[Pentheos]

I had three pairs of Corbin flat-front wool pants in 40 (long rise) delivered today from STP. They were so tight through the thigh that had I worn them outside of the house, I suspect I would have been arrested for indecency. I believe you could see my pulse through the fabric.

Has anyone else had this experience? I normally wear pleated trousers, so this was a surprise (and a disappointment) to me. My 40 Bills Khakis fit like, well, Bills; my 40 BB trousers are perfect. Do pleats really make that much of a difference?

So they are going back, which is a shame, because the price point on them was thoroughly excellent.

 

[fitzwright]

Don't have a comment on Corbin, but I recently tried on some Ballin pants at a local retailer and had a similar experience. The flat front pair was very tight, but the pleated in the same size fit great. I very rarely if ever find dress pants or khakis that fit and look good with out pleats. For me they're not an option, they're a must have.

 

[a tailor]

I had three pairs of Corbin flat-front wool pants in 40 (long rise) delivered today from STP. They were so tight through the thigh that had I worn them outside of the house, I suspect I would have been arrested for indecency. I believe you could see my pulse through the fabric.

Has anyone else had this experience? I normally wear pleated trousers, so this was a surprise (and a disappointment) to me. My 40 Bills Khakis fit like, well, Bills; my 40 BB trousers are perfect. Do pleats really make that much of a difference?

So they are going back, which is a shame, because the price point on them was thoroughly excellent.

yes pleated trousers are fuller than flat fronts.
the pleats are actually extra cloth added to the front. any where from 4 to 5 inches at the waist level. it then tapers down the leg. picture the flat front trouser split down the crease, and opened at the waist but pivoted [not opened] at the bottom. this creates a very long wedge 4" wide at the top with a zero point at the bottom. this is your main crease. the small crease is added at the side.
you might try going to "search" and ask for [removing trouser pleats]. beside the pleats there is a little extra fullness added. this is because a tight fit will cause the pleats to pull open.

heres a thought try buying a larger size flat front and having the waist taken in.

 

[TheWardrobeGirl]

I have seen that before...I am not sure why that is - they make a decent pleated front pant but for some reason the cut of the plain front is a bit screwy...I haven't seen their pants in a while, but last time I did, I thought the pocket placement was a bit weird also exacerbating the situation...I felt like I was visually violating the poor guy wearing the pants!

 

[dfloyd]

I think the tightness of the pants ....

is more a problem of the manufacturer than fat front versus pleated. Granted that flat front trousers are more roomy, but this shouldn't make them overtight if the right size and manufacturer are selected. I wear flat fronts almost exclusively, and have run into problems with some manufacturers. I tried on a pair last year (flat fronts) where the rise was wrong for me. The salesman tried to convince me that I wore flat fronts too high (around my natural waist, and that if I wore them lower, they would fit. I told him that if his manufacturer made garments that fit me the way I wear my trousers, he could have gotten a sale. Needless to say, I walked out of the store without purchasing. My point is not all flat fronts are form fitting, some are, so just avoid these. The same thing happens with other manufacturers: Robert Talbott shirts fit me like a tent, so I don't even think of purchasing them. But I love their ties.

 

[Jim In Sunny So Calif]

I have two pair of Corbin trousers and am waiting for another pair to arrive. They fit me fine so I am not surprised that they are not the right cut for a lot of folks as I often have to have the side of OTR trousers taken in.

Cheers, Jim.