Adventures in Alterations – J.Crew Navy Tweed Cafe´ Capri Preview

**I recently picked up a pile of items from the tailor, and wanted to show these first, since they’re currently on sale at J.Crew, and can be had for an extra 25% off with code OURTREAT through Thursday, 11/8.**

A good pant can be hard to find, and I’ve been incredibly lucky in the past few months to have found two pairs I love, that fit well in all the important places, that can have the rest altered down to fit. Here’s a closer look at the first pair.

These Cafe´ Capri’s are made of a fairly thick cotton/silk/viscose blend, with small tinsel-y threads running throughout. They are fully lined, which along with the heavier tweed fabric, create a really nice drape. I initially bought these just to take a look, not intending to like them at all. They were on sale, and the word “tweed” piqued my interest, but I was much more interested in the wool herringbone version. I tried really, really hard to prefer the much more muted herringbone pant, but my eye kept falling on the interesting texture, and much better fit, of these blue tweeds.

What sold me most on these was the nice flat fit in the front which looks incredibly sleek and well tailored. I like a place to put my hands, so side pockets are a must, and finding pants that are fully lined has become a bit rare, so it definitely helped sway my decision (even my tailor sounded surprised to find out they were fully lined).

What’s important to look for in a pant:

A good fit in the crotch – too much pulling, creasing, or folding is usually due to issues in other areas, like the rise being an awkward length for you, or the hip/tush/thigh being too tight. Sometimes if the waistband is too loose, taking that in can help a tad, but for the most part, I’ve found crotch issues to a major reason to pass on a pair of pants.

Appropriate rise – the pant’s rise would be difficult and expensive to mess with, so don’t buy a high-waisted pant and think you can get a low-rise pant made out of it. Not worth it.

The hip is not too tight – too much stretching or pulling at the hip area can cause a distracting mess of creases and folds in the fabric around your hip and crotch. It’s best to size up to fit your hip, and then tailor other things down if you find this to be a problem.

The thigh is not too tight – too much stretching or pulling at the thigh area, like the hip, can cause a distracting mess of creases or folds. It can also make your pants ride up as your walk, not to mention can be uncomfortable for sitting. Like the hip, it’s best to size up, and then tailor the rest of the pant to fit if you find this to be a problem.

These fit my widest part (bottom of my hips, tops of my thighs) nicely without pulling, but then are a little roomy in other places. The waistband has a gap, which needs to be taken in, and I’d like to see the legs slimmer for a sleeker silhouette. Luckily, these are common fixes that most tailors can handle without a problem.

Ready for the finished look? Here they are!