Written by Paddy Maddison in Tips & Advice on the 4th January 2017

2016 has earned itself a reputation as one of the worst years we’ve seen in a very long time. Bowie died, Trump was elected president, Brexit happened and the price of Greggs sausage rolls is at an all time high. But there is one saving grace: Cropped skinny trousers are finally dying the death. For several years, they’ve been riding an inexplicable wave of mainstream appeal. Every man and his dog have been wearing a pair of cropped trousers. Whether it be suit trousers minus the socks, or cropped joggers with trainers.

However, we appear to have reached a turning point now and we can finally begin to move on. In 2017, cropped skinny trousers will be solely reserved for thirty-something-year-old party-boys from Essex, who wear slip-on tassel loafers and still live with their parents. In fact, it’s been getting that way for a while now.

What about those of us who got sucked in by the trend and spat out the other end? What trousers can we wear now? Luckily there is plenty on offer, and thankfully trouser legs are beginning to get longer again. There’s no shame in wearing a normal length pair of trousers or jeans, and there are other ways to add a touch of personality to your outfit without wearing trousers that are too short and tight for you. However, if you really can’t bear to put your ankles away for 2017 then wider leg cropped pants are still a suitable option and have been dominating runways for several seasons. But really, the best option of them all is to put the trend behind you and focus instead on style. After all, they’re not doing much to flatter your figure. In fact, cropped pants can make your legs look dramatically shorter which, last time we checked, was not something anyone really wants.

In short (no pun intended) cropped trousers, regardless of width, are always going to fall out of fashion because they’re a trend, and trends will always take second place to style. Pick yourself a great pair of full-length trousers and no matter what year it is or what’s popular at the time, you’ll always look good.

We discuss how Cropped Trousers and Jeans Are Not Cool and advise you on how to get over them.