I never minded - too much. In fact, I irritated TRS years ago by posting on 'Better Pleats Than Highwaters' or some such nonsense.
Of course the majority on here will be in thrall to the flat front (I am myself, still, to a very large degree, thinking it the Ivy 'ideal'), yet the Italian-made Paul Stuart cords I was wearing around 2008 (they've only just gone to a charity shop: I could probably fit into them now) were pleated. I've also seen at least one photograph of John Simons (outside Russell Street, almost certainly) wearing strides with pleats.
The Ralph Lauren blue chinos and khaki shorts I've just bought are both pleated.
Are they, like darts in a jacket, a real no-no for you?
I don’t own anything with pleats. But I’m also not particularly against them.
Thinking of grey flannel. Single pleats. Maybe turn ups. White shirt with knitted tie. Black shoes. Very nice.
Don’t think I could go with pleats in chinos. Only because being a kid and early teenager in the eighties I suspect I’ve been there - I’ve got hazy memories of baggy pleated chinos with pastel acrylic fisherman jumpers. Haircut 100?
(Slightly) Darted jackets aren’t a no go for me either though.
Ivy is a clean cut look and pleats don’t fit in with that any more than a darted, padded shoulder jacket with side vents. Nothing wrong with that of course.
Of course Woof is right. It would be a brave or ignorant man who would wear a suit with pleated trousers and shoulder padding and claim it to be in any way ivy. It wouldn’t be.
I suppose there is always the danger that throwing your lot in with any strict style rules can be detrimental? Without wanting to upset anyone, which I’m just about to do, I’ve seen plenty of photos of chaps wearing trad gear that, quite frankly could do with a bit of waist suppression and pleating. And skinny guys with pleated trousers ballooning around them. Or having sack jackets hanging off them like they’ve borrowed it from an uncle.
Don’t pay me any attention though. I’m only here as a modernist/ivy/preppie casual observer and occasional chipper inner!
The problem with pleats regardless of Ivy or not is the excessive amount of fabric that's added to most middle aged spreads.
It looks like pleats are on their way back in.
With the current trend for shorter jackets pleats can look pretty silly
Pleated Peg trousers, were very big on the soul scene late 70's, worn with winkle picker shoes or Plastic sandals, can't quite believe I dressed that way once.
If I ever get a suit made by Anderson & Sheppard, it should be double-breasted with pleated trousers.
Most chaps buy trousers that tally with their notion of what their waist size is rather than the actual reality revealed by a tape measure around the midriff. This being so, the pleated trouser becomes an attractive, more comfortable trouser option. But, as my middle aged Style God and Posh Role Model Monty Don says - always buy your trousers a size or two bigger than your (perceived) waist size and then pull them in with a good belt, probably one of those JS McRostie numbers, or a vintage Canterbury with a horseshoe buckle. Doing this the plain front remains by far the best option, avoiding the need for pleats (often rather ugly), but allowing comfort and plenty of room for the Orchestras. Alas, the days of vintage Ivy sta-press are now over for me. Sob.
Sound advise.
A tailor told me that pleats and darts and all these refinements originated from alterations tailoring. Not sure if he was right about this.
I got a chap to measure round my waist quite a few years ago and was slightly horrified by the answer. Now, the chinos and cords I bought then are virtually unwearable and a couple of pairs bought last autumn are slipping. I sometimes wish I still had my blood red J.Press suspenders.
I've just the one pair of pleated chinos. Navy Ralph Lauren. And the shorts - which will only be dug out in hot weather. A pair of Bean chinos I bought at the same time are flat-fronted.
Ah, I've just remembered. Mr. Allen is featured on our Gibson's IG photo-fest on Instagram (dread word, indeed) wearing chinos with - gasp - pleats. And I would lay even money on Mr. Allen not having much of a gut - indeed, I strongly suspect he still has the spare frame he's been sporting since the 'Take The Money And Run' period (if not before).
I've just taken another look at my new chinos. They appear 'clean cut' enough to me. That's a phrase I like, redolent of stern Baptism, square haircuts, close shaves and giving three cheers for the Red, White and Blue.
One of the last pairs of pleated chinos I can remember having was mid '90's, bought from IS Richmond, Italian made and one of the best pairs of chinos I think I've ever owned, they were inverted pleats, greener end of khaki if that makes sense, maybe a pair or two of single pleat ' dress trousers' around the same time,
Uncle Ian mentioned on a thread a few months ago he had a couple of MtM ( or bespoke) suits made, non Ivy I think he said, be interesting to know what the cut of the trousers were, I've fancied a MtM suit in recent years, but TBH I'd just get it out of the wardrobe every now and again to admire it,both kids are (hopefully happily ) married, grandkids are way too young to get married so no chance there to wear a suit, seems a bit of a luxury to have for the increasing number of funerals you get to attend as you get older !
Single forward pleat and a long rise will work for me. Or has in the past.
The Dockers Look is awful -- Man with middle-aged gut buys pleated chinos in what he thinks are his size, and wears them on his hips, like jeans. This causes the double reverse pleats to billow, and innocent onlookers to suspect priapism.
And the pants are usually too long, too, resulting in puddles.
^ Right. No disagreement with that.
Odd thing about Dockers - they were offered to be as the latest, super-duper pants Christ knows how many years ago by the owners of a shop where generations of kids had gone for their Levis, Wranglers etc. A few years down the line, they were turning up in Cost Co. The other week, in a local charity shop, entire rails were on offer at £3 apiece. About $5?
^ I wore out a couple pairs of flat front Dockers. They were serviceable.
Patrick's right. They were. I bought a pair and wore them out.
- Is there a problem?
- Forget my number