Formal trousers

Formal trousers, also known as formal striped trousers or colloquially spongebag trousers, are grey striped or patterned formal trousers for day attire in traditional Western dress code, primarily associated with formal morning dress or secondly its semi-formal equivalent black lounge suit.^[1] Traditionally made from heavy wool ranging from worsted, melton to partial twill weave, the pattern is most often of a muted design in stripes of black, silver, white and charcoal grey in various combinations (not to be confused with pinstripe or chalkstripe, which are formed of single thin lines spaced equally apart). In addition, formal trousers may also come in check patterns, such as houndstooth check, or plaids, although these variants are widely considered as not the most formal.

Typically, formal trousers are intended to be worn with braces with a fishtail back covered by a waistcoat, and have pleats for correct ironing result and comfort. Likewise, for traditional reasons of formality, they do not have turn-ups, since these are considered less formal.

^ Storey, N. (2008). History of Men's Fashion: What the Well-dressed Man is Wearing. Remember When. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-84468-037-5. Retrieved September 5, 2017.

[1] Storey, N. (2008). History of Men's Fashion: What the Well-dressed Man is Wearing. Remember When. p. 78. ISBN 978-1-84468-037-5. Retrieved September 5, 2017.

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