Meeting #15: The Mil Surp Pants You Should Wear, plus, Instagram’s Best Dressed
The virtues of British Army dress trousers, and the best fits on the internet right now
Housekeeping
Thank you for joining this meeting of The Prep Club.
In case you missed it, last week’s Club Chair Bulletin can be found here, pickup a copy on your way out today.
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-Callum
The Mil Surp Pants You Might Need
Military surplus is a perpetual feature of our dress, particularly in the department of leg wear. Of course there’s both the American and French khaki pants, and the OG 107 fatigues especially as of late. For good reason, they tend to exhibit very desirable fits, high of waist, wide of leg. Extending beyond the three aforementioned, there exists another trouser that’s started to make its way into the canon.
The first proper piece of clothing I bought, if I look in retrospect, was a pair of British Army No. 2 Dress Trousers. I didn't really understand what they were, I really just noted the fit and the material, but they’ve stayed firmly in my wardrobe.
Looking at them, they’re reminiscent of the 107s, especially the big belt loops, and the side adjusters layered underneath. The addition of the pleats makes for a more pronounced sense of antiquity, I would say, overall they speak to a bygone era of leg wear. The serge wool material gives a more formal look, and perhaps suits them to cooler temperatures, though I’ve found thanks to their roominess that they can be worn on summer evenings in the UK.
There are two core iterations of the no. 2s for one to be aware of, the earlier model, which does not feature the large belt loops, and the latter that does. The absence of the loops makes the earlier model easier to pull off as simply a pleated pant, but the later model is easier to come by. I have at times wondered about taking the belt loops off of mine, but I think they’ll be staying now, the militaria nod which they lend is a facet of both the versatility and intrigue of this piece.
The olive-ish brown which they come in is surprisingly accessible in terms of styling, it pairs quite comfortably with reds, blues, and greens. When it comes to styling them, I’d consider them to be at home anywhere you might pick a fatigue pant. As you might be aware, I love interchangability in my trouser selection. I tend to wear mine with tailoring, but you can refer to the image below and see them with denim, a chore coat, a hoodie. As it seems always to be, versatility is the core reason that I champion these so strongly.
The no. 2s are the best known, and most widely available, but I’d like too to draw attention to two other options in the RAF No. 1 and Royal Marine No. 5. Blue/grey and olive drab respectively, both offer similar versatility to the No. 2. The No. 5 is the closest to an American fatigue pant, in it’s colour, and in the buttoned belt loops, if you’ve ever wanted a slightly more formal, or pleated, 107, these could be a pick.
The Best Clothes-Wearers You Might Not Follow
Moving to our second motion of the meeting, I wanted to draw attention to just a small selection of exceedingly well dressed individuals, the folks that are informing my personal style right now.
@newtonstreetvintage
Perhaps the best known on this list, among the online circles I move in at least, Zach’s outfits form the basis of what I buy these days. He has an immense power to compel one to try clothing of a similar vein to his own, and his presentation is infinitely digestible: short, simple, and communicative. I understand why the “get ready with me” style prevails on short-form video, it vastly improves viewer retention, those who opt instead to present their outfits succinctly gain my respect.
@vivahippy
Viva presents well crafted ivy and militaria inspired looks, and proceeds also to blend the two effortlessly. She’s the first person I personally saw wear cargos with a navy blazer, and a trucker jacket with an Oxford and tie. These blended looks make for excellent inspiration.
@taekp_hyeong
Simple, well-proportioned collegiate looks, as we are at any given time trying to achieve. Of note here particularly are the more rugged infusions, as well as the occasional appearances of the FFA jacket matched with an Oxford and knit tie.
@diegovelasco
Diego’s looks fit into the bracket of that which I’d consider to be “fashion-forward”, that is to say, less preoccupied with the trappings of tradition. It is for that very reason that I love his outfits so much. I particularly love the many ways he styles a white polo shirt. A classic pique polo, something that I had thought off limits until having seen these outfits. The Yankees blazer, the air ties, all fantastic.
@nao_ivypreppy_1996
From avant-garde to absolute tradition, Nao's looks quite simply tick all the boxes. Extending, as this publication forever seeks to, across the many iterations of the collegiate styles, and introducing rugged aspects too. The Bean boots, the headwear, the logo chinos, all of it pulled off exquisitely.
Thanks for joining us for this meeting, please share any other great internet-based dressers below, it’s always nice to expand the pool of inspiration and connections.
Take a look at last week’s bulletin here, see you at the next one.