Keep Short Trousers at Arms Length

Up She Rises

Trousers are rising up the leg again. The half-mast look only works with skinny trousers, which only work if you're skinny. And half-mast only works in the right context, as you wouldn't wear half-mast trousers as part of a wedding suit. The safe trouser length, for the standard width, is the single break — one horizontal crease at the front and material falling about half-an-inch over the heel at the back. Less length than that and the trouser needs to narrow. More length shouldn't really be considered, as a mass of material bunched over your lovely shoes won't look good.

Single break

Know these rules and you can play with them. Flicking through a book on British street style by Ted Polhemus, whilst sipping a cup of Earl Grey tea, I happened on the remarkable photo you see above of Paul Weller, which was taken in Oxford in the early 80s. Blimey, that's short trousers. Weller is wearing light trousers at very short length with dark shoes and socks and it bloody works (almost). How does he do it?

Bloody works (almost)

The coat looks tremendous too, which reminds me of
the simple maxims I employ when shopping:

1. Formal wear: Would the item look okay if I were an extra in a film starring Cary Grant?
2. Casual wear: Would Paul Weller allow me on the back of his scooter if I turned up wearing the item?
3. I need this item. Will rationalise the spending later.

Happy shopping, chums.