I’ll start this by saying I’m not the biggest fan of skinny or slim-fit trousers. Honestly, I’m very happy to have left the years of airbrushed-on jeans behind me, and if you’re a regular reader of Who What Wear UK, you’ll probably have come across me waxing lyrical about my love for wide-leg trousers more than once. However, *pause for effect* one part of my job as an editor here is to dig deep into our data and keep an eye on which products and brands our audience are truly loving (and, of course, shopping). Usually these best sellers align with the pieces our editors are obsessed with, but recently I spotted a rogue addition to the list that caught my attention: H&M’s cigarette trousers.
Thinking about it, it made sense, since skinny and slim-fit trousers were actually spotted making an appearance again on a lot of the S/S 23 catwalks. When I found the exact trousers on H&M’s website, it made even more sense, since the black, slim-ankled tailored trouser actually reminded me of something you’d find in the wardrobe of a very chic French woman—something so many of us (including me) aspire to replicate. H&M’s cigarette trousers may be skinny, but they’re a far cry from the (honestly, traumatising) jeggings of yore.
Before I passed judgement, I needed to try them and see what all the fuss was about. After all, we sold a whopping 167 pairs of them last month, and not all of you could be wrong. Turns out, you weren’t, and as soon as I slipped on the affordable trousers, I did an immediate 180 on skinny pants. I suddenly felt like a very chic French woman who looks polished all the time, and I realised why a pair of cropped, slim, tailored trousers has always been an essential in a typical Parisian wardrobe.