Whether it’s my friends calling to ask my advice or customers contacting me on social media, I frequently get asked about styling.
It inspired me to establish a style clinic, to address the design devices to look out for and share the tips that I’ve picked up over the years.
I wanted to start with our hero piece: the trouser. We’ve been honing the design of our trouser cuts for over a decade, as well as what to wear them with.
The fit
It may seem obvious, but never go for a trouser that’s too small. All our trousers, regardless of shape, are cut to fall off the bottom rather than cling anywhere so that the silhouette is as flattering as possible. You need to be able to move around comfortably throughout your day without feeling restricted by your clothes.
The wide-leg trouser
We pay a lot of attention to the cuffs of our trousers.
On wide-leg styles we’ll include a deep cuff that can be let down if you’re tall and need the extra length, or taken up without affecting the shape of the leg.
We’ll also include a vent or zip at the hem that ensures the fabric falls smoothly over a shoe instead of bunching up awkwardly around your ankles. Having that seamless line from waist to foot creates the most flattering silhouette and is my favourite tip for leg elongation.
The tapered trouser
Trousers that narrow towards the ankle are designed with cuffs that you can turn up, shortening the length a little more if needed. It’s part of the reason why these styles are so popular with women who are slightly shorter.
Our joggers on the other hand have button-up cuffs. It’s a detail that I asked for so that if, like me, you have slightly curvier calves, you can adjust the fit to be tighter or looser and still maintain that comfy, slouchy fit on the leg.
The belt
If we include a belt on a trouser it’s always detachable.
That way if you want to style your trouser with an untucked top or chunky knit, you don’t have to worry about having any unwanted, awkward bulk around the waist. Simply take it off and save it for another outfit.
For those who are keen to keep the belt – it can be a very useful styling device – we have designed tops and knits with a slightly cropped length. Don’t panic, these are far from being midriff baring. Instead, they’re designed to sit at just the right length to meet the waist of a trouser, without incurring any of that inconvenience around the middle. A slightly cropped top also avoids cutting off the top of the leg, something which can make legs look deceptively shorter.
The side panel
It’s no secret that a side stripe is a ME+EM signature move. From slim piping in contrasting colours to wide panels in tonal fabrics, a side detail draws the eye down the leg, visually elongating the leg. The other advantage is that it will instantly give an otherwise classic cut a modern advantage.
The trainer
That gap between the top of the trainer and the bottom of the trouser leg is crucial.
So, when you’re wearing a cropped trouser, turn up the cuff and opt for a trainer that’s low cut at the front to expose more of the ankle. That’s something we really took into consideration when we were designing our own trainers.