Pleated Trousers Are Making a Big Comeback – Part 1

Pleated Trousers Are Making a Big Comeback – Part 1

There is an interesting trend now taking place in men's clothing. Where professional men have been burdened by skinny pants for the last seven or eight years, more reasonable men have decided that comfort is more important than style. They are beginning to look toward what is considered a fashion relic: pleated trousers. Thank goodness pleats are coming back.

This post is the first in a 2-part series discussing the comeback of pleated trousers. There was a day when you could barely find a pair of men's dress slacks that didn't have pleats. But then pleats suddenly disappeared. There is no particular reason explaining why this happened, it just did.

Nothing More Stylish Than Comfort

It is quite possible that doing away with pleats was just a way for fashion designers to sell new clothes. It's not like that sort of thing doesn't happen in the world of high fashion. But fashion designers are all about style. the strange thing is that there is nothing more stylish than comfort. That is one of the reasons we made our waterproof shoe covers out of a lightweight fabric.

Skinny pants with very little fabric might make the professional man look modern, but how far does that look go when he is struggling to hide the pain? How far does it go with struggles to sit down? You see, all style and fashion go out the window when clothes are too uncomfortable to wear.

Why Pleats Are Awesome

If nothing else, our grandfathers and great grandfathers wore pleated trousers because they are comfortable. Pleats give a man more room to move. The extra fabric adds flexibility so that one can sit down and still have room to move. Take away the pleats and you still need to make a pair of trousers loose-fitting enough to accommodate movement.

What does any of this have to do with GC Tech waterproof overshoes? Everything. It is one thing to have a pair of overshoes or galoshes that protect your dress shoes. It's another thing to have a pair that are actually comfortable to wear. From our point of view, an uncomfortable pair is less likely to be worn. So then what's the point?

Different Kinds of Pleats

Getting back to pleated trousers for a minute, there are different types of pleats: forward and reverse. A forward pleat is created by pulling the fabric forward and sewing it in place. It is easily recognized because you can see the crease facing forward.

Reverse pleats are just the opposite. Extra fabric is pulled toward the rear and sewn in place. Now, instead of seeing the actual crease, all you see is a sharp line where the pleat has been created. Reverse pleats tend to create a looser fitting pair of trousers whereas forward pleats offer a more formal look. Both do the job of providing that extra fabric that facilitates easier movement.

Treat Your Trousers like Your Shoes

In part two of this series, we will take a look at tips for wearing pleated trousers. Yes, there are fashion rules to pay attention to. In the meantime, do your pleated trousers a favor and take care of them just like you do your dress shoes.

You've invested in waterproof overshoes to protect your high-quality footwear against the weather. Protect your pleated trousers by wearing an overcoat in bad weather. Also be sure to launder your trousers according to manufacturer instructions.

Pleated trousers are making a comeback. Thank goodness for that. It has been a long time coming in a modern world where skinny pants are the 'in' thing.