EECOM NG A CROPPER
EECOM NG A CROPPER FLASHES OF ANKLE HAVE BEEN BLINDING THE FRONT ROW FOR SEASONS NOW SAYS RYAN THOMPSON, AND IT'S TIME TO TAKE THE LOOK TO THE STREETS
Of course, the cropped trouser is nothing (what in fashron is?), but wearing it on pt
and with aplomb very much is. The accep of masculine sartorialism state that trous€ be just long enough to rest on the top of
Cropped trousers and I first collided in September 1987, beginning my difficult long-term relationship
creating a slight crease in the fabric. Unbx laws such as these are good and proper a help steer the conservative but concerned
with the shortened hem. I was seven years old and starting a new school. My mother,s parsimony was such that she typically bought me trousers that would accommodate at least two years, worth of growth, but with her thrifty intentions far outweighing her abilities at the wheel of a sewing machine, I began the autumn term with my ankles vulnerably on show. I immediately earned the nickname ,Half Mast, and was asked at least 30 trmes a day ,Who died?, Not a great start, you'll probably agree. Howeve4 in recent years I have learned to embrace the cropped trouser, and I,m not the only one. The flash of astragalus has been virtually omnipresent in the last few seasons of menswear
shows, and not just with the younger; edgier labels. In Milan this year behemoths Gucci and prada were both proponents of a shorter, narrower trouser. Alexander McQueen hitched up its spring/summer strides for 201 1 and in recent years, minimalist designer Thom Browne has made the overly cropped trouser his leitmotif. Perhaps even more interestrng their take-up - if you'll excuse the pun - by traditionalists such as E. Tautz, Winston Churchillt is
favourite Savile Row tailor, Ieading me to believe that this new length of leg is here to stay.
through the choppy waters of fashion. Th of a crop is to many men renegade, contr outr6 to the point of out-of-the-question,
,-
rules are here to be applied, so read on if curious. The crop is an intriguingly daring
when worn as smart, a great attention st€ off-duty, and if you've forked out a small I a new pair of bespoke Berluti shoes then to show them off proudly as the price tag
1
Itt a high-risk to high-returns trend to go at, I admit, as there's a challengingly frr between stylishly cropped trousers and tro
would better suit a children! entertainer. ( are sporting a squirty flower in your lapel,
must be subtle. By subtle I mean no highe half an inch above where the tongue of yt finishes. Marni's collection in January dern the upper range of the crop - any higher a may as well join the circus.
They should also always be narrowly ct
Of course, the added bonus of slim-cut tror that they give the impression of a longer lc
and broader shoulders (although if your wt piggy in the middle, stop reading this ahog
Vivienne Westwoodb autumn/winter Milan
is about as good an examp e as you'll find perfectly cropped, cut to follow the ieg, and not so narrow to warrant the envy of your teenage son. For those
who still aren't quite ready to frogmarch
their trousers to their tailor, there is a simple noncommittal solution: the roll-up. Adding a roll-up to a pair of jeans, cords, or any smart-casual trouser creates a marvellously insouciant spring/summer look
which is made even more appealing by the fact that you can change your mind about it after you've left the house for the day. You only have to look at Prada's latest A/W collection to see how a sombre, businesslike outfit can be made instantly less severe with the application of a casual roll-up. Dolce & Gabbana took the roll-up one step further by adding it to threepiece pinstripe suits and morning trousers, although
if you're Ascot-bound, I'd think twice before getting handy with your hems As with its cropped cousin, the roll-up should be subtle, two rolls at most: these are on-trend trouser legs you're creating, not tortillas. The final hurdle concerns the matter of socks, or lack of them. Whether you wear them or not should be determ ned by the state of the elements, but a word of warning on colour: go muted. By all means
contrast, but avoid stripes, cartoon characters or garish hues. lt's enough that you're already making statement with your trousers. @ All styles available from Quintessentially Gifts, e n
q u i ri es@ q u i n
tessen t i a I Iyg
i
fts. ca m
// (oPPOS|TE) MARNr A,^/V 2011 a
// (THIS PAGE ROTATING TOP LEFT TO RIGHT) VIVIENNE WESTWOOD Anr'r' 2011. MARNI A^ill 201 1, E. TAUTZ A/r'V 2011 AND VIVIENNE WESTWOOD A /r' 20't 1
Of course, the cropped trouser is nothing (what in fashron is?), but wearing it on pt
and with aplomb very much is. The accep of masculine sartorialism state that trous€ be just long enough to rest on the top of
Cropped trousers and I first collided in September 1987, beginning my difficult long-term relationship
creating a slight crease in the fabric. Unbx laws such as these are good and proper a help steer the conservative but concerned
with the shortened hem. I was seven years old and starting a new school. My mother,s parsimony was such that she typically bought me trousers that would accommodate at least two years, worth of growth, but with her thrifty intentions far outweighing her abilities at the wheel of a sewing machine, I began the autumn term with my ankles vulnerably on show. I immediately earned the nickname ,Half Mast, and was asked at least 30 trmes a day ,Who died?, Not a great start, you'll probably agree. Howeve4 in recent years I have learned to embrace the cropped trouser, and I,m not the only one. The flash of astragalus has been virtually omnipresent in the last few seasons of menswear
shows, and not just with the younger; edgier labels. In Milan this year behemoths Gucci and prada were both proponents of a shorter, narrower trouser. Alexander McQueen hitched up its spring/summer strides for 201 1 and in recent years, minimalist designer Thom Browne has made the overly cropped trouser his leitmotif. Perhaps even more interestrng their take-up - if you'll excuse the pun - by traditionalists such as E. Tautz, Winston Churchillt is
favourite Savile Row tailor, Ieading me to believe that this new length of leg is here to stay.
through the choppy waters of fashion. Th of a crop is to many men renegade, contr outr6 to the point of out-of-the-question,
,-
rules are here to be applied, so read on if curious. The crop is an intriguingly daring
when worn as smart, a great attention st€ off-duty, and if you've forked out a small I a new pair of bespoke Berluti shoes then to show them off proudly as the price tag
1
Itt a high-risk to high-returns trend to go at, I admit, as there's a challengingly frr between stylishly cropped trousers and tro
would better suit a children! entertainer. ( are sporting a squirty flower in your lapel,
must be subtle. By subtle I mean no highe half an inch above where the tongue of yt finishes. Marni's collection in January dern the upper range of the crop - any higher a may as well join the circus.
They should also always be narrowly ct
Of course, the added bonus of slim-cut tror that they give the impression of a longer lc
and broader shoulders (although if your wt piggy in the middle, stop reading this ahog
Vivienne Westwoodb autumn/winter Milan
is about as good an examp e as you'll find perfectly cropped, cut to follow the ieg, and not so narrow to warrant the envy of your teenage son. For those
who still aren't quite ready to frogmarch
their trousers to their tailor, there is a simple noncommittal solution: the roll-up. Adding a roll-up to a pair of jeans, cords, or any smart-casual trouser creates a marvellously insouciant spring/summer look
which is made even more appealing by the fact that you can change your mind about it after you've left the house for the day. You only have to look at Prada's latest A/W collection to see how a sombre, businesslike outfit can be made instantly less severe with the application of a casual roll-up. Dolce & Gabbana took the roll-up one step further by adding it to threepiece pinstripe suits and morning trousers, although
if you're Ascot-bound, I'd think twice before getting handy with your hems As with its cropped cousin, the roll-up should be subtle, two rolls at most: these are on-trend trouser legs you're creating, not tortillas. The final hurdle concerns the matter of socks, or lack of them. Whether you wear them or not should be determ ned by the state of the elements, but a word of warning on colour: go muted. By all means
contrast, but avoid stripes, cartoon characters or garish hues. lt's enough that you're already making statement with your trousers. @ All styles available from Quintessentially Gifts, e n
q u i ri es@ q u i n
tessen t i a I Iyg
i
fts. ca m
// (oPPOS|TE) MARNr A,^/V 2011 a
// (THIS PAGE ROTATING TOP LEFT TO RIGHT) VIVIENNE WESTWOOD Anr'r' 2011. MARNI A^ill 201 1, E. TAUTZ A/r'V 2011 AND VIVIENNE WESTWOOD A /r' 20't 1
