A few months ago I wrote about the trainers I wear on a regular basis. A helpful exercise (for me, if not for anyone else) for taking stock of the footwear I own and see what I wear all the time—and why. Mostly it was footwear that was comfortable, versatile and could be worn with a lot of different items in my wardrobe.
So this week I sat down to do the same with my trousers. But it was a lot harder. I tried to create a curated list—eight, like the number in my trainers post felt neat, and thought-through. I popped a tentative list together. But as I scrolled through my Instagram and rifled through my wardrobe, you won't believe the amount of times I exclaimed (on my own, to myself, such is the life of a WFH freelancer) "Ooh, got to include those too". Or "Bloody hell, how did I forget about them?"
The number crept way past eight and that's ok. Because trousers are what I wear day in and day out. I'm not really a dress or skirt person, except for fancy occasions or during those few weeks in summer when it's warm enough. Same goes with shorts. So if it's all you really wear on your bottom half, I say having more than eight 'regulars' is more than ok.
I also realised, as I was putting this list together, that some of my regulars are very similar. Barrel-leg trousers make up a bulk of my wardrobe (which I wrote about here), I've got two pairs of black jeans that I flit between, and black straight-leg trousers are such a staple that they form a part of my capsule wardrobe.
By this point, the list was getting so long it all got a bit silly. So I've decided to focus on my regular trouser categories. It’s much more palatable and will (hopefully) stop you from scrolling for hours as I wax lyrical about every single pair of trousers I own.
Psst, this is a long post so it will likely be cut off if you’re reading this in your emails. Click the headline and it will take you to the full post online.
Workwear Trousers
If you’re a regular reader of The Jones Report you’ve probably seen these trousers pop up more than once. The colour is great, for starters; a rich caramel shade that makes a nice departure from the ubiquitous black or navy, while going with most other colours in my wardrobe. They also take design cues from classic jeans, workwear and tailoring, with a relaxed fit, tapered leg and cinch back at the rear. They’re comfortable but they’re also smart and thanks to that design, they can make an outfit stand out with even the simplest of tops or accessories.
Off-White Trousers
These trousers and I go back a few years. I bought them from one of Bassike’s stores in Sydney (Double Bay I believe), around the beginning of 2019. It was one of those magical moments—they were the last ones in the sale, in exactly my size, and it truly felt like love at first sight. It’s a testament to Bassike’s commitment to quality fabrics that these have lasted as long as they have because while I lived in Aus, I wore them constantly and when it’s been warm enough in the UK, they’ve been one of the first pairs of trousers I’ve reached for too. A pair of off-white trousers is an excellent addition to a wardrobe. They’re great to wear in spring/summer and provide an excellent contrast to darker colours in your wardrobe, as well as complementing lighter pieces.