I Just Tried On 5 Pairs of COS Linen Trousers That Your Summer Wardrobe Needs to See
Linen trousers are a seriously chic summer staple, and in my expert opinion, you can find some of the best pairs at COS. I put the key styles to the test, and you can read my reviews below.
Linen trousers are a seriously chic summer staple that I would argue every woman needs in their wardrobe for the warmer months. They're just so versatile. They can look smart for work, evenings and events, or relaxed and dressed down for weekends and beach holidays. Linen itself is such a timeless, ageless fabric that gives off polished vibes, but crucially it's also light and comfortable for when those heatwaves hit. You can see why, then, a great pair of linen trousers is incredibly useful to have in your arsenal for summer.
In fact, I'd consider myself somewhat of an expert in the linen trouser field. Mostly thanks to the sheer amount of styles I've tried in the past—both for my own collection and for work purposes. From super luxury high end labels such as The Row and Loro Piana to the likes of H&M and Zara. And while, of course, quality and design is almost always reflected in the price, linen is linen right? So I tend to aim for somewhere in the middle. In my experience, it's the premium high street brands like Reformation, Massimo Dutti and COS that offer both affordability and great quality linen designs.
After having a quick browse at what the new-in sections of my favourite stores were offering recently, I couldn't help but notice COS in particular had so many great linen trousers on offer. And since anyone who's anyone in fashion turns to COS for great trousers, I thought I'd place an order to put all their styles to the test and see which ones (if any) were worth reporting back to you on.
Unsurprisingly I could have happily kept all of them, but there were five pairs of COS linen trousers I tried on that felt really standout, with each pair ticking a different useful box. Keep scrolling to see my reviews and shop these incredibly chic pairs...
1. Elasticated Linen Barrel-Leg Trousers
Best For: Holidays and beach days.
My Review: If you're after a classic white linen trouser for summer that feels way more elevated than other quite plain (and cheap) pairs on the market, you've hit the jackpot here. Classic, but with a stylish twist of the barrel-leg shape which can easily be adjusted to suit your style or your footwear with the three buttons up the hems. The elasticated waist is super comfortable, although does give a more relaxed finish, so I'd suggest these would be a perfect beach or holiday trouser. Since they don't have an adjustable drawstring, I'd size down if you're in between sizes to avoid them feeling too loose. Another pro? They have excellent pockets, and I liked the tailored detailing which offers more coverage.
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2. Tailored Linen-Blend Straight-Leg Trousers
Best For: Summer workwear
My Review: Is there anything more chic than a cream linen trouser in summer? The great thing about these is that they're mixed with a viscose which helps them not to crease, and adds an expensive-looking heaviness to the hang of the fabric on the body. I loved the subtle tuxedo stripe down the side which elevated these into an ideal summer workwear piece for me. They came up slightly big on me so Id perhaps size up depending on your fit preference, and I can confirm they passed my rigorous see-through test (no nude underwear visible).
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3. Relaxed Linen-Blend Wide-Leg Trousers
Best For: Tall people
My Review: The pros? Wow, do these feel like a great quality pair of trousers. The tailoring is impeccable with a smart, sleek finish that barely creased thanks to the Lyocell and linen fabric mix. They're still super lightweight and cool, ready to take on this summer's hottest heatwaves in style. The cons for me were personal—I'm only 5'2" so they came up way too long (nothing a local dry cleaner couldn't fix, however), and they also felt quite billowy and overly-wide on my petite frame. If you're tall, these are the linen trousers for you. I would suggest sizing down as they came up quite big, and sit higher on the waist.
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4. Linen Culottes
Best For: Fans of a cropped length.
My Review: Truthfully I've never found a culotte that flattering, as they can often hit right in the middle of the calf which cuts me off as a petite person. I do, however, love a cropped trouser to be able to show off a bit of skin at the ankle and not have constantly mucky hems from them dragging on the floor, so I thought I'd give these a try. In fact, I ended up really loving them. The cropped length means they go so easily with basically any type of summer footwear you can think of: flip flops, chunky sandals, ballet flats, heels, you name it. They're lo insanely comfortable, with an elasticated waist and loose fit, while the navy colour keeps them feeling smart and pulled-together. I can just see myself getting so much wear out of these easy, throw-on trousers for many summers to come. If you're in between sizes, I would try the size down first as I had a bit of room around the waist in my size 38/10.
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5. Belted Linen Barrel-Leg Trousers
Best For: Fans of a cargo trouser
My Review: These are such a nice, smart alternative to a cargo trouser come summer. I love the utility details, from the side pocket to the built-in belt which can be worn in multiple ways (and has two sizing options). Although slightly too long on me, I loved the split hems which show off a flip flop or a dainty heel nicely. I will say they did crease easily, especially after sitting down, but they're 100% linen so that's to be expected. These definitely had a more true to size fit (I have on a 38/ size 10)
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