Harem Pants – A Crotch-Drop Too Far?

As Fashionbeans’ post on ‘Drop Crotch Jeans and Trousers’ will tell you, the drop-crotch style is definitely in trend. I myself have a pair of All Saints three-quarter lengths with a drop-crotch, or ‘dart fit’, style, that I simply cannot take off. And it’s not just All Saints that are jumping on the bandwagon, pretty much all high street stores are following suit with this runway trend, and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Sneak Peaks of this year’s high-street autumn/winter styles feature several drop-crotch denims and trousers as the must have item. So what then, for the drop-crotch’s closely related brother (or perhaps sister), the harem pant?

The Harem pant are like the birth child of a parachute and a pair of skinnies. They have an overly large crotch with a tapered ankle, and are often three-quarter length. Although Harem pants have only recently made an appearance on both runway and across stores, they are no new invention to the world. They originate from as far back as 16th Century Turkey, where they were originally worn under skirts and robes, and they have been popping up in history ever since. Most recently, they made a true appearance in the late 80′s, early 90′s, after the one and only MC Hammer (See Below).

MC Hammer Harem Pants

After Hammer’s somewhat outlandish influence on this style, the craze died down, but 2010 faces a new era of the harem pant, bringing a new, sleek slant to the trend. Harem pants are already a big on-trend piece in women’s fashion (see below), but as always, the style is slowly creeping into the men’s sector. So forwards-thinking, can men really rock the harem style? Are the trousers cool and casual, or just a bit too fussy to be an essential part of our wardrobe as they have become for women? Stores such as H&M and Zara certainly don’t seem to think so, and are already developing the men’s style into their stores this summer.

Outfit Examples

Below are some of the best attempts of rocking the men’s harem style on LookBook.nu:

Conclusion

So what are your thoughts? Is the look effortless and casual, or over the top and fussy? I think if done right, and with a thicker, tougher material, the style can be transformed into men’s fashion, but you have to have the right body type for them. If you are too short or rather large you don’t want to end up looking like you are wearing maternity pants or you’ve played dress up in your dad’s clothes.

Similar to the growth of the skinny jean, the most fashion-daring amongst us who have already bought this style are having to wear women’s pieces due to the lack of available men’s, but perhaps once the style develops it will be adapted to fit the men’s look. Perhaps not. But either way, there is no denying their presence, Harem pants are on their way – like it or not. Zara have already jumped the gun with a pair of harem style shorts that I have my eye on (below), although I’m not too sure that I’ll be rocking the full on MC Hammer style anytime soon.

Zara Harem-Style Shorts

Cheers,
Tom Bloomfield

Editor Addition

With Tom taking a look at a modified drop crotch style that is set to take off later this year, I thought I would include an updated selection of drop crotch shorts and trousers that you can get your hands on already. Enjoy…

All Saints

Oki-Ni

Topman

ASOS

Browns Fashion