What are trousers?

What exactly are "trousers," and how are they different from "slacks," "pants," etc.? 

That's probably a question best left to scholars and historians, and if you wish, you may study the evolution of "trousers" over the centuries in considerable depth; we've included a list of helpful resources for you in our "Recommended Reading" section later.

For the purposes of this tutorial, we refer to "pants" as the generally low-rise, mass-produced garments currently in fashion, and "trousers" as the generally high-rise, tailored garments (often worn with suspenders/braces) that were the popular fashion from the mid-1800s to early 1900s. 

The "trousers" to which we are referring will be those most commonly worn during the Victorian era; hence why we refer to them as "Victorian trousers." 

Tailored trousers were still fairly common into the early 20th century, but they gradually fell out of fashion as garment waistlines were lowered, waistcoats ("vests") became less popular, and the industrial age brought about the mass-production of garments. 

That said, you've probably seen Victorian-style (or at least, "Victorian-inspired") trousers many times, perhaps without realizing it, as they're still quite popular in entertainment - particularly in film, television, and theater. Trousers are also a common staple in steampunk cosplay and period reenactments, and variations are still worn in some militaries. 

Let's begin our trousers examination at the source with some materials from the period and briefly explore some of the common standards of typical trousers.

Below are examples of typical Victorian trousers from The Modern Tailor, Outfitter, and Clothier (Volume 3), which is on our recommended reading list:

Note that the pair on the left (C) has a cut-on waistband, buttons and a "double-top" on the back for suspenders (also called braces), and cuffs at the hem. The pair on the right (D) has a sewn-on waistband without the "double-top" on the back, and it also has a pair of pleats on each side of the front. 

However, trousers were by no means limited to these specific variations!

Aside from the "double-top" at the back, which is seldom seen in current fashion, perhaps the most striking feature of typical trousers is that they were considerably more "high-rise" than today's typical pants; as mentioned previously, most men's pants today rest on the wearer's hips, instead of the wearer's natural waist (which is navel-level on the male figure - hence nicknames like "belly-button pants"). 

While we here at Bad Wolf Costumes aren't quite sure why this is, we do have a couple theories. 

First, fashion trends aside, the natural waist is a logical place for trousers to extend upward toward, as it's generally a more secure place for the waistband to rest than the hips; unless the wearer is "corpulent," it's pretty much impossible for the trousers to fall down, since the waist circumference is usually several inches smaller than that of the hips. Add some suspenders/braces and you don't have to worry about your pants falling down at all! 

Second, concerning fashion, waistcoats ("vests") used to be very popular for daily wear, whereas today they're typically only worn on formal occasions. Considering how waistcoats are typically rather short (as opposed to jackets), the advantage of high-rise trousers is that it helps prevent any "peek-a-boo" of the wearer's shirt between the waistcoat and trousers. (You know, that "gap" seen so often today when waistcoats are worn with modern pants - a little sliver of shirt seen between the pants and the "vest" ... ew.) 

Perhaps the other most important feature of vintage trousers it that they were constructed by a tailor, specifically for the wearer (as opposed to being just one of thousands produced in a factory based on men's statistically-proportionate measurements). 

Like most (if not all) of the main body garments of the period, they would fit the wearer "like a glove"; it was a matter of placing an order, then the tailor taking good measurements and constructing accordingly, as opposed to shopping for a pair "off-the-rack" hoping to find one that fit just right - a statistically-reliable practice for the masses, but of course a frustrating one for those of us with statistically-unusual builds! 

(While our Victorian trousers pattern is, of course, an "envelope pattern" drafted according to men's statistically-proportionate measurements, we do provide the costumer with tips on how to alter the garment and/or pattern to achieve an ideal fit, as well as choose their own "bells and whistles" for their trousers just like a customer would have done when placing an order with a tailor!) 

Now, let's take a brief look at some examples of trousers you've probably seen in film and television!


NEXT: Period movies, part 1