Something old, something new, all in blue

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My something old, something new are both in blue and alas, I have nothing borrowed on but fortunately I’m not getting married or anything so it’s all okay.  As I said before, shopping has been eluding me somewhat lately and when I do get the opportunity, I suddenly find that I’ve become increasingly frugal.  Still, a Sunday walk around Brick Lane meant popping into The Shop on Cheshire Street and picking up a blue straw boater hat where the straw’s colour has faded to a seal-grey but the grosgrain remains ish-vibrant.

Then onto Shop at 172 where I bought what my sister later labelled…’Honky Pants’.  Now the debate has gone around a bit on the internet about harem/aladdin/dropped crotch/MC Hammer pants and disgust/criticism has been heaped upon them.  To the point where I got pretty bored with it just purely because, to go back to the totally non-derogatory term that my sister coined, this type/shape of trousers/pants are completely normal in Hong Kong.  I haven’t been back in a fair while so I can’t comment on the present but three years ago when I was there, they were sold everywhere…in the $10 cheapie shops, the mid-range places, in all kinds of fabrics and styles, all focusing on a larger hipped shape tapering down to slim calves and usually with some manner of dropped crotch thrown into.  Teens wore them, mums wore them, hell I even saw a granny wearing some aladdin pants. 

So it was a little amusing/odd to read the very predictable comments on other people’s blogs that rarely veered off the ‘Oh you look like MC Hammer/you’ve pooped your pants/you’re wearing nappies’ scale.  A little harsh for a pair of trousers that I consider completely normal and if anything are just another pair of trousers, much like skinny, bootcut, flares etc.

Anyhow…enough of the justifying… I’m loving Shop 172’s rosta of designers yet again and these trousers by Orphan will be available to buy online SOON when Shop 172 launches their new website and they too are available in all kinds of fabrics and I don’t think I’ll be the only one who doesn’t really mind looking like they’ve pooed their pants (see I’ve bought into you people’s phrases already…even though what I actually think is that if you technically did poo your pants, trousers wouldn’t ACTUALLY droop that low… but technicality schmelicality, eh?)

Newoldblue

61 comments

  2. Ah, the droop/poop question really depends on the fabric of the pants and your diet. Still, I think this is probably my favourite of your balcony looks thus far. You look geniunely spectacular. I have a pair of jersey harem pants and I got the usual nappy comments too, plus my boyfriend forbidding me to wear them in his presence. I think I should look into some slightly tailored options like yours…
    Becky.

  4. I’m still searching for a pair of ‘tubbies'(dropped crotch jersey tracksuit bottoms) a la material boy. Apparently they’re quite frequent in Japan and I missed out on the ones they stocked in No-one. Anyone know where I can buy these online, other than the occasional pair on eBay?

  9. I know exactly what you mean, I’ve been to HK about 4 times over 5 years for my previous job, and this style of pant is always seen, anytime of the year. When everyone here started talking about them, I was like “what do you mean ‘new’ trend? I thought this was like a fashion forward standard of sorts…” I’m happy they’re becoming more readily available though, since I don’t work for a large company anymore, so no more free trips to HK 🙁

  10. I guess I fall into the “oh those look like nappies!” category. But I still stand by my statement that those particular H&M pants looked a bit off. If they differed by only a fold of fabric here or there, I wouldn’t have noted it. Sometimes I can be too picky with fit. But it’s all subjective anyways. Being slightly off usually results in the most interesting visual effect.

  11. Meh, I don’t care about the poo comments so happily doled out on this style – I love them! Especially in a tailored calf-hugging manner. I used to work with a boy who wore a brown tweed pair – it was love at first sight. The trousers. Not the boy.

  13. These are great.
    People just need time to get rid of their old ideas about the pants, and get used to seeing the silhouette again, and in a new context.

  16. I have some super big purple jersey cropped Aladdin pants. There were loads of young women wearing them in Paris over the summer. I’m not a big fan of those pants in particular, but that’s just me. However, I do love the rest of the outfit!

  18. I understand that being fashion forward is about taking risks; and that most ‘fashionable’ items are rarely (if ever) practical, but what is it really with these pants? Are they more comfortable? Affordable? Is it REALLY she structure of these pants that people actually like? Someone PLEASE PLEASE explain to me the appeal (on any level) of these things. (Someone in Japan maybe since they are apparently so popular there?) The shape they create on they body is just awful and SO distracting that it takes away from the rest of the ensemble. Why would anyone purposefully put so much extra fabric around the crotch area like that? No one is THAT well endowed or should have THAT much to hide in that particular area of the anatomy. It just doesn’t make any sense to me what so ever and completely ruins the look in my opinion.
    Sorry for the rant, I just DON’T GET IT!

  19. nancy – you could also argue what is the point in all the extra fabric around the ankle in botocut/flared styles! what can people have to hide? fat ankles?
    I’m not a huge fan of this style, I prefer the carrot/peg shape but sadly neither work on a curvy body!
    suzie, you look ace, and I also was around Brick lane on sunday 🙂

  20. I have 2 pairs of MC Hammer/boyfriend type of jeans, and I have to say people can’t take them very well! They think they’re “weird” looking or whatever. I saw loads of people wearing them in Malaysia and Thailand in the summer, and I think they look fab on if worn the right way. I love your look here, and I know this is more about the pants, but I adore your jacket!

  21. Well I must say that the ‘poo pants’ look great on you and that boater is a nice little find!!

  22. I love the top half of the outfit, but to be a good and honest blogger friend I have to admit I’m not too crazy about the bottoms, I think the whole MC Hammer thing can work, for some reason usually in grey, and a lot more baggy and less stuctured, and in a softer fabric. The hat, top and jacket are totally fab…and by the way Susie B…I wish I had a brick lane in South Africa…..

  24. I love the pants! and I’m actually looking for one. In Thailand, these type of pants have been around forever. As far as I know, this style of pants was originally worn in a tribe in the northern part of Thailand. (or maybe they just copied MC Hammer)
    🙂

  25. Can’t say I like those pants but you do know how to wear em. Totally in love with the hat too.

  26. A completely mixed opinion which is exactly what I anticipated….
    Nancy, your rant did make me laugh… I think I will put these trousers in the ‘Marmite’ category…you either love it or hate it…I happen to LOVE marmite…there was a point where I could just about combine marmite with anything….so it probably goes without saying that I just happen to love these type of trousers…
    they are pretty comfy, these were pretty affordable and yes the shape is odd to some but at the end of the day,they’re just another pair of trousers for me… I’ll wear them no less or more than say skinny jeans (to be fair, I dont’ wear trews that often so the number of actual days isn’t going to go into double figures…)
    On the other hand….I absolutely can’t stand flares….it’s like a lot of people like cheese but I hate it….
    In short, I have food and trouser peculiarities….

  27. nope i like em… kind of like a cross between a pencil skirt and skinny trousers. i have just always loved this style from the moment i saw it… just because all the reasons why i hated trousers are solved in this style, both baggy and fitted (they each have thier cons)
    also, i’m really loving your hat! it’s very cool.
    🙂

  28. I love these pants, am wearing some today, will wear a different, baggier pair when I get home, and probably wear another pair tomorrow. Sadly my absolute favorite pair from died in the wash about six months ago. I mourn them. Also, love you hat.

  29. I have to say if one more person says MC hammer to me when I wear mine I might just start handing out a few insults of my own! I am so completely bored with that inane and obvious comparison. I have some dark grey trousers from All Saints I got a while ago that look identical to these.
    I went into Shop when I was in Brick Lane! I didn’t see anything that took my fancy unfortunately but it was a great shop.

  30. I think they look great on you, the colour is lovely and the hat is superb, reminds me of marc jacobs ss09. I hate cheese too….haha

  31. I really like this style.
    The blue hat is lovely.
    Dear Sussie are you for slim or for high waist and large jean?
    I was wondering when i saw the great pants you found.

  32. I have those trousers in a gorgeous big check fabric – nice pick Susie 😉 The problem I find with 172 is their stock turnover – they rarely have new things in there, yes there may be the same items in different fabrics now…but i want newness!

  33. I for one love them……and yours are especially cute with the little pleat detail on the leg.
    Also, I love Alladin.
    -giselle

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  37. ooo i like the trousers, looks like a hint to loads of different styles, i like the deets at the bottom especially. also love hot the straw hat hat a higher top than actual school styles so it doesn’t look like you’re wearing a 5 y/os hat but still nods towards it, lovely

  38. this is one of my fave stylebubble outfits.
    right now i had mental images of you pooing your pants stuck in my head.

  39. Well I must say you had me quite excited – I thought Steve had pulled the trigger the sly dog.
    Those pants are shaweet.

  47. Those pants are some of the best harem/hammer pants I have seen. I really like the structure to them and your outfit brings the word “dapper” to my mind.

  48. Isn’t it just a question of styling? They’re not a conventional shape, so I’d imagine plenty of ladies (probably including myself) wouldn’t know how to create a great silhouette like you have here. Too bad for them! 😉

  49. This style took a few years for me to warm up to. When I was in HK in ’04 they were every where (and I didn’t understand it then), but not so much when I went there in spring ’07. I did spot a gorgeous eyelet lace pair at b+ab during my second trip that to this day I regret not buying. sigh.. I wonder if they’re all over HK again now that the western hemisphere has finally caught on.

  50. i actually love the look of hammer pants. ever since i saw a girl in japan wearing them i’ve just been in love. i’ve never heard the ‘pooped’ in your pants remark before-gotta say its a funny one.
    i love that you’re getting back into your trousers- nice hat too.

  51. i love shop at 172 but never got round to trying these. they look great and actually look at lot less extreme in style than they do on the hanger.
    i’ve been thinking about getting the checked orphan pair from pixie market for a while…

  52. Personally I prefer the drapier kind of harem pants, though I can’t find any that are the right length for me, they’re all too short 🙁 Worn right they can look really elegant – and the MC Hammer comparisons stopped being funny two years ago! I must be honest and say that I’m not so keen on these particular ones though… the large crotch and skinny leg has something of a leg-shortening, bottom-enlargening effect, even on very slim people. I’m all for new silhouettes, but maybe not this one.
    Though the diagonal fly is interesting…

  53. When I went to Japan in the summer of 07 there were alot of teens/young men wearing them; I thought they looked pretty hot.

  54. This is probably my favourite outfit you have ever worn. I love it. The pants are divine and the hat is so damn cool. Loving it.

  56. Oh my, those pants are heaven sent! The look great on you , ooh their so nice I can’t help but squeal!
    I also don’t understand why lost of people are so agaist them. It’s okay if they’re not into the style, but to go on and on about how unflattering and tacky they are is just unneccesary! Anyways, I love them and I need to get me some of them.

  57. Hmm even though I think you rock these pants, in general I’d have to say they are not for everybody with myself included. I like the tapered leg, but all that fabric in the crotch is just disconcerting. Only babies with diapers need that much loose fabric around their bums! To each their own!

  58. i relle like this look of yours! what a way to wear harem pants – half waisted, half droopy. nice.

  59. whoa. cool look . the NZ label , LOWER has a pant like this actually called the “poo catcher . ”
    i like it .

  60. I like i like, it’s a different look- though i’m a fan of the more structured jodhpurs look… also i like horses..

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