Choosing by Silhouette and Length: Summer Statement Pants Styles

In the hot summer, we tend to reach for skirts and dresses in search of coolness.

But that can narrow your fashion options, often leading to a similar look every time.

The bottoms you want to wear in summer are light, cool, and don't cling to your legs.

We'll introduce how to choose pants that satisfy both style and comfort. 

Choosing pants at an online store can feel like it has a slightly higher hurdle

compared to tops. Some people prefer a just-right fit, others prefer a looser fit

—it varies by person, but we'll introduce some key points for choosing well. 

・Size Notation and How to Read It

To begin with, finding the "just right" size for pants is a difficult thing.

As mentioned earlier, whether you want a snug fit or a loose fit

depends on personal preference, and it's also related to the silhouette of the pants themselves.

However, if you bring your mental image of the size closer to the actual size,

the gap you feel when the item arrives and you hold it in your hands will be much smaller.

Rather than vaguely imagining the size based on how it looks on the model in the product page,

it's important to properly check the size notation as well.

At ZUTTO, we measure the sizes ourselves and list them on the product pages.

Here is a guide to the measurement points we use. 

□Hip

・For items with a zipper

　The straight-line distance from the center of the zipper stop to both sides of the pants, doubled

・For items without a zipper

　The width of the largest part around the waist, doubled

□Hem width: The measured width of the hem 

□Waist: With the pants folded lengthwise so the left and right sides of the waist overlap, the width measured and doubled

□Rise: The straight-line distance from the top edge to the crotch seam line

□Inseam: The straight-line distance from the crotch seam line to the hem 

・Measuring Your Own Pants

To make size notations shown only in numbers easier to understand,

try measuring your own pants.

If you have a pair of pants that gives you the "size and feel I want to wear" impression,

it's a good idea to measure those pants and compare them.

At that time, what you especially want to pay attention to are the three points that easily affect fit and silhouette:

【Waist, Hip, and Inseam】.

Also, if you want to wear jeans or chinos at just the right length without cuffing them,

hemming is often necessary,

so some people may hesitate to shop for these at an online store.

However, these days there are many repair shops near your home or at the station

that handle such alterations (hemming, shoe repair, bag repair, and so on),

so if you find pants you like at an online store, you can have the hemming done elsewhere—

that's also a valid option. 

Pants come in various silhouettes such as wide, tapered, sarouel, cropped, and half,

and I actually think summer is the best season to enjoy many of these silhouettes.

In winter, lengths that expose the ankle are hard to wear,

and if you wear tights underneath because of the cold, then even snugly fitted

pants silhouettes surprisingly get less wear in winter too.

Let's enjoy, in summer, pants that feel light and pleasant to wear against bare legs. 

— Distinctive Bottoms Paired with Patterned Tops 

Pants: Peru Cotton Sarouel Pants (FACTORY)

Top: French Sleeve Shirt (Les Olivades)

Sandals: Belted Espadrille Sandals BLK (gaimo)

Sarouel pants are bottoms with a deep-rise pattern.

When standing straight, they look like a skirt at first glance,

but because they're constructed like a long culotte,

they move easily with the legs and are comfortable to walk in.

The waist features gathered elastic and a drawstring,

making for a comfortable, stress-free design to wear.

While subtly covering the shape of the thighs to calves,

the length reveals the ankles, so depending on how you pair them with shoes or sandals,

you can create a range of different looks.

The great thing about sarouel pants is that, like a skirt,

they're loose and comfortable, yet still have the reassurance of pants.

And simply wearing them creates an effortlessly stylish impression.

However, because they're such loose pants,

if you pair them with a simple T-shirt or beach sandals,

there's a risk of looking too relaxed.

The key is to pair them with a patterned shirt, a top with a stylish silhouette,

or refined accessories like leather sandals.

For those who often ride bicycles for shopping and other errands,

you might worry whether you can ride a bike in sarouel pants,

but with an ordinary-shaped bicycle that isn't a mountain bike

(one where the bar connecting the front and rear wheels isn't set high),

you can ride without the deep rise of sarouel pants getting caught.

(Of course, this depends on your particular bicycle, so please take this as reference only.) 

Pants: Peru Cotton Sarouel Pants (FACTORY)

Top: Short Sleeve Drop Shoulder Basque Shirt (M.B.L)

Sandals: Beaded Thong Sandals 0950 BLACK (PIKOLINOS)

Pants: 4-pocket cropped linen denim pants (Nigel Cabourn)

Top: jersey/linen shirt (Nigel Cabourn)

Sandals: dansko

Wide pants made from the somewhat unusual material of linen denim.

Since wide pants don't cling to your legs, they're a welcome choice for the hot summer months.

The subtle sheen of the 100% linen denim gives it a quality feel befitting an adult,

and the combination with the boyish silhouette makes for a stylishly understated piece.

Even with its wide silhouette, the drape of the linen prevents it from flaring out too much,

allowing you to put together a well-balanced coordinate.

You can also enjoy how the fabric deepens in character the more you wear it.

Since the pants have such a strong presence, pairing them with a solid-colored top

can end up feeling a bit too plain.

We recommend choosing a patterned shirt, or even a T-shirt with a bit of playful character.

The products created by the British brand Nigel Cabourn

are based on the functional designs found in fine vintage clothing.

The military wear that serves as its background is built on the idea that, in the harsh conditions of the battlefield, unnecessary

details were stripped away, and only the most practical specifications developed further, becoming more functional over time,

surviving as a refined, honed design. 

Pants: 4-pocket cropped linen denim pants (Nigel Cabourn)

Top: LinenBorder shirt (HAVERSACK)

Sandals: VIOLET Red Burnished (dansko)

Bag: [Custom order] 3-way leather pochette enveloppe GREY (PATRICK STEPHAN)

— Dressed up neatly with tucks

Pants: Belgian linen tucked wide pants, ecru (FACTORY)

Top: cotton-linen jacquard dolman sleeve blouse (ZUTTO)

Sandals: strap sandals BEIGE (ITALO CARLI)

Bag: hand-carry basket 001 (MUUN)

It's curious how, even with relaxed-style linen pants,

the addition of tucks pulls the whole look together into something neat and polished.

The Belgian linen tucked wide pants from the Japanese brand FACTORY

are made with a relaxed, roomy cut that doesn't cling to the lines of the body.

While the tucks at the waist give the pants a three-dimensional form,

the supple fabric keeps the hem settled without flaring out.

The restrained volume makes them suitable for a wide range of body types.

The smooth, dry-feeling fabric feels pleasant against bare skin, and since it doesn't constrict the body, it's a valuable piece for hot summer days.

For pants like these, pairing them with a blouse or polo shirt—

something not too casual—creates a well-balanced look. 

— A classic straight silhouette you'll want to wear all summer

Pants: slim fit jeans 10D02 Ecru denim (Universal Works)

Top: S3926 24G SHORT SLEEVES (JOHN SMEDLEY)

Sandals: Classic Leather Womens Mocha (RAINBOW SANDALS)

When it comes to summer-appropriate denim, white is the answer.

Since denim is thicker than chino fabric,

tight-fitting denim can feel a bit stifling in summer heat.

Choosing a pair with some room around the thighs and knees,

and rolling up the cuffs, gives just the right summery feel.

Refreshing white denim is exactly what you want to wear breezily in summer.

The slim fit jeans 10D02 Ecru denim from Universal Works

are a straight-type jean.

Having been given a single wash, they're relatively soft,

so you can enjoy a fit-like feel when wearing them.

They use a selvedge denim fabric made in Portugal on old looms,

of a type that barely still exists in Europe.

Even a simple pairing of white denim with a white T-shirt

comes together with a cool, refreshing look. Add an accent with a belt,

and be sure to give some thought to your accessories too.

They also work well as bottoms to pair with tunics or dresses.

Blue denim is a classic choice, but for a combination with an unmistakably summery feel, go with white. 

Pants: slim fit jeans 10D02 Ecru denim (Universal Works)

Dress: linen shirt dress (120%LINO)

— Balance fatigue pants with heels

Pants: easy fatigue pants, women's (GUNG HO)

Top: linen long sleeve shirt, round collar, Caramel (James Mortimer)

Bag: [Custom order] 3-way leather pochette enveloppe BLACK (PATRICK STEPHAN)

Stole: stole AZUR (INOUITOOSH)

The easy fatigue pants for women are made from a material

that combines cotton with linen, giving them a feminine sheen.

As the name "easy" suggests, these are pants you can wear with ease.

What makes them so easy to wear is

・soft fabric that doesn't feel stiff

・waist with elastic plus drawstring

is the specification, and even with the same military look

you can wear them more relaxed than heavier cargo pants.

In fact, when you actually put them on, the fabric around the legs doesn't feel stiff,

and even when you crouch down, there's no tight pulling feeling at the knees.

Even though the color and design give these work pants a masculine image,

pairing them with the right tops or shoes brings out a feminine styling —

that's GUNG HO's fatigue pants.

Roll up the hems and pair with heels, or match them with a loose-silhouette,

soft and airy top, or pair with a white shirt or pastel colors —

any of these combinations work well and bring out a feminine touch. 

Pants: Easy Fatigue Pants, Women's (GUNG HO)

Top: Linen Long Sleeve Shirt, Round Collar, White (James Mortimer)

Shoes: Flat Shoes, JazzShoe White (CATWORTH)