Remember the halcyon days of Brangelina? Sure, they never induced quite as effective envy pang/dopamine hit as good old Brad and Jen once did (I always felt there was something of the night about Brangelina... something swoopy) but it was a golden Hollywood minute nonetheless.
My favourite moment on the Brangelina merry-go-round was that time in 2012, at the 84th Academy Awards, where Angelina wore an Atelier Versace dress with a hip-hugging side split, and her right leg, held akimbo, became an overnight internet sensation, instantly spawning more memes than “Kim Kardashian West’s cry face” and “sad Keanu Reeves” put together.
Though Angelina was much derided for her warrior-like stance in said dress, the reality is that it seems to have had an impact on one of the biggest leg-based trends for men, coming your way this summer. Namely, that for split-leg trousers.
At the SS19 menswear shows back in June, nascent creative director of Alfred Dunhill Mark Weston showed a series of elegantly cut suit trousers in Damascus-style silk – so far, so Dunhill. The difference here, however, was that each pair of trousers came complete with a split hem, finishing around halfway up the calf. The effect being that there was no unsightly break where the trouser met the shoe, the wider shape allowing the fabric to pour down the leg and around the shoe like double cream over a croquembouche.
The trend continued at the AW19 shows back in January with British designers John Lawrence Sullivan and Daniel W Fletcher, and the pair brought an energy that was less “scally with warm ankles wearing Kappa popper trousers”, more “Angelina’s leg coming out for air whether you like it or not”.
The look found momentum in Paris with Berluti, Wooyoungmi and Dunhill all showing ultra-chic split-leg trousers in weighty fabrics.
The key to getting the look right, should you be planning on getting your legs out for the lads and lasses this spring, is to ensure your trousers are cut from a stiff tailoring fabric so that they keep their shape. A heavyweight flannel or a silk-tweed mix would do the trick. Second, always ensure that you wear said trousers with a good pair of fine-gauge dark socks and some slick boots or lace-up shoes. Trainers will look sloppy. Finally, take a leaf out of Angelina’s book and step strong – this isn’t a look for any Jennifers out there (sorry, Jen).
1. Split-hem tailored trousers by Daniel W Fletcher
£340. danielwfletcher.com
2. PE/cotton twisted pants by John Lawrence Sullivan
£235. john-lawrence-sullivan.com
3. Franz key check trousers by Kiko Kostadinov
£675. At Browns. brownsfashion.com
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