Friends! It’s amazing how productive you can be when you’re procrastinating, isn’t it? (Also when you’re too uncomfortable to focus…) The fabrics from Belgium arrived, were immediately washed and dried, and as soon as I was able to stand on my feet again I got busy cutting! Two days later, two pairs of Hollywood Trousers with some of my favorite modifications.
Here are the denim trousers.
This was a heavy selvedge Cone denim that’s been sitting in my stash for quite a while. Much as I love selvedge side seams, I was only able to make use of the selvedge itself at the inside waistband. These trousers have more shaping than selvedge jeans, and in the end it was worth it to sacrifice the selvedge seams for the fit. I’m very pleased with them!
The denim itself I snagged before Cone Mills announced they were closing, but now it appears that they must have been saved at some point? Fill me in if you know the answer, because it was desperately sad when they said they were going away.
I used the angled front pocket shape and the welt back pockets that are included in our Peckham Trousers, if you need a reference for making your own alterations.
One of my favorite details of the Hollywood Trousers is the pocket stays at the inside, which keep the pockets from gaping when you sit down AND they help with a little support across your stomach because the pocket bags are securely sewn to the center front, behind the zipper fly. I love this detail, and I also included it in the khaki trousers (which you can see below) because I didn’t want the pleated front to gape open. The thing I hate about pleated trousers is how they gap across the front when you sit down, so I eliminate the problem with the pockets stays. You’ll see this pocket stay detail again in one of our upcoming spring patterns as well, and I’m so excited about it! I wish all trousers had pocket stays. Here’s one of my favorite insides, from another pair of Hollywood Trousers where I used some leftover Liberty lawn as my pocket bags and inside the waistband as a facing (a detail I included in our SoHo Skirt).
You can see how the pocket bags stay in place this way.
Here are the khaki trousers with the added pleat. I’ll save that detail for a tutorial in the near future.
This fabric is a marvel! Very light and crisp cotton twill, and I was delighted to discover that it has some sort of water repellent finish on it, which explains why my fabric-marking pen was a bit hesitant to do its job. Oh, such a pleasure to sew and wear this one! I’m seriously considering buying more for a Garibaldi A-Line Skirt and a trench coat. (Should we make a pattern for a trench coat? I want to sew one! Coat patterns never sell very well, but sometimes I’m just too passionate to care.)
I also added belt loops, which we included in the Lisboa Shorts and will also be included in one of our upcoming spring patterns. I love borrowing details from our various patterns and combining them. I hope you’re feeling confident enough to do this too! There’s always a few of us around on the forums and on the Facebook groups to offer advice if you need any. This community is wonderful for that.
Beyond that, both of these trousers were very straightforward to sew. I’ve been having fun with my waistbands and closures, and I’ll show you a few of those soon, too. But in the meantime I’m just enjoying the finished trousers. They’re great with everything: core wardrobe and beyond. And I know I’ll be wearing them well into spring and early summer as well.
You can pick up your own Hollywood Trousers pattern here: as well as the Peckham Trousers pattern for those pocket details, if you want to include them.
Love your pants, I have been tempted to make these. I would love a trench coat pattern but understand the time involved. I did not know coat patterns do not sell well, who knew as there seem to be plentiful patterns around.
Sometimes we develop patterns we know won’t sell well just because I like the diversity in our collection. Tops and dresses sell better than bottoms and jackets, but I think it’s important that we have everything in our line so we publish them even though we know they won’t be “best sellers.” It’s part of the business, I think!
Thanks for the kind words, and I’m glad you mix and match!
Very nice indeed! The Hollywood trousers are wide-legged of course, did you narrow these two? I like the leg shape of the Peckham but then I like the rise and the waist shape of the Hollywood ones a lot.
I borrow details from other patterns of yours – including the Oliver + S ones! I made my kid a pair of Art Museum pants the other day and once I got to the belt loop stage I swore I would never make any trousers for myself again without including belt loops – they are useful but also such a great detail in themselves. (I also think the instructions for welt pockets in the Art Museum pattern is perhaps your best set of welt pocket instructions of all of them!)
Trench coat vote + 1 here – but please if you do, can it be unisex or have a unisex option, like the Secret Agent coat? There are a lot of patterns out there for it but somehow they seem to tend to be quite gendered, which is a bit unnecessary for this sort of coat, surely…
For the denim trousers I unintentionally narrowed the legs because I forgot I had narrowed them for the wool trousers and I was using the same pattern. For the khaki trousers I added back the fullness, so they’re the standard Hollywood Trouser shape.
Thanks – yes now that you mention it I can see that the two pairs differ in leg width, I was mostly looking at the denim pair initially for leg width.
Love the pants, I have made the hollywood pant and they are so comfortable. Love them.
I vote yes, yes, please, and soon! to your question of a classic trench coat for a new pattern.
Please make it with raglan sleeves so there is plenty of room for a sweater underneath! I have a lovely collection of your patterns and think that a trench coat would be a great addition for the classic wardrobe. I will make it in navy or camel.
I’ve been eyeing these Hollywood trousers for quite some time. I love both of these versions. I definitely see them in my future!!!
What is the source for the cotton twill khaki pants? Love them!
What is the source for fabric used in the khaki pants? Love them!
Very chic! I have this pattern but haven’t had the proper fabric or initiative to make anything yet. You are inspiring me.
I purchased the Classic Shirt pattern awhile from Fabric Mart and when I opened it the other day page 2 is not printed. Would you please send me a copy of it thank you.
I love the Joan Trousers pattern. Can you tell what the fabric in the photo is? I’d like to find something like it but I have no clue as to what it is.
P.S. I have purchased several of your patterns and they are wonderful.
Thank you
I love the idea of a trench coat pattern, but I suspect I would probably not get around to making it up. Every February, I browse trench coat patterns online and RTW trenches and I never make a purchase as I just don’t know if it’s a garment I would get much wear from now that I work from home. But for what it’s worth… my fantasy trench coat pattern would include a simpler single-breasted option like the Cashmerette Chilton coat, and a more traditional double-breasted option with all those amazing Burberry-type details like piping, storm flaps and the belt similar. I’d probably buy it with plans to make it ‘one day’ but I don’t know if it would happen until I retire!