I think only sewing geeks get excited about finding a pair of handmade vintage trousers. I’m so impressed with the level of detail on these trousers that I had to share.
I volunteered to a hem a few pairs of pants for a friend last week. As we were looking at size tags, we found a pair that didn’t have any tag. As I looked at the inside of the trousers more carefully, I discovered some seam finishes that indicated the pants were handmade. The trousers were so well made that neither of us had recognized them as handmade at first. Isn’t that what we want when we sew our own clothes?
My friend had acquired the trousers second-hand and didn’t know the original maker. I’d love to know more about the person who put so much work into making these. I think that’s what makes handmade garments so special. They make you want to know more about the people who made them. Someone spent hours of time making these high-quality trousers, and probably spent years learning the skills to make something so detailed and professional.
The welt pockets on these pants were nearly flawless. The polyester fabric transitioned into a traditional white cotton locket lining to reduce the bulk on the inside.
The belt loops were all sized and spaced equally. And look at the clear plastic thread on the back of each belt loop!
The back center seam has extra fabric allowing for future alterations. A tailor would be happy to see this if the waistband needed to be let out.
The fly front was finished with a nice trouser hook and even an extra button!
I haven’t done much sewing for my husband, but sewing some trousers is on my list of things to try soon. I’ve seen more handmade menswear and patterns for menswear as home sewing has become more popular again.
Thread Theory, which is a fairly new independent pattern company, has a nice mens trouser pattern called the “Jedediah Pants“. The pant legs are narrow, but I think altering the leg width would be a fairly easy adjustment. There’s a nice review of the pattern, as well as some finished trouser photos, at Made by Meg.
I’ve also been really impressed with the handmade jeans and chino trousers by Taylor Tailor.
Have you made anything for your husband (or other men) that they love and wear often?