer seam and front seam detailing. They have two deep side seam pockets, and they’re made in the UK with 100% OEKO-TEX® linen.
Good for: Adding a dramatic shape to an outfit and accentuating your waist (when worn high-waisted). Any height can wear Mabel, but I think these are the best Beyond Nine trousers to go for if you’re petite.
Worn: Mid waist.
Mabel was the first style I ever tried From Beyond Nine and I’ll always have a soft spot for them. The curved leg creates such a striking silhouette but it isn’t overly exaggerated in the way that you find with some other barrel legs, which can be hard to style — especially if you’re not used to a lot of volume in your clothing.
What’s great about this shape is that you don’t need to add much to create an interesting outfit. I often wear these with a simple jumper or T-shirt and vest tops in summer. Or, like here, trainers and a short indigo jacket that sits at the waistline to show off that shape.
Tapered leg
The style: Huxley in black linen.
The features: An elasticated waistband, a dart seam detail in the front of the leg and a tapered silhouette, similar to carrot-shaped trousers. They have two large pockets at the front and two at the back, and they’re made in the UK with 100% OEKO-TEX® linen.
Good for: A smarter style that you could easily wear to the office. These are narrower through the hip, so they have less volume than the likes of Mabel, for example.
Worn: High waist.
Huxley is one of the more streamlined shapes in Beyond Nine's collection, so they're a good option if you don't like a lot of volume but don't want super slim fitting either. I put them in my smart black trousers box; good for the office, if you work in one, without feeling too corporate.
I've gone down the casual tailoring route with this outfit. The button-up shirt is a classic 'smart' piece but this one is linen and oversized, so it doesn't feel too stuffy. The wool jacket is boxy and short, allowing the shirt to peek through and break up the brown of the jacket and the black of the trousers. If you want something that feels more pulled together, you could tuck the shirt in too.
Cropped wide leg
The style: Bobbi in rust & black stripe linen.
The features: An elasticated waistband with pleats at the front, and a cropped wide leg (when worn high on the waist, mine finish just at the ankle). There are contrasting stripes on the hem and large back pockets. They also have two side seam pockets, and they’re made in the UK with 100% OEKO-TEX® linen.
Good for: I like these for a ‘dressy’ trouser. Any height can wear Bobbi but they’re particularly good if you’re on the tall side.
Worn: High waist.
I put these Bobbi trousers on whenever I want something that makes a statement. Firstly there's the shape: I wear them high on the waist so the wide leg flares straight from the hips, the shape on show in all its glory. Then there's the pattern: thick brown and black vertical stripes with contrasting horizontal stripes on the hem and the back pockets.
I tend to keep the rest of my outfit relatively simple whenever I wear them to let the trousers do all the talking. Here, the black cashmere jumper complements the black stripes and is slim enough that I can tuck it into the waistband with ease. A gold necklace adds a little something, while the flats add a little delicacy to the wide trousers. You could also swap for flat black boots if you prefer a sturdier shoe.
Long wide leg
The style: Lexi in black linen.
The features: An elasticated, drawstring waistband and loose wide leg. These are Beyond Nine’s longest trousers. They have two side seam pockets and two back pockets, and they’re made in the UK with 100% OEKO-TEX® lightweight linen.
Good for: A wide leg, but less drama. These are Beyond Nine’s longest trousers, so they’re great if you’re tall and struggle with the cropped fits.
Worn: High waist.
These trousers are an excellent classic wide-leg style. They’re relaxed and loose-fitting but they’re not as voluminous as some of the other styles. They’re made from lightweight linen too so I can see myself wearing these a lot in spring and summer when I want to wear black trousers in a heat-friendly fabric. I’ll be pairing them with a linen shirt and fisherman sandals like I’ve done here for a look that feels easy yet put together.
A note on length: If you’re under 5’3” you may find these too long unless you wear them with heels.
Lexi launches at 8pm GMT on Sunday 16th March.
Straight leg
The style: Callie in ink twill.
The features: An elasticated waistband, relaxed straight leg and a twisted outer seam and seam detailing behind the knee. There are two large pockets at the front and two at the back and they’re made from slouchy twill cotton (99% organic cotton, 1% elastane).
Good for: A casual, everyday style. The twill is slightly thicker than the linen options listed above, so they’re a great option for colder months.
Worn: Low waist.
If you don’t love wearing jeans but want a pair of trousers that fill that gap, Callie is an excellent alternative. They have a classic straight leg but with a twisted outer seam to make them interesting and they’re made from twill, which has that nice heaviness you get with denim. For this look, I’ve kept it casual and very “every day” with a basic T-shirt, quilted jacket and trainers. I’ve worn them low on the waist but if you wear them higher up, they’ll finish around the ankle for more of a cropped look.
Any items marked with * have been gifted by brands. All thoughts, picks and reviews are my own.
This post contains some affiliate links. If you buy something through those links, I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Such a great read, I am a forever barrel girl!
I’m not a fan of waistbands that are restrictive around the waist so these are great. Thanks for showing us the various styles and shapes. 🙂