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There’s no law that says when the temperature hits the mid twenties you must put on your wafty summer dress. That’s certainly the expectation: break out the A line, aerated dress and off you go.
But what if you’re essentially a trouser woman? What if spring, autumn and winter find you mainly in jeans, cords, cargos or a trouser suit and what makes youfeel cool in the heat is… light summer trousers?
I love a summer dress but when I want to feel pulled together and comfortable I’m happiest in trousers. Trousers always feel more modern and there’s a part of me that wants to avoid following the herd – not least because it’s mainly us 50-plusers who are wearing dresses now (younger women, given the choice, go for trousers or shorts every time).
I’m pretty sure that’s what Cate Blanchett was thinking when she wore a pair of brown tailored trousers, a shirt and blazer to the Chelsea Flower Show in May when every other celebrity – with the notable exception of Bianca Jagger – was wearing a print frock for the occasion. Blanchett stood out from the crowd looking relaxed, cool and very much herself and then repeated the trick at Wimbledon – this time in a pale blue and white check Armani trouser suit.
There’s a soft power in choosing summer trousers too. The blue wide leg ones with matching double breasted jacket that Italian PM Giorgia Meloni wore to the G7 summit a few weeks ago looked fresh, appropriate and much more confident – among all those men in suits – than a dress ever could have.
As Meloni’s swishy trousers demonstrated you don’t have to be tall to wear wide, long styles (she’s just under five foot three) and trousers don’t have to be dark to flatter the wearer.
What they need to be this summer is relaxed, masculine cut and lightweight (look for linen blends which these days barely crease). Reiss has pleat front trousers in dusty blue (in the sale £68). If you can stretch to the blazer (on sale £148) you’ll have the Meloni set.
The classic summer option is still white. Cos do a good tailored pair (£70 cos.com) with single front leg creases that makes them extra smart.
Otherwise neutral tones like oatmeal show the dirt less and look good with white tops and jackets. Marks and Spencer’s neutral linen blend trousers (£39.50 marksandspencer.com) and Reiss’s neutral linen blend (£168 Reiss.com) are also masculine tailored with front creases.
The idea of deviating from dark trousers fills a lot of women with horror (don’t coloured trousers accentuate your stomach and hips?) But a forgiving cut (choose a zip and tab front rather than a flat-front) worn with a boxy top that finishes mid-hip, or a bottom covering jacket or long line waistcoat (lots of trousers come with matching waistcoats this season) easily solves that problem.
Colours to consider this summer include khaki, try Reiss again (£150); fresh yellowish greens, like the ones at M&S (£45) and red. It can be tricky, but not if you wear it as a block colour, and I like red trousers with a light blue or pale striped blouse, worn half tucked in.
Mint Velvet have several good looking wide trouser styles this season including a red high-waisted pair (£140 mintvelvet.com) and a linen mix style (£120) that also comes in dark navy. If you do have the arms for a waistcoat, the matching long line V neck waistcoat (£140) makes a co-ord that would look smart for work with beige trainers or black sandals. In the evening, swap for kitten heel flip flops and add chunky gold bracelets. Longer linen blend waistcoats worn with trousers are this summer’s tuxedo – your alternative LBD.
Talking of little black dresses there’s no denying black linen trousers are an easy, useful option for summer, particularly if they come with an elasticated waist (make sure the fabric is good quality so this looks just relaxed enough without tipping over into beach territory).
The fashion front row have Arket’s elastic waisted black trousers (£57 arket.com) for everyday in the office to wear with a vest, a loose linen shirt or Arket’s waisted linen waistcoat (£87). Blanchett brown is the up to the minute alternative – strangely enough easier than black – to combine with summer colours like yellow and red.
When I last looked Zara had eight pairs and the chic shirt brand WNU now does elastic waisted 100 per cent hemp palazzo pants – in chocolate brown (£120 withnothingunderneath.com).
Otherwise my money is on summer pinstripe trousers with a cream background. They have the advantage of looking suity and therefore smarter and have the chic of white trousers without their practical disadvantages. My favourites are, again, from Mint Velvet (£120).
