Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Where to find high waisted pants for under $75

Retro Spectator

Practically Family
Messages
824
Location
Connecticut
I have been looking for high waisted pants for under $75. I currently wear Dockers D4 pleated slacks, in khaki. They are higher waisted than my previous pants. However, they just aren't high enough. So I have a question: Do any companies make high waisted, wide legged, pleated, slacks for under $75?
 
Last edited:

lordwinters

Familiar Face
Messages
58
Location
Suecia, Quite so town.
Take a look at www.morellos.co.uk, might be a bit too expensive for you with shipping from Britain, but they stock some nice reproduction vintage. I am the proud owner of one of their gab style long sleeve shirts, and just ordered one of their "pegs" for 60 pounds. I'd be happy to give a review of them once they hop down the mailbox.;)
 

Retro Spectator

Practically Family
Messages
824
Location
Connecticut
I looked at both Dance Store and Morellos. Dance Store seems ok, but the problem with the pants there is that they are synthetic, not cotton/wool. Another problem there is that they appear to lack a fly. Morellos seems to be a good place to find retro clothes, but one major problem is that they are overseas, and that would cause massive shipping prices, thus, Morellos would unfortunately be too expensive. Too bad Morellos doesn't sell on a place like Amazon, because if they did, I do believe that would lower the shipping prices greatly.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
I have two or three pairs of PIR khakis. Company run by a (former?) Flounger, great to deal with on international shipping. The model you want is the Overlord Trouser. Don't be put off by the aesthetic of the website. It used to be more Flounger-friendly, but obviously they wanted to mainstream the product presentation to reach awider audience. Still the same trousers, same patter. They are - as the blurb will tell you - not a repro of military trousers, but close in shape. I was wary of the mention that they've reshaped them a bit for a modern fit, but no need - they're a decent shape to my eye for at least early fifties kind of a fit. The rise isn't what I'd call mega-high, but it's comfortably high, sits on my natural waist, just over the bellybutton. Certainly not yer run of the mill, conteporary low-waists. About $75 a pair. Last I checked, they were available in tan, green, brown and grey (a true-grey, not earth-toned).

http://www.pircargos.com/#!where_to_buy/c3xu

The other option I often use is to buy actual military stuff - either contemporary (dress uniforms for the Brits have changed very little in cut sicne the Fifties - today I'm wearing a pair of current issue British Army No2 Barack-dress trousers for which I paid a grand total of ten pounds (about USD15 currently). Better yet, if you are prepared to pay a little more, have a look at the likes of WPG. I've bought a couple of pairs of their military repro trousers to wear as civilian clothing. The only downside with this approach is you're obviously slightly limited in terms of your colour palette (a bit less so if you don't have a hang-up about wearing axis stuff, though alas for me most of the Reich's uniforms in black and such have buckled cuffs and other details that don't work for a civilian). If you can work around that, though, it's a great place to start. Pairing them with the right things - typically tweed jackets and navy blazers for me - you can easily avoid it looking at all military to the eyes of most.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
I was always happy with Morellos' clothes

Just did a double-take on your username...! ;)

How did you find the trousers? Their prices look keen (better than Heydays!), but how's the fabric? I bought a couple of pairs of Heyday trews on sale some time ago, but not greatly impressed (very glad I picked them up cheap rather than paying out full price, which is a fair what more than those). I don't have an especial objection to synthetic fabrics as such, but the HDs went bally very quickly, plus I've had to restitch a few seams on them all as the original stitching let go a few times.

Take a look at www.morellos.co.uk, might be a bit too expensive for you with shipping from Britain, but they stock some nice reproduction vintage. I am the proud owner of one of their gab style long sleeve shirts, and just ordered one of their "pegs" for 60 pounds. I'd be happy to give a review of them once they hop down the mailbox.;)

Look forward to it. If they work well for kickabout day to day trousers, I would be interested in a few pairs myself. It's not particularly difficult to put stuff together for a generic, British civilian late 40s / early 50s look for the top half, but decent trousers are the devil to find...
 

lordwinters

Familiar Face
Messages
58
Location
Suecia, Quite so town.
Just came to think of something else, how about dickies original fit, the 874s? They are high enough in waist, reaching just above my belly button and reasonably 50's in cut, plus they are cheap!
 

Retro Spectator

Practically Family
Messages
824
Location
Connecticut
I think I found some high waisted pleated slacks. After looking at Edward's suggestion, I looked at outdoors clothing companies. I found these pants, but I am not sure if they really have a high waist or not.

I looked at Dickie's. They look like they have a pretty high waist, but unfortunately, the ones I saw lacked pleating.

I also found these pants. They are made by Red Kap, and appear similar to the Dickie's pants, except they have pleating. Not sure about the waist height.
 
Last edited:
Messages
13,672
Location
down south
Dickies makes pleated pants but I wouldn't much recommend them, the heavy chino fabric doesn't drape well (at all really) and they just get all pooched out in front. Their original 874 pants, however, are a great alternative to jeans for more casual attire. They are from the same pattern that they made uniforms for the U.S. military during WWII, with a little chunkier belt loops, and the fabric they use is pretty much bullet proof until they have been washed at least 100 times. They work great with a bowling shirt or Hawaiian shirt, or even a plain white t shirt, but if you want to sport a jacket and tie they aren't so much the ticket.

They are only around $20 a pair, though, and that's pretty hard to beat. And they last forever.

Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk
 

Retro Spectator

Practically Family
Messages
824
Location
Connecticut
I don't really dress casual, as the most casual I ever get is a white shirt with a tie, slacks, and suspenders. So I guess Dickies isn't really for me. I find it very odd that they make work wear have higher waists than slacks.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
I find it very odd that they make work wear have higher waists than slacks.

It's logical, really. It's designed to be worn on construction sites and the likes, stacked high and sold cheap for occasions where folks want something cheap that doesn't matter if it gets trashed. With this sort of utilitarian purpose being the primary design focus, it's much less likely they'll have or feel the need to alter a basic pattern that works to meet the whims of contemporary fashion, hence waists remained higher, not dropping as that came into fashion for clothes for socialising in...
 
I don't exactly see how these Dockers I have are pretty casual. They just look like any other pair of slacks to me, or am I missing something.

They are not dress trousers. Nothing wrong with them at all, but they are considered casual. I realize you're from a generation where Dockers and a button-up shirt is considered "dress", and for many guys your age (and even mine), it may be the dressiest thing they own. And again, I'm not knocking them, but they are "casual wear".
 

Retro Spectator

Practically Family
Messages
824
Location
Connecticut
So I assume they are included slacks? I wonder then, if the Red Kap pants would work for me. I always wear a sport coat out though, so I am unsure if they match. If not, I guess I should stick with Dockers until someone makes high waisted slacks.
 

Fastuni

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,277
Location
Germany
I wonder then, if the Red Kap pants would work for me. I always wear a sport coat out though, so I am unsure if they match.

The Red Kaps are also cotton. If you want "dressy" trousers for a sportcoat, look for woolen ones.
Cotton is ok for casual summer wear... but you should get at least two pairs of wool trousers. One light and one heavier for Winter.
Brown and grey are the basic colors you can combine most of your sportcoats/shirts with.
 
Last edited:

Retro Spectator

Practically Family
Messages
824
Location
Connecticut
An issue arises with woolen pants I have noticed. It appears many of them (if not all of them) require to be dry cleaned. I prefer not to wear pants that need to be dry cleaned, as that becomes a bit of a hassle.

As for cotton pants, how much different are the Dockers from the Red Kaps and Dickies? If they are the same, then I will probably switch to Red Kaps or Dickies.
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
109,269
Messages
3,077,656
Members
54,221
Latest member
magyara
Top