Pleats go in and out of fashion – they came back in the 80s and stayed with us until comparatively recently, and they are perfect for business and dressier trousers. But, buyer beware – they are difficult to get right, and many tailors seem to have lost the art.
We have written before on these pages about why you might want to choose pleats or flat fronts, and there are websites galore that argue one or both points of view. This post is specifically about what to check when you buy or commission pleated trousers.
Take a look at the picture. Granted, these are RTW, but this seems to be about as good as it gets with pleats in the broader market. Dear reader: these are not pleats. They are creases, masquerading as pleats.
Real pleats look like this. They hang down, forming part of the front crease of the trousers. The front pleats in the picture are about 1.5 inches deep, which is about the minimum depth for the right effect.
To achieve decent pleats, you first need a fairly full cut for the trousers, and this is where most RTW pleated trousers fail – there just is not enough fabric in the hips, thighs and seat to let the pleats do their work. Second, the rise has to be high enough for the pleats to find their position and hang correctly.
Conclusion: when buying RTW, try them on and check the depth of the pleats, how they hang, the rise and the fullness in the hips and thighs. If the depth is too shallow, the rise too low and the hips and thighs too snug, opt for flat fronts instead. They will look a lot better than most pleats.