These Trousers Kick A$$
Fashion, Sewing / Posted on December 4th, 2011
If unfettered bragging makes you want to throw up, you better turn away from this blog. I’m about to pull back the curtain on my conceitedness.
Behold the wonder that is Vogue 1051, an Alice and Olivia design: Slightly flair legged pants with contour waistband, fly front, and welt pockets, with optional turned cuffs.
With only the most minor of alterations (cut one size smaller at waist, 1/2″ added to crotch depth, a 1/2″ extension of thigh area on the front pattern piece and 2″ in length), I made some of the best fitting trousers I have ever owned. That’s right. EVER.
While I was trying to build my career wardrobe, I tried on a lot of pants. I tried pants at run-of-the-mill places and at nice department stores and at higher end boutiques. I tried on pants that cost $50 and pants that cost $250 (or more). I’m talking dozens of pants in dozens of different cuts. None of them fit. Many of them–even those in the nice department stores costing well over $100 weren’t lined. I cannot imagine why you’d want to waste money on unlined wool pants. They won’t last as long. They’ll bag out in places. They won’t drape as nicely. Some wool even itches–and if the fabric isn’t particularly scratchy, the serged seam allowances rub in all the wrong places. And then of those few that were lined, the lining itself was awful. It was clingy and built up static like crazy.
Pants shopping made me frustrated and then angry. My only option was to take matters into my own hands.
I’m thrilled–THRILLED with how these turned out. While the instructions didn’t explain how to add a lining, I winged it and they turned out nice. If you’d like to try a more scientifically sound method of lining pants, then check out the December 2011/January 2012 Threads magazine. It has an article thoroughly explaining how to line pants. Next time around, I’m going to try the Threads way.
The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was the method used to install the zipper. I don’t know what got into me, but I decided to abandon the tried and true Sandra Betzina method and tried the pattern’s method instead. It involved a heck of a lot more steps (none of them hard–just fiddly) and the zipper isn’t buried very deeply under the fly. It’s not exactly exposed, but I like my zippers hidden far under the extension–just in case I eat a vat of Ben and Jerry’s and my stomach bloats up like a beach ball, thus placing an inordinate amount of strain on my zipper area. I may end up looking like a wreck, but my zipper should still be concealed. You know what I mean?
They pass the boogie-woogie test. I haven’t yet had time or the necessary space to try the cartwheel test.
Behold! My first welt pockets!
If you don’t agree that these trousers kick a$$, I just may have to kick your a$$ to settle the matter. LOL 
Posted by 
December 4th, 2011 at 11:04 am
Truly awesome pants! They do indeed kick a$$. Graet job!
December 4th, 2011 at 11:15 am
There’s a cartwheel test?! Nobody told me! Hopefully not after a vat of ice-cream, though…
Those are great – not just because they look great (and they DO) but because they clearly make you feel great, and isn’t that the most important thing of all?
December 4th, 2011 at 12:08 pm
Awesome!! The fit looks perfect.
December 4th, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Woohoo! Those are fantastic pants! You have every right to brag about them. The fit is perfect and it is a very flattering cut/style on you. The shoes are pretty darn sweet, too.
December 4th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
I will have to add the boogie woogie and cartwheel tests to my pants testing regime next time. Funnily enough, I did a ninja test yesterday on my pants that I think you should add to your list (it looks like it passes that anyway).
Your pants look great – how awesome that they fit so well. Will you be churning out a few pairs?
December 4th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
nicely done! love the last photo.
December 4th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Those pants are seriously awesome. I cannot see any crotch or butt issues whatsoever! Your pockets look very professional. I have just taken the Palmer Pletsch trouser fitting course here in the UK and this pattern is high up on my list to tackle.
December 4th, 2011 at 2:12 pm
You kick @$$, Amy! I hope to tackle trousers in 2012. I’m so sick of pants that don’t fit. so sick.
December 4th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
These look great! Thanks for pointing out this pattern, very important to have boogie-woogie abilities. “These Trousers Kick A$$” should be on the front of the pattern.
December 4th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
They’re a great fit. Love the detailing.
December 4th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Wow! They do look amazing!
December 4th, 2011 at 9:17 pm
Brag away…those pants (and you!) deserve it!
I have that pattern, too – I may need to go pull it and hang out with it and see what happens.
December 5th, 2011 at 6:47 am
They look TOTALLY awesome! GO YOU! That’s some well-deserved conceit. Of course, now you can never settle for storebought again…
December 5th, 2011 at 4:47 pm
Fantastic trousers, awesome fit and love the welt pockets.
December 5th, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Very nice! Want to make me a pair. LOL
December 6th, 2011 at 12:28 am
Gorgeous! You are quite right – those are a great-looking pair of well-fitted trousers! Love ´em!
December 6th, 2011 at 6:50 am
Well done! I love how they fit on you. Love the pockets too!
December 6th, 2011 at 11:14 pm
I’m impressed you can do a cartwheel. And would test for that. (Me, it would be the fall down test.)
These look fantastic. Cartwheels or no.
December 7th, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Man, I’ve seen so many great versions of these pants I must try this pattern. They look amazing on you–brag away! Haha, I waste money on unlined wool pants because I live in Texas (too many layers), but I can definitely understand the dilemma! I can never find pants without serious waist gaping. And I lAmyove those shoes!
December 8th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
you should be thrilled amy. the trousers look amazing! nice work on the pocket details.
December 8th, 2011 at 5:27 pm
These look great! I did not have -any- success with that pattern, but seeing how lovely yours are, I may attempt it again…
December 9th, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Kick-ass.
It’s so satisfying to make something like that, well done.
Your welts look great!
December 10th, 2011 at 8:04 pm
You’re right. These trousers surely do kick a$$. I love them, and will make these up for myself, as I’ve had this pattern languishing in my collection, but have hesitated to sew them because of the extreme flare of the leg. But they look like $1,000,000. Love your clogs, too.
December 13th, 2011 at 11:09 am
LOVE the pants
They are definitely fantastic and well fitting – excellent work!
December 18th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
wow, I guess those photos say it all!
December 29th, 2011 at 5:03 am
WOW!!!!
Those trousers look like they were shop bought. I would be flying in the air like a bird if i ever made something that fit me so well.