When a high-street item starts garnering a certain amount of hype, it seriously piques our interest here at Who What Wear. That’s what happened recently, anyway, when word got around about how great H&M’s wide-leg trousers were. Last year, we sold over 1000 pairs through our site, and after delving deeper, we realised that most styles were consistently receiving incredible reviews online. So of course, we had to see how good they were for ourselves.
I was tasked with trying on as many pairs as I could get my hands on (harder than it sounds when they fly out of stock as quickly as they do) to see whether they lived up to expectations and to figure out which styles, in particular, were worth spending money on. Turns out those reviewers weren’t wrong, and there were quite a few brilliant ones that looked and felt expensive despite their affordable price tags.
I have to admit I used to think wide-leg trousers were a difficult trend to wear, especially since I’m only 5’2”, but H&M’s styles completely changed my opinion. Although they give that smart, tailored look, they were all surprisingly comfortable. They’ve become my go to for office days, but I’ve also taken to wearing them while working from home so I can still feel a bit polished. Undeniably wide-legs are a new staple in my wardrobe (sorry, jeans), especially since they’re surprisingly versatile when it comes to shoe pairings too—they work with trainers, boots, loafers and even chunky sandals as we see this summer out.
Below, you’ll find my verdict on the 5 best new-in pairs I tried recently, as well as links to more of H&M’s cult styles that all work really well for the autumn season ahead.
Style Notes: Honestly, I was blown away by these trousers. The fit was absolutely perfect (I’m a pretty standard size 10, so these are true to size), the material didn’t feel cheap, and despite the casual cargo pocket they still felt really polished. I tried them with my converse and they definitely worked for a more relaxed vibe, but for work meetings and office days I’ll pair them with heeled boots and a blazer. And yes, I did keep these for myself after this try-on.
For £30, I was seriously impressed by these trousers. If you’ve been searching for a classic wide leg, no frills and spills, these are the ones to go for. The checked version I tried here make a nice nod to autumn/winter, and would look great with a leather blazer or shirt in my opinion. But this style also comes in black, beige and a khaki too. No doubt once you try one pair, you’ll probably be tempted to buy all four like I wanted to. Plus, they all come with matching blazers if you’re looking for an option that can work as part of a power suit too.
This specific style has been available at H&M for the last couple of years now in a few different colours—proving how timeless they are. Honestly they’re a great buy, that is if you can get hold of them. They’ve been sold out since early this year but after a recent restock I managed to get my hands on them to see what all the fuss was about. Coming in a more slouchy, crepey fabric, there’s less structure to these trousers and I found they clung a bit more around the waist, making it not as easy to tuck bulkier items like shirts in without seeing all the lumps and bumps. But the slimmer, draped leg made them perfect for wearing with this season’s key chunky loafers.
Part of H&M’s premium selection (an edit we WWWUK editors tap into regularly to find the most expensive-looking items from the brand), these wool trousers felt a lot more luxe than the other styles I tried. Which at least reflects the slightly higher price tag. They had a slightly wider leg with pleats, making them feel a bit more directional (or should I say a bit more ‘fashion’). And they were also a lot longer than the other styles meaning at 5’2″ I’d probably get them taken up, even to wear with these heeled boots. If you’re on the look out for a more affordable style people will easily mistake for a designer pair though, you can’t go wrong here.
Another H&M classic that has been sold out all summer, thankfully back for the autumn season. For me, out of all the styles, these felt the most expensive—the waistband is lined nicely and the material feels like really good quality. They definitely felt more tapered at the ankle, and balooned out a bit more at the top thanks to the pleats and quite a lot of fabric, so it took me a while to find the perfect shoe to style them with. But once I landed on the converse I felt like I could wear this combo on repeat all season. If you’re any taller than me, they’d probably crop nicely to wear with loafers like the model below as well.
These are so classic.
This whole suit would be perfect for weddings as well as the office.
Another statement pair.
The utility trend is going to be so big this autumn/winter.
Try a low-rise version for a Gen-Z approved look.
I just bought these and the material feels so sturdy.
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A great budget option.
I wear these to the office so much.
Honestly, I can’t get over how expensive this whole suit looks.
