Gant, £125, gant.co.uk; Joseph, £285, joseph-fashion.com; Toast, £185, toa.st
Of course today you don’t have to resort to the men’s department for wide-leg trousers or chinos. These items can be found at Cos, Boden, Toast and Gant. For everyday, preppy classics, try Gap: the American brand is back with a store on Oxford Street and available online (check out the high-rise linen pleated wide-leg pants, now £35.97). And more good news: perennial wardrobe basics look better with age. I have a pair of MHL (by Margaret Howell) cotton drill trousers, bought at a sample sale many years ago and still going strong.
There’s a wonderful, gender-fluid exhibition on at the V&A – Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear – and while I adore Billy Porter’s bejewelled tuxedo gown and the androgynous Gucci glamour, it’s the simple outfits I love most. The late 1980s Joe Casely-Hayford day-to-evening shirt and trousers, David Bowie’s elegant, charcoal grey Thierry Mugler suit (together with his Katharine Hamnett kitten heels) and the Grace Wales Bonner palest pink mohair two-piece. As curator Claire Wilcox has said: “This is a celebration of the masculine wardrobe and everybody is invited to join in.”
Three tips for wearing wide-leg trousers
Elevation Station
Avoid being swamped by baggy trousers by elevating the wider leg style with a platform sole or take the safer option and choose a pair of chunky trainers or low-heeled ankle boots and a belt
Layer up
The wide-leg chino and cotton shirt is a classic look. Wear the shirt open over a T-shirt, then add a bright cardigan or knitted tank top. These neutral trousers are a great wardrobe building block and can take stronger colours
Play with proportions
Keep the volume under control by pairing baggy trousers with a more fitted top half. The knitted polo shirt works well with a high-waisted pant, then add a fitted blazer or denim jacket
