Men’s Guide to Wearing Pleated and Flat-Front Pants

For a sleek and dapper profile, finding a slick pair of trousers is a requisite. With many choices flooding the fashion scene, it might seem an arduous task. We are here to help you through the sea of choice among slim-fit, high-rise, pleated, and tapered pants, and offer you a quick guide to understanding the basic differences between pleated and flat-front pants.

Pleated pants VS Flat-Front pants

Men choose between pleated and flat-front pants depending on their physique, level of comfort, and style preference. However, it is a proven fact that pleated pants offer more comfort.

Pleats and Flats

Pleats are folds of fabric stitched to the pants right below the waistband. The pleats are added to make sure that your legs can breathe with ease while accommodating your weight. Therefore, pleated pants offer more room for movement, especially among men with a large physique. 

When it comes to flat-front pants, there are no creases on them. The front part of the pants will look flat and smooth, unlike the pleated ones. While slimmer men can pull off this style with ease, it may seem restrictive for tall and well-built men.

Unlike traditional pleated pants, the modern fashion trends point towards tapered pleated pants with a baggy waist and a fitted bottom. In these garments, the portions designed to accommodate the legs taper down, giving the wearer a slimmer look, making the wearer feel comfortable and look stylish at the same time.

Since flat-front pants do not have pleats or creases on their waistband, they look slimmer and flatter. 

Types of Pleated Pants

There are two types of pleated pants based on the direction of their pleats. Forward and reverse pleated. In forwards pleated pants, the pleats will be pointed inside, whereas, in the reverse pleated pants, pleats will be pointed outside, towards the pocket.

There are also single pleated, double pleated, triple, and even quad pleated pants. Single or double pleated pants are great picks for formal looks. As the number of the pleats increases, the bagginess and higher rise of the pants also increases. The choice of pleats need to be made based on the physique and comfort levels of the wearer.

Choose it right

Flat-front pants are not generally preferred by people with a bit of weight around their midsection. This is because flat-front pants do not offer much room for extra weight around your waist, and ultimately tend to make people look a little larger than normal.

At the same time, pleated pants will cover the abdomen and provide more comfort, especially while seated.

Wear it right

Flat-front pants are worn a bit lower down the hip to create a perfect slim look. However, pleated pants are worn high up the waist because they have a higher rise. If you are skinny, flat-front pants will suit you well, but if you have a large or an athletic physique, pleated pants would be the best choice.

Pleated pants are best paired with suits or blazers, that tend to camouflage the pleats. It can also be worn with a stylish shirt, that can be tucked in if the occasion demands. Flat-fronts are ideally worn with casual shirts and t-shirts. Venfield offers a huge smart collection of casuals and formals.

Cuffs are a major addition that are found exclusively in pleated pants. Based on the texture of the fabric, these cuffs may be removed if the wearer feels uncomfortable.

Size it right

Whether you are choosing pleated or flat-front pants, make sure you get the right size. If you get a bigger size, pleated pants will make you look sloppier and baggier. Similarly, flat-front pants also would not fit right to your waist. On the same note, a smaller size will make you feel even more uncomfortable. So, always ensure that you get a well-fitting pair of pleated or flat-front pants.

Do it right

Without a doubt, flat-fronts are all the rage today with their slimmer silhouette. But, classic pleats have also redefined the trend with style and vigour. Flat-fronts or pleats, always make sure that you wear a lighter fabric for more comfort. 
Check out Venfield’s men’s wear collection for a bewildering array of trousers and do it right.