The best men’s high-waisted trousers will take your ’fits to new heights

With decadent tweed fabric, intricate outseam embroidery, and a stratospheric rise, these smashing trousers feel like they should be hanging out in a conversation pit at a groovy cocktail party regaling rich friends with stories about Andy Warhol.

Aside from a classic pair of blue jeans, the Dickies 874 Work Trousers are about as versatile as it gets. They’re tough enough for hard labour but dressy enough to cut the mustard at a formal event. A huge part of that comes down to the cut, which is a damn near perfect straight leg and classic rise.

Who doesn’t love a pair of trousers with a built-in waist? This handsome pair takes after Gurkha trousers and looks just as fresh today as they did when they were introduced to the Army in the 1800s.

Dripped to shreds. Dutch designer Camiel Fortgens’ signature ultra-wide cut tapers at the waist, creating a “column-like” silhouette that drops away from the body to its widest point at the feet. Pair with matching black leather loafers for best effect.

In the market for a pair of jeans that are understated but seriously stylish? If so, Acne Studios has your back (and your bottom). The Swedish fashion house knows a thing or two about how to make the most out of minimalism. Arriving in a classic blue colour palette, fading and distressed detailing gives the pair a thrifted vibe. Whether you plan to wear these with a casual hoodie or a formal dress shirt, it’ll work with absolutely anything. Pinky promise.

Grandma’s wallpaper looks mighty fine as a pair of trousers, though you’ll want to keep Bode’s cotton-corduroy 1960s wonders away from any moths. They’re ideal for that laidback summer wedding you’ve been invited to for months with no idea what to wear.

Rick Owens Geth jeans may as well be made for giants because the rise is so long that they could reach to most people’s nips. And if you’re not a giant already, well, they’ll create that effect — though said giant is clearly one who spends a lot of time in Berlin and is involved in the industrial music scene.

A bootcut leg isn’t the only thing that cowboys require from a pair of dungarees. They also need a high rise to ensure their shirts stay tucked through a chill gallop on the ranch or surviving a bucking bronco in a rodeo. Wrangler’s 13MWZ is the quintessential cowboy jean and thankfully you don’t have to know how to ride a horse to wear ’em, because they look just as great strolling downtown streets with a pair of swanky loafers and a silky shirt, far, far away from any ranch.

Dress trouser looks with a pajama-like silhouette make these some of the most comfortable office-appropriate legwear you’ll find. Feel like you’re working from home without losing all the hustler kudos of showing up to your desk.

When you’re in a pinch and those Dickies 874s aren’t dressy enough, you couldn’t do much better than a pair of Dockers. Channelling something all-American and preppy is the aim here.

Levi’s pre-shrunk 501 jeans have a respectable mid-rise, but the original shrink-to-fit 501 jeans have a noticeably higher rise that many would consider a true high rise. You might have to work on getting those fades yourself, but that’s a satisfying trade-off to make.

Wide-legged, high-waisted, and satisfyingly textured in Italian denim. Our Legacy are among the best in the biz for a high waist, and their Third Cut is no exception.