montauk trousers, camo style

I keep a running wish list of things I’d like to sew for myself. Do you do that, too? It’s usually not very long, maybe 3 to 5 items that have been on my mind, which I address when I need a little creative me time and I have space in my sewing schedule. The list changes with time, as I finish something or change my mind. I think it’s a good way to see how much I really want something, to see if the item I was dreaming about makes its way to the top of the list or if I eventually lose interest in it and something else supersedes it. It’s sort of a way of delaying my impulses, seeing if the items I think I want are really a priority or they were simply a passing fancy.

In any case, occasionally I see a fabric or get an idea that jumps the list completely. That happened this summer when my friend Jenny and I were hanging out at Mood in New York. Jenny was looking for specific fabric for a project. I was just along for moral support, especially since I was traveling with only my backpack for the entire month and didn’t have room for anything else, and I already knew there were two pairs of tango shoes waiting at my parents’ house for me to transport back home. In other words, there was no extra space for fabric in my luggage. No way.

And then I spotted this really soft cotton twill with camo print, but almost more like a floral than a typical camo. And I instantly knew it needed to be Montauk Trousers. I think I was inspired by a woman I had seen at the Guggenheim a day or two earlier. Her outfit wasn’t anything special, really, but her cargo trousers made an impression. I’ve never felt the need for camo anything, let alone cargo trousers in camo print. But that’s what this fabric needed to be. Straight to the top of the list it went.

Fabric was purchased, arrangements were made to leave the fabric with my friend Whitney during my travels so I could pick it up on my return trip through NY on my way home. Space was made in the backpack (the novio transported a few things, including my tango shoes, so I would have space–this was truly a community effort!), and at the end of my trip the twill came home with me.

I made a few changes to the Montauk Trousers pattern as I was cutting. I added 1″ height to the rise (I’m long-waisted, but I think I added too much–I’m considering lowering the waistband 1/2″ now that it’s finished) and added a little width to the trouser legs (just a little, starting about halfway down the thighs to add about 1″ at either side–see this tutorial for details), converted the exterior front patch pockets to regular trouser pockets (do you want a tutorial for this? happy to oblige if there is interest…) and added cargo pockets to the sides (based on the pockets from the Classic Shirt, but enlarged a little bit. I also added a faux fly to the front (also easy to do! Do you want a tutorial for this, too?) and topstitched the side seams to keep them flat because I really don’t like it when the side seams don’t stay flat. (It’s a personal pet peeve I could indulge in this instance because topstitching on cargo pants just seems right, no?)

These are ridiculously comfortable to wear, and I’m eager to try styling them a variety of ways. Mostly I’m planning to wear them with strappy heels, delicate sandals, or maybe even ballet flats to contrast with the tougher look of the trousers, and probably also with silky blouses or with blazers, again for the contrast. They’ll be a fun transition piece, I think. In these photos I’m wearing them with my heirloom-detailed linen Verdun Tee for more of a feminine detail to contrast with the trousers. Same concept, contrast tough with delicate or casual with dressy. It’s one of my favorite ways to style my clothing.

And the novio made me this nice video to share with you. Not bad, right? I’m telling you, who knew my camo cargo Montauk Trousers would be such a group effort!