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Let’s talk about pleats.
Trends certainly affect how we see clothes, but I think it’s wrong to think of pleats as either fashionable or unfashionable. Pleats have a purpose, both in terms of function and visual effect. They’re also connected to regional traditions. Let’s cover each in turn.
As a matter of practicality, pleats help trousers feel more comfortable, as the pleats expand when you sit down and close when you stand up. Henry Belafonte’s trousers here are a bit full, but you can see how his pleats open as he lifts his leg.
As a visual matter, I think they also help break up the expanse of fabric that can take up your lap when you wear high-rise trousers. To me, Marcello Mastroianni’s trousers on the right would visually benefit from pleats.
There are two types of pleats: forward and reverse. In the UK, “forward” refers to when pleats open towards the fly; “reverse” refers to when they open towards the hips. British tailors do forward pleats by default. These are British-made trousers with forward pleats:
Italians are the opposite: their default is to make pleats open towards the hips. One of my tailors is Sicilian. He tells me that, in Sicily, “regular pleats” open towards the hips, while “reverse pleats” open to the fly. Kinda funny that “reverse” is culturally dependent.
For this thread, I will use the British terminology.
British tailoring has always been more formal than its Italian & American counterparts. So, to my eye, forward pleats are more formal. They often result in a curved line (pic 1), while reverse pleats fall straight down (pic 2)
This curved line, along with where the pleats displace fullness, means that regular pleats can emphasize your hips (pic 1). Conversely, reverse pleats can make the hips look flatter, as they’re pulling fabric from the hip toward the fly, tucking it under the pleat (pic 2)
Consequently, I think that regular pleats are best for people with small hips. Reverse pleats work on anyone and can even help camouflage a big belly.
The best thing about pleats is that, if you wear high-rise trousers with a pressed crease, they can create a continuous line going from your hips to the cuffs. IMO, this knife-edge line can look very cool.
The challenge with this is that the tailoring also has to be very good. Pleats should always stay closed when you stand; never splay. The center crease on your trouser leg should also fall in the middle of your shoe. Depending on your fit challenges, you may need to go custom.
There are two other notable caveats. First, classic American tailoring differs from its British and Italian counterparts in that it often involves flat-front trousers. There is no right or wrong. Much depends on the style you want to convey (and the style of your jacket)
Secondly, some things simply look better without pleats: very casual pants (pic 1), low-rise pants, and pants made from thick materials such as moleskin or corduroy (pic 2). (Mick Jagger’s suit here is made from corduroy, even if it’s hard to tell in the photo)
If you’re curious about pleats, three things: First, think about the tradition and function of pleats rather than whether they’re trendy. Is your style British, Italian, or American? What level of formality do you want to convey?
Second, consider what I call the “shy pleat.” This is a “starter pleat” because the result is pretty close to flat-front pants anyway. This means a single pleat, not double pleats. Reverse, not forward. Shallow, not deep. And tacked down about an inch or so below the waistband.
Third, don’t think that pleats are only for older men. For one, some old men look great, so I don’t know why anyone thinks this is an insult. But more importantly, you just need to find better style inspiration. Lots of younger guys who look great in pleats.
