I have always been a fan of Trinny and Susannah. I particularly like their argument, back in their first What Not To Wear books, that cropped, tapered trousers are a definite no no.
I'm very aware that Trinny and Susannah started sharing, some might say spouting, their fashion advice a good ten years ago now, and those of you in fashion circles will obviously say that their view then shouldn't be used as good fashion advice now.
Before this week I would have disagreed. There are just some items of clothing that will never ever look flattering on anyone other than a size zero, 6 ft tall, 18 year old, and cropped trousers is just one of them.
The fact that so many size 16, short, middle-aged women insist on wearing them astounds me. They don't flatter your leg; in fact they make it look even shorter, and make you look even wider.
Why do it?
This week I may be stepping down from my soap box and admitting that there may just be instances where the cropped trouser has a lot going for it.
A month ago I bought a pair from Monsoon (surprise surprise). They are lovely and comfortable and were purchased specifically for my summer holiday. I had my doubts before trying them on, but they looked OK and I figured I could at last buy a pair of trousers that I didn't have to re-hem. I'm 5 ft 6, you see. This is taller than average, but short enough that 'long' trousers drape on the floor without a minimum of a 4 inch heel. So my trousers are either re-hemmed, or I wear them with the heels.
This has always caused me a problem at this time of year; particularly this year; when it's raining a lot. You see I don't like doing the school run in my heels. Read more about this HERE. I buy particularly nice heels for work and don't want them ruining. The thought of trudging through the mud and puddles to the school yard and standing there with my 3 year old stamping all over my feet makes my heart sink. So I try and wear flats for the school run (all the better for chasing a runaway child down the road in). Of course my long trousers then end up soaked. So I have to tuck them into wellies (not flattering), tuck them into pop-socks (even less flattering) or wear a skirt.
But now I have discovered the cropped trouser. Not just any cropped trouser. The work cropped trouser. The cropped trouser that has this week been worn with flats to work. It's a first – I NEVER wear flats to work, but I did and it was fine. Though I won't be doing flats again; I like being tall too much! But the slightly less smart, but nevertheless smart enough for work cropped trouser worn with my favourite smart Irregular Choice heels; now that was a genius plan. I wore flats in the car and on the school run; happily avoided looking daft, and popped on the heels at work.
No drenched trousers.
They don't make me look nearly as tall as the boot-cut, overly long trousers do. But they solve the rain problem.
So I apologise Trinny and Susannah, but I may well be buying some more!
*I apologise for the picture quality, but my photographer is only 6 years old! Personally I think she did quite well with a dodgy model.
