High-Waist, Wide-Leg, Low-Risk

One of my fashion holy grails is a Forties-style high-waisted, wide-leg pant. I prefer a drapey style rather than a cut that clings, and love the swoosh of voluminous fabric as I walk (although this can prove dangerous when paired with heels and negotiating stairs – they have proved my downfall at least once). So I am always on the lookout for them when I go op-shopping.

When you go thrifting, you must always remember to check a potential purchase for flaws, and decide whether the financial outlay plus the cost of any required alterations make the garment in question worth the investment.

In the case of these polka dot pants, the waistband had a huge hole in it as though a belt loop had been ripped out, and fabric pooled around my feet; I would certainly have to have them professionally altered. (I am not on cordial terms with my sewing machine.)

In the change room I considered the trousers dubiously: I could repair the hole myself, and besides once the long fabric belt was tied, my mending would be obscured. The fabric was certainly very nice too, 100% viscose. Though I admit silk crepe would be even nicer, viscose is made from wood cellulose, so it is a natural fibre, which is always a plus. Moreover, they were only $5. This was virtually no-risk fashion!

Moreover, they were only $5. This was virtually no-risk fashion!

When I took the pants to my tailor a few days later (taking with me the pair of shoes I intended to wear with them), the tailor observed there were a couple of extra inches in the waistband, so it would be easy to repair the hole. With the waist sitting in the correct position, the pants were not as overly long as I originally surmised. Still, the tailor – who thought they were fine as is – agreed to take them up another inch to pacify me. They still look a bit too long for my liking in the still photographs, but seem less so when I’m walking, as they swish around.

The only problem, I told my tailor, was that they were too long to wear with walking shoes on my commute, which is a half-hour walk each direction. They’d drag in the dust. I would have to wear heels all this way! My tailor was extremely unsympathetic and told me that was the price of fashion.

In the end, I spent around $30 on repairs and alterations. Even on top of the cost of the trousers, this still makes a bargain!

Photos: This week