How to solve a problem like leather trousers

I'm a huge fan of Friends, which is one of those rare shows that never loses its sparkle as the years go by. No matter how many times you've seen any of the episodes across the ten seasons.

There is just something timeless about it, which says something about the writers and actors and their ability to just smash it.

Now, there is a reason I am talking about Friends – it's all to do with a survey about leather trousers.

First things first: the study by Lambrini. It was revealed that nearly 50 per cent of women who have purchased leather trousers subsequently regretted doing so. A hard look to pull off, many of the fashionistas ended up being of the opinion that it wasn't at all stylish.

As far as a major fashion faux pas goes, this is as big as it gets, purely for the reason that it works on a tiny number of women – for most of us, our bodies, dispositions and all the rest, well, they don't quite click with this piece of clothing.

It's funny then that leather trousers are so bang on trend this season…I know! What this shows is the slight displacement between catwalk, celebrity and high street. Those in the public eye, the likes of Kim Kardashian, Victoria Beckham and Ellie Goulding, they are able to get away with it.

As for the rest of us, unless you have that certain "something", it is going to be a disaster of a look. Trying to find a pair that fits perfectly is like trying to find a needle in a haystack – trust me, I've been there and got the leather t-shirt!

"Although celebs may look good in leather trousers, realistically most of us don’t and should steer well away from the trend," commented Lorna Tweed, brand manager for Lambrini. "It’s wise to shop with female friends and get advice from them before buying – there’s no point wasting money on something you’re never going to wear."

Wise words indeed. Now, as to that Friends episode, it's the One With All The Resolutions. Ross is on a date and he's wearing leather trousers…very tight ones. Suffering from the heat he goes to the bathroom for some air. But they've shrunk.

He tries to fix the problem with advice from Joey – always a mistake – which results in him mixing up moisturiser cream and powders. The consequence is a paste and a very bad date. If ever there was a reason to be cautious about leather trousers, this episode says it all.

Are you into leather trousers?

Posted by Mandy Johnson