I tried 7 high street linen trousers – only one pair won’t reveal your bum
CELEBS love them – but are baggy bums, crinkled crotches and, worst of all, VPL the price you pay to wear linen trousers?
Emma Lazenby puts six affordable pairs to the test with ratings out of five.
MANGO – BEST BUM COVERAGE
STRAIGHT LINEN SUIT TROUSERS, (100% linen), £49.99
Fit: The chicest ones, with a nicely tailored waistband and a snug fit on the hips and legs. But the bum became baggy almost instantly.
Cool feel: The fabric felt breathable but, for me, the close fit negated any cooling effect.
See-through factor: A thicker trouser, this pair offered more coverage than most, with just a faint VPL in sunlight.
Creasing: One of the worst culprits. Even bending down to put my shoes on resulted in the start of that crease line across the tops of the legs.
Washability: This pair washed well and snapped back into shape. They loosened up a bit too much at the hips.
Rating: 3/5
RIVER ISLAND
CREAM LINEN BLEND WIDE-LEG TROUSERS (20% linen), £26
Fit: Good if you want to avoid bright white and prefer a cropped style, but these were a bit shapeless, with the thin waistband, low crotch and no structure at the hips.
Cool feel: The floaty, cropped fit was cooling, but the soft fabric was on the thicker side, so they weren’t as breathable as I’d have liked.
See-through factor: The darker shade and generous fit around the bum helped protect my modesty, with just a hint of VPL.
Creasing: The legs and ankle hems crinkled up after a couple of hours, but the loose fit made this less obvious.
Washability: The legs were a bit mis-shapen after washing and the hem didn’t hang as evenly at the ankles.
Rating: 2/5.
NEW LOOK
WHITE LINEN BLEND DRAWSTRING-WAIST TROUSERS (55% linen), £26.99
Fit: A drawstring, elasticated waist and wide leg made for easy wear – and the knees and bum held their shape.
Cool feel: The light fabric and loose fit kept me cool and a breeze flowed through them, which was welcome on a balmy evening on the kids’ cricket pitch.
See-through factor: A flesh-coloured thong was a must. They were almost transparent. If they had a closer fit, I’d have been reluctant to wear them in public.
Creasing: The gathered fit around the hips meant they didn’t crease badly after a sit-down, just a few light ones on the legs.
Washability: Despite emerging with crinkly legs after drying, they kept their size and shape well after a wash.
Rating: 3/5.
Hottest fashion trends of 2025
Fabulous’ Fashion Editor Clemmie Fieldsend shares the biggest trends from the high street.
The East/West Bag
Baguette bags have had a good run, after returning from the 1990s’ shoulders of Sarah Jessica Parker to modern-day fashion icons, like Hailey Bieber.
In 2025, the East/West bag is a similar but elongated shape and has long, thin straps that are easy to throw over your shoulder.
They’ve been on runway models’ arms at nearly ever designer show – think Burberry, Givenchy and Bottega Veneta – and are hitting the high street now, too.
Powder pink
Bright fuchsia pink had its day after the release of Barbie in 2023 and now the more polished and expensive-looking pale shade is taking over for 2025.
Pantone may say that it’s the year of Mocha Mousse, but the catwalks say otherwise! From Prada to Erdem, the subtle look was all over the spring/summer catwalks, worn head-to-toe or on its own.
If the sugary shade is too girly for you, then look to sharp suiting for a androgynous take on the colour.
The shell jacket
The ’80s classic is back, but with a sleek and minimal new twist for 2025.
We all know we’re likely to see rain for most of spring, so your practical coat of choice should be a cagoule jacket.
Depop revealed one of its big trend predictions for this year is retro sportswear, with surges already seen in ‘80s windbreakers’.
Seen everywhere from the stylish streets of Copenhagen to the Miu Miu catwalk, now mums who have an emergency raincoat crumpled underneath their pushchair are very much in fashion!
The turn-up jeans
While the shape of jeans remains the same for this year and barrel-legs will still be everywhere, the way we’re styling them is different.
This season, transform your wide-leg, baggy denims into turn-ups.
For this look, size doesn’t matter, so while deep turn-ups are a hit from jean trend-leaders Citizens of Humanity, a slight fold is still just as good – but only as it’s just one single fold.
Peep-toe shoe
Get your pedicures booked in sharpish, as this season your toes are the main event.
After a long hiatus, the peep-toe has been welcomed back into the fashion fold, with brands like Hermes, Miu Miu and Tory Burch showing plain and embellished footwear in this style.
From mules to pumps and clogs (yes, clogs will be around too!), there are lots of different styles that are set to sweep the high street.
Sheer blouses
See-through looks have always lived on the catwalk, but have rarely filtered into everyday life – until now.
Designers Ralph Lauren and Tom Ford loved sheer looks on their S/S ’25 catwalks and M&S even had sellout success with its black sheer pencil skirt last season.
Expect to see more sheer looks lining supermarket aisles and high street shops in the form of skirts, tops and frocks.
PRIMARK
THE EDIT LINEN TROUSERS (100% linen), £28
Fit: An extra-wide leg gave this pair a floaty feel and initially they fit nicely on the hip, until I got a baggy bum after an hour or so.
Cool feel: They were light and breezy and the coolest of the bunch, even in heat of the midday sun.
See-through factor: The white colourway did me no favours when it came to transparency. These trousers were crying out for bum pockets to add an extra layer of VPL coverage.
Creasing: The fabric was almost crisp and incredibly creasy. They were crinkly around the thighs and hips in no time at all.
Washability: They needed some serious ironing after washing! But they kept their shape well and didn’t shrink.
Rating: 2/5.
TU @ SAINSBURY’S
NEUTRAL LINEN BLEND BARREL-LEG TROUSERS (5% linen), £22
Fit: I loved this barrel-leg, ankle-grazer style, and the thicker fabric and front leg seam helped the trousers to hold their shape throughout the day.
Cool feel: Despite the loose fit, this was one of the warmer, less breathable pairs of the bunch.
See-through factor: I thought the darker cream shade and heavier fabric would save me, but my pants were on display. The front pocket-lining was also visible.
Creasing: They fared well after a long sit-down at my laptop and two school runs, with a light crease across the tops of my thighs and some faint crinkles in the legs.
Washability: This pair washed really nicely, with zero shrinkage or change in structure and shape.
Rating: 3/5.
MARKS AND SPENCER – MY FAVOURITE
LINEN BLEND WIDE-LEG TROUSERS (55% linen), £27.50
Fit: I loved this pair’s heavier structure, with its sturdy hip pockets and robust stitching. Despite slight bagging around the bum, they held their shape well.
Cool feel: The wide leg helped to keep me cool but the fabric wasn’t breathable enough to keep me sweat-free.
See-through factor: Bum pockets saved my modesty here, hiding any VPL well.
Creasing: A horizontal crease line crept in across the tops of the thighs after driving, but overall they fared pretty well. The deep ankle hem helped to weigh down the legs and soften kinks.
Washability: A high-temperature iron after hang-drying was essential, but the trousers’ shape emerged intact.
How to look chic on a budget
Fashion stylist Gemma Rose Breger, and beauty journalist Samantha Silver revealed how you can make your outfits elevated without spending hundreds of pounds.
- Don’t ever spend on designer denim: River Island ”always has such a great selection of fashion-forward jeans that follow the current trends”. The high street retailer offers a great range of sizes to fit UK 6 – UK 18, and three leg lengths – and prices start from an affordable £25.
- There are no rules for jewels: ”Pick up something at a car boot sale, or charity shop, scroll on Vinted & eBay, snap up something from the clothing section in your local supermarket when doing the food shop or check out high street clothing stores.”
- Don’t forget the pre-loved sites: With a rising number of second-hand sites, such as Vinted and Depop, there’s no excuse for not buying – or selling – pre-loved garments. Gemma, for instance, has managed to get her hands on chic Chanel sunnies for a mere £17.