Effortless Trousers That Make Summer Dressing a Breeze

This post is sponsored by Maze

Regular readers will know that trousers are kind of my thing. I’ll take them over dresses and skirts every day of the week, and I’m not fussy when it comes to style. Wide-leg, barrel, horseshoe, straight… I’ve dabbled in every shape and cut, and I love how each one can dramatically change the silhouette of the whole outfit.

I don’t abandon trousers in summer, either, but the fabrics, styles and colours shift ever so slightly. I find myself breezing past my more tailored pairs in favour of looser legs, the heavier fabrics are overlooked, and any structured waistband receives a firm shake of the head.

Because at this time of year, I want to dress in a way that’s easy and effortless. I know “effortless” gets thrown around too often (and really, is anything truly effortless?), but here I’m talking about light fabrics like cotton and linen that won’t weigh me down on hot days, colours that go with everything so there’s no overthinking an outfit in the morning when I could be outside enjoying the morning sun, and soft, elasticated waistbands that blissfully won’t dig in as I reach for another helping at a BBQ.

My friends at Maze, the Bristol-based independent retailer with an excellent line-up of brands including YMC, Girls of Dust, Bobo Choses, MHL, and more, have an equally good selection of properly effortless trousers this season. Here’s how I’ll be styling my favourite pairs over the summer months.

For reference, I’m 5’4”, but the beauty of these trousers is that they all have elasticated waistbands, which means you can wear them high or low on the waist, switching up the length.

First up: this paprika-coloured 100% linen pair from L.F. Markey. They have a loose, subtle barrel leg, an elasticated waistband (of course), and an easy flowy-ness to them that makes them very comfortable to wear. The paprika shade is nice and muted (great if you want to play with colour but don’t want to go too bold), and it just so happens to go perfectly with the colour of the embroidered ducks on the Bobo Choses shirt.

These Sessùn trousers are supposed to be 7/8 in length — i.e., hovering just above the ankle. But on this 5’4”er, they’re more like full length, and I’m not mad about it. They’re loose-fitting in a soft seersucker, and the lightweight nature of them (plus the light colour) says “effortless summer” quite unlike anything else. They look good with tops tucked in, but I like a big shirt for even more ease and comfort.

Relaxed wide leg, lightweight cotton, elasticated waistband, stripes in a mix of Aegean blues… these Sideline trousers are the type of summer piece that instantly makes a day brighter. Given that they’re such a statement style, I’ve balanced the trousers out with an ecru-coloured short-sleeved shirt from Sacrécoeur — but if you’re more bold than me, Sideline has a matching top.

These Sessùn trousers are the same as the off-white ones in look two, only this time they’re in a dark forest green (the perfect alternative if white trousers are a no-go for you practicality-wise). The darker shade makes these trousers a good option for evening wear or for those occasions when you want to dress up a little, as well as for more casual looks. This is what I’d wear for an evening when I want to make a bit of an effort, but still feel effortless.

These trousers are a voluminous barrel-leg style from Sacrécoeur — nice and roomy, and in cotton poplin, they’re lightweight yet hardy too. I’ve worn them low on the waist here so they gather a bit at the ankle, but you can wear them higher up to make that barrel shape even more prominent. For an everyday, don’t-need-to-think-about-it outfit, I’ve paired these trousers with an equally effortless oversized shirt and flip-flops. A formula that can’t be beaten.

For more from Maze, take a look at the full collection here. There’s women’s and menswear, as well as a good selection of homeware, and a bit of children’s wear.

Any items marked with * have been gifted by brands. All thoughts, picks and reviews are my own.

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