Do you love people watching?  Sitting in a café with a coffee watching the world go by and seeing what people are wearing can be very entertaining!  Some people get it spot on and others not quite – definitely a case of “It’s the wrong trousers” reminding me of the Wallace and Grommit films!

Choosing trousers that fit and flatter your overall body shape is equally as important as choosing trousers that are fit for the purpose.  Relaxed fabrics and detailing generally suit a more casual look with heavier weighty fabrics for a more formal look, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dress either style up or down to suit the occasion.

For trousers to flatter your shape, you need to pay close attention to the type of pockets and also where they are placed.

Pockets on the rear of the trousers can make your bottom look larger than it is if they are not sitting in the right place to suit your body shape – especially if the pockets have “flaps” over the top or button fastenings.  Instead, opt for “faux” pockets with flaps if you want the dressier detail without the bulk. 

Italian style pockets are the slanting pockets you often get across the front of the hips of trousers.  Again, these often feature in a more tailored look to trousers but if you carry weight across your hips unfortunately their placement can be just in the wrong place for your shape and will make your hips look wider than they are actually are – especially if the pockets “bend” outwards when you sit as this gives the impression that your trousers are too small and you need a bigger size!

In order to be more flattering to your bottom, opt for trousers with darting details, a heavier flowing fabric and avoid wearing colours below the waist that are lighter or brighter than the colours worn above the waist.

We love our Urban Chic trousers as the straight cut and sleek details are the ultimate luxurious addition to your wardrobe for subtle elegance that you can dress up/dress down to suit the occasion from work to leisure.  Smart enough to wear “sophisticated style” with a jacket for work but casual enough to dress down with our high top trainers and a jumper.  These are the “must have” trousers of womens fashion, that feel fantastic on and are a weightier fabric that just hangs beautifully.  Italian pockets, faux rear pockets and the classic cargo style bellow patch pocket to the side of the knee gives a look that is sharp and stylish.   Dress them up with heels and our silky black camisole with a statement necklace for party nights too!        Urban Chic Trousers in Black

Bootleg trousers with no pockets will help to visually slim your bottom and give the illusion of longer legs.  Vertical lines in your trousers will give the illusion of length too.  Our corduroy velvet fine cord trousers in slate or ecru are a great example of this.  The fine ribbing hugs your figure giving you style as well as comfort.  Featuring belt loops and a straight cut to the leg, they look great if you opt for wearing the same colour head to toe in your outfit with a pair of killer heels!  Even better they are also part of our Planet Tortue eco friendly range too!

Velvet Fine Cord Trousers in Slate

We suggest you avoid wearing more than 3 colours in your overall outfit choice at once to ensure you don’t break up how the eye views your bodyshape.  When the eye has too many colours to look at, this will make you look shorter and your shape disproportionate.

For timeless elegance opt for our statement checked trousers in a luxuriously woven material.  Fab subtle fancy zip details and a contrast red thread in the buttons exudes everyday sophisitication, a bit of “dare” in the red, paired with classic chic for all occasions.   Opt for red accessories to ‘go bold’ with your look or camel coloured accessories for a more sophisticated ‘quiet luxury’ look.

Checked Trousers with decorative red thread.

Plain fabrics in deeper shades work well on the lower body if you carry your curves on your hips and have fuller thighs. You can give the illusion of slimmer thighs by wearing straight leg trousers.  Make sure to avoid shiny fabrics patterns and details on your lower half as this will only draw attention to the areas that you may prefer to disguise and will make your thighs look bigger.

If you have broad shoulders, a narrow waist and slender legs then choose wider leg trousers to balance out the upper and lower body.    As a general rule, opt for a waist length jacket/top or tucked in Tee with wide leg trousers to move the eye away from your hips.   Our wide leg trousers and jeans are fitted across the hips with a high waist to balance out your silhouette.   

Alice Jeans in Putty, Ecru and Blue Denim

We love our wide leg blue floaty trousers as they are fitted across the pelvis with a straight leg cut in a soft and fluid fabric for movement to enhance your silhouette.   With a high waist, front and back darts that flatter and Italian style pockets for a tailored look these get the “thumbs up” from our team especially if you love to wear a pop of bright colour, they come in this gorgeous shade of vivid blue which is perfect for all seasons meaning you will get plenty of wear out of them!

Wide Leg Blue Floaty Trousers

If you have longer legs then trousers with details at the ankles will look fantastic on you!  (This style doesn’t always work for a more petite frame as it can shorten the look of your legs).

We have two shades available in our trousers with button styling at the leg.  With a flattering straight cut and back patch pockets this is a stylist wardrobe essential for those with lovely long legs – they also have a practical front pocket too.  Again these fab trousers give you versatility in styling and can be dressed up or dressed down to suit your occasion.

Trousers with leg button detail in Caramel (below) or Putty

Whilst we are talking about trousers, we also need to consider activewear here.  Since lockdown, the humble leggings have become a daily staple to our outfits and not just for exercise more than ever before!  Our monogram leggings are super comfortable, offering a little style and sophistication whilst being crafted from a technical fabric suitable for activewear.   There is a little hidden pocket inside the waistband and a slim legging cut with a sleek and flattering fit that highlights an ultra flat stomach (if you have one) or helps to keep it in if you don’t!!  The eye catching all over monogram print looks fab for a Winter look with a long oversize jumper or our oversize shirt jacket for a head turning cocooning “hygge” style but equally you can rock the chic sportswear vibe  for working out at the gym with these leggings too!

Monogram Leggings in Grey

Its not just the pockets and the cut of the trousers that you need to consider – you need to work from the inside out!  The correct underwear can make or break the overall effect.  Wearing black undies beneath white trousers is not a good look …. unless you want a sexy supermodel look of course!  Equally a VPL is very off putting … we’ve all been in a queue behind ‘that’ person at some point in time or the person bending down with everything on show as their trouser waist line slips back to reveal “the moon”!  Thankfully our clothes are designed for confidence with our trousers and jeans having a higher waistline at the rear to avoid this happening and help you keep your modesty!

Wearing the right footwear for your trousers is another key consideration. When in doubt wear nude shoes or boots the same colour as your trousers, this is a safe bet and will make your legs look longer.

Rectangle “Chanel style” jackets with tapered trousers are a classic – our black and white tweed jacket is a wardrobe essential - timeless clothing designed to flatter that you will get plenty of wear out of over the years.  Equally fab dressed down with jeans and a base layer tee as dressed up more smartly over our little black dress, or with our trousers too!

At Tortue, all our clothing is designed for you by our fabulous design team in the South of France.  We are proud that we can offer all of the French style with our collections designed by women for women of all shapes and sizes from petite to plus size clothing!

Our friendly team of Style Consultants can help you find the right shape for you when you book a Personal Styling Session.  We love helping and advising on making the most of your wardrobe to suit your body shape and often find that our customers become friends.

You can shop our French fashion collection online from the comfort of your own home or host your own friendly pop up with a group of friends/work colleagues as a sustainable way to shop without the hassle of trying to find somewhere to park.

If you know someone that you think would love what we do, please do share us!  We loving helping ladies find what looks good and feels good to wear that gives you confidence and gets you  compliments too!

Angela x