Elasticated Waist Trousers That Do Not Look It

Elasticated waist trousers have a reputation problem, and a good deal of it is deserved. Too many are cut like pyjamas and sold on comfort alone, as though nothing else mattered. The good ones are a different proposition entirely.

The short answer is the waistband. On a good pair the elastic is set into the back or the sides, so the front stays flat and nothing gathers under a tucked-in top. Fabric matters nearly as much, because a thin jersey will not hold a line however well the trouser is cut. Then there is the leg, which ought to look like somebody chose the shape.

At a glance

• Look for a flat front with the elastic set into the back or the sides only
• Bengaline, ponte and heavier jersey hold their shape. Thin jersey does not
• A tapered or a wide leg reads as a decision. A loose straight leg often reads as an accident
• Expect roughly £40 to £160, depending on the fabric and the finish
• We keep close to 2,000 pairs of trousers and jeans in the shop, so lengths are worth trying on in person

• What makes a good elasticated waist
• Six elasticated waist trousers on our rails
• How to wear them so they read smart
• Getting the length right
• Frequently asked questions

What makes a good elasticated waist

Three things, and the waistband is the first. On a well-made pair the front sits flat, with the give hidden at the back or along the sides. You get the comfort without the gathered look that announces itself under a jumper.

Fabric is the second. Bengaline, ponte and a heavier jersey all have enough body to fall properly from the hip. A thin jersey will cling to everything you would rather it did not, however generous the cut. This is where the price difference usually sits, and it is the difference you feel after a full day.

The leg shape is third and the one most often skipped. A tapered leg, a proper wide leg or a cropped straight leg all look intentional. A leg that is simply loose tends to read as a compromise, because that is what it is.

Six elasticated waist trousers on our rails

These are the pairs we come back to, and between them they cover most of what people ask for. All of them are in the shop in Shaftesbury as well as online.

• Frank Walder pull-on. The one we sell most of, in black and in ink navy. A flat front, a clean tapered leg, and a fabric with real weight to it. If you want one pair to wear to work, this is where to start.
• Robell Bella. Customers ask for Robell by name, which very few brands manage. The stretch bengaline holds you in and moves with you, and there is no zip or button to think about. Cropped and full lengths both.
• Brax Farina. A linen drawstring, so the waist gathers softly rather than sitting flat. Linen creases and that is the point of it. The nicest of these for warm weather and for travelling.
• Seasalt Waterdance. The one with colour in it, in a dark violet you will not see coming out of every other shop. Cotton-rich and easy, cut for a relaxed day rather than a desk.
• Fransa Aurora. A high fully elasticated waist under a tapered balloon leg, in a soft khaki. New in this season and the cheapest way into the shape.
• Tinta Urda. A black drawstring pull-on that does the plain, useful job very well. Worth knowing about if the others are more than you want to spend.

You can see the full women's trousers range online, and the Robell fits sit together on their own page if that is the one you are after.

How to wear them so they read smart

The trick is to let the top half do the tailoring. A trouser with a soft waist wants something with a bit of structure above it.

• A shirt tucked in, or half tucked, so the flat front of the waistband shows
• A jacket or a longer cardigan with some weight, rather than a soft sweatshirt
• A shoe with a defined shape. A loafer, a brogue or a neat boot rather than a trainer
• One good piece of jewellery, which does more here than it does with tailoring

If you are wearing a longline knit over the top, go for the tapered leg rather than the wide one. Two loose shapes together lose the waist altogether, and the waist is what makes the outfit work.

Getting the length right

Length is where most of these go wrong, and it is the hardest thing to judge on a screen. A cropped pair should finish at the narrowest part of the ankle. A full-length pair should just break on the shoe.

Brands cut their lengths differently, and the same size in two labels will not hang the same way. It is worth coming in and putting a few pairs on. We are on the high street in Shaftesbury, and there is no appointment needed for that.

The Fransa autumn pieces have only just landed, so that rail is the freshest of them at the moment.

Browse the trousers

Frequently asked questions

Are elasticated waist trousers smart enough for work?

Plenty of them are. The ones that are not tend to give themselves away at the waistband, where a fully gathered front bunches under anything tucked in. Look for a flat front with the elastic set into the back or the sides, and a fabric with enough weight to hold a crease line. A bengaline or ponte pair in navy or black, worn with a shirt and a proper shoe, sits perfectly comfortably in an office. Nobody looking at you will know how the waistband is made, which is rather the point.

What fabric holds its shape best?

Bengaline is the one most people end up preferring. It has a firm stretch that holds you in without feeling like sportswear, and it keeps its shape through a long day and a wash. Ponte and a heavier jersey both work well too. Linen behaves differently, softening and creasing as you wear it, which suits a drawstring style and warm weather rather than a smart winter trouser. The fabric to be careful of is a thin single jersey, which will follow every line underneath it however roomy the cut.

What is the difference between pull-on and drawstring trousers?

A pull-on trouser has the elastic sewn into the waistband, so the waist is fixed at one size and simply stretches. A drawstring has a tie you pull to whatever feels right on the day, usually over a lightly gathered waist. Pull-on styles generally look neater under a tucked-in top because the front stays flat. Drawstring styles give you more room to adjust and suit a softer, more relaxed trouser. Both count as elasticated waist trousers, and which one suits you is mostly about how you like to wear the top half.

Do you stock different leg lengths?

Yes, and it matters more than people expect. We carry cropped, full-length and a few wide styles across the brands, and the same nominal size will hang differently from one label to another. A cropped pair ought to finish at the narrowest part of the ankle rather than mid-calf. A full-length pair should just break on the shoe. If you are between lengths it really is worth trying two brands side by side, which is easier to do in the shop than at home.

Can I try them on in the shop?

Please do. We are at 30 High Street in Shaftesbury, open Monday to Saturday from half past nine until five, and you do not need to book anything. We keep close to 2,000 pairs of trousers and jeans in store, which is a good deal more than we can show online, so there are usually options on the rail that never make it onto the website. Someone will help you find the right length if you want the help, and leave you to it if you would rather.