Great trousers are a subject I feel particularly well qualified to advise on. For years, I was never much of a jeans person, instead favouring a more tailored, structured pair of trousers, whatever the style. But that longstanding preference has also meant I know all too well the struggle of finding a genuinely great pair.
Get the cut wrong, and they can feel restrictive; get the rise wrong, and suddenly you’re spending the entire day hitching them up. And while the new arrivals on the high street are teeming with trousers in a myriad of cuts, colours and silhouettes, working out which high street trousers are worth buying requires some serious time in the changing room.
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So, I decided to do exactly that. I visited some of the high street’s best-known destinations for trousers – from Cos and M&S to Arket, Free People and Uniqlo – and tried on their most promising styles to see which ones really delivered. From balloon legs and barrel shapes to classic wide-legs and straighter cuts, these are the pairs that stood out, along with my honest thoughts on the fit, fabrication, sizing and, most importantly, whether I’d actually buy them.
Below, browse my edit of the best high street trousers to shop this season.
Augustine wearing the Arket relaxed chino trousers.
Having previously tried on a number of impressive Arket trousers, I had high expectations as I walked into the Covent Garden store. Thankfully, the brand didn’t let me down. The relaxed chino trousers are made from soft cotton and have all the comfort of a pair of well-worn cargo trousers, but feel a tad smarter, making them an easy option for those days when jeans don’t feel enough. I opted for a navy shade here, as I’ve been seeing a lot of people styling similar pairs as a nod to Prada’s utilitarian styles.
Augustine wearing the Arket pleated wool-blend trousers.
The grey wool-blend style I tried on next, however, was a bit of a game-changer. The front pleats fell neatly over the hips (without bunching) and straight down the leg in one clean line, which I loved. I don’t usually go for a higher waist, but this pair’s sturdy waistband sat comfortably, with no need for a belt. I wear both a UK 10 and 12, so if, like me, you’re in between sizes, I suggest sizing up for a slightly more relaxed silhouette. Of all the more traditional tailored trousers I tried, these felt like the sleekest.
Augustine wearing the Free People menswear striped barrel trousers.
Although Free People hasn’t historically been my first port of call for tailored trousers, a quick visit to the brand’s Covent Garden store surprised me. The first pair of dark grey pinstripe trousers I tried fitted impeccably, apart from the length which I’d consider taking up by an inch or two. In a size UK 10, they sat just lower than mid-rise with a comfortable fit around the hips and have a relaxed slouchy feel. What makes these wide-leg trousers stand out from the rest is the extra fabric added to the sides, which gives them a subtly curved shape and allows the material to drape beautifully down the leg.
Augustine wearing the Free People wide-leg chino trousers.
The second pair of wide-leg chinos that I tried on came up a little smaller, so I’d consider sizing up to a 12 next time. I liked the slightly cropped fit on me, although they might not work quite as well on a taller frame. Again, the brown shade felt perfect for autumn, and the soft cotton material gave just the right amount of definition and structure for smarter occasions. These were among my favourite pairs I tried on all day.
Spotlight Menswear Striped Barrel Trousers
Spotlight Washed Barrel Chino Trousers
Set On You Slim Solid Trousers
Augustine wearing the Uniqlo smart pleated wide-leg trousers.
Uniqlo has always been my first stop when trouser shopping. The brand’s jeans are definitely worth the hype (see my definitive guide to them here), but its tailored styles are also more than worthy of a mention. To caveat, Uniqlo sizing can sometimes be a little unpredictable, so I’d consider ordering multiple sizes to begin with or, like me, going into store to try on a variety of styles.
The first pair of trousers I tried on in Uniqlo was the only pair, while researching for this story, that I actually bought. I’ve been after a pair of dark grey, low-rise, slouchy-but-straight-leg tailored trousers for years (specific, I know), and these fit the bill. Initially, I tried them on in a size medium, but they cut a little too high for me, whereas the large fit me perfectly. I love the fact that they’re not overly wide or ballooning on the leg, like many of the other styles I tried on. After paying for the trousers I rushed to the alterations room for a two-inch shortening, which impressively took only one hour before they were ready for collection. That kind of convenience, combined with the fit and price, made these an easy winner for me.
Augustine wearing the Uniqlo barrel trousers.
The second pair I tried on were some of the retailer’s much-loved unisex barrel-leg styles, two of which I already own in black. This time, I opted for the brown and stuck to a size medium, which hung perfectly mid-rise and didn’t pool over my shoes, with no need for alteration.
Augustine wearing the Cos fluid cotton balloon trousers.
Cos is widely considered the ultimate destination for brilliantly cut trousers, and its current offering certainly lives up to the reputation. After sifting through a surprisingly vast selection on the shop floor, I landed on these two options.
My favourite pair were the fluid cotton balloon trousers, which sat low on the hip with generous volume that still felt structured enough for more formal wear. I also loved the rich chocolate shade, as opposed to my usual black, and think they’ll be particularly easy to style throughout autumn.
Augustine wearing the Cos pleated cotton tapered utility trousers.
I also gave the pleated cotton tapered utility trousers a try, which sat higher than I’d usually go for but looked surprisingly flattering and nipped in neatly at my waist. I particularly liked the additional tapering around the ankle, creating more of a barrel-leg shape that seems to have taken over this season’s high-street trouser offering. If you’re taller, however, you might want to consider sizing up and wearing them slightly lower on the hips as the leg length fitted my 5ft 5in frame perfectly. Both pairs were a size 12, as I often find Cos comes up a little small and wanted to lean into the louche appeal of both trousers.
Pleated Cotton Tapered Utility Trousers
Augustine wearing the M&S balloon full-length trousers.
M&S’s fashion-forward rebrand is getting a lot of attention in recent months, and its trouser offering proves that it is deserving of the hype. After perusing the giant Oxford Street store and picking up about six different styles – all of which I deemed fitting for an autumn refresh – I settled on these two pairs as the standouts.
One of the best things about M&S (and, yes, there are many) is the fact that almost all of its trousers come in short, regular and long lengths. Crucially, that means you don’t have to worry about leg length, whatever your height. I always go for the shorter lengths, which save me the faff – and expense – of alterations.
First up was this voluminous balloon-leg pair, which I got in a size 12 so they hung lower, rather than at the intended mid-rise. The fabric is double-lined and thicker than expected, making them feel like an easy way to bring the balloon leg into autumn. The overall fit ticked all the boxes for me as they were roomy without looking shapeless and structured without feeling stiff.
Augustine wearing the M&S tapered full-length trousers.
The next pair I tried were a size 10 for a more tapered, high-waisted look. I loved the double front pleating, tapered ankle and wearable brown shade, all of which made them feel considerably more expensive than their high-street price point. I could have sized up and opted for the long-leg version if I wanted a more oversized fit, but for a neater silhouette, the size 10 worked well.
Double Pleat Cuff Detail Trousers
Pleated Micro Checked Wide-Leg Trousers
