How to Style Barrel Leg Trousers: The Complete Guide

How to style barrel leg trousers comes down to three things: show your waist, keep your shoes narrow and break up the volume with a little ankle, wrist or collarbone. With those in place, the rest of the outfit can be as relaxed or as polished as you like, whatever your height or your usual style.

This guide works through how to wear barrel leg trousers in the outfits we come back to most, drawing on what Hayley shows on our Lives each week. The outfit ideas run from a barrel leg and a knit to dressing the shape up for an evening out. For the shape itself and who it suits, see our guide to what barrel leg trousers are, and for sizing and length, how barrel leg trousers should fit.

The three rules that make barrel legs easy

The first is to show your waist. The neatest part of a barrel leg is the waist and hip, so a tuck, or even a half tuck, keeps that line visible and stops the outfit reading as one block. The second is to break up the volume by showing a little skin somewhere, whether that is a rolled hem just above the ankle, sleeves pushed up or a neckline that shows the collarbone.

The third is a narrower shoe. A pointed flat, a slim trainer or a boot that hugs the ankle balances the width of the leg, while anything chunky can make the outfit feel bottom heavy. If you are new to the shape, the hem is the easiest place to start, because a roll that shows the ankle makes the whole silhouette feel lighter.

Barrel legs and a knit

A barrel leg with a knit is the combination Hayley wears most through autumn and winter, the outfit she puts on when she wants to look relaxed without thinking too hard about it. The easiest version keeps the knit neater than the trousers, so that the volume stays in the leg. A fine merino such as the Trinny Fine Merino Crewneck or the Gwyneth Fine Merino Roll Neck sits close to the body and balances the width below it.

With a chunkier knit, the length matters more. A shorter knit such as the Blythe Funnel Neck Cropped Jumper keeps the volume on the leg, where a longer one can cut across the hip. If you love the drama of oversized on oversized, it can work too, as long as a half tuck shows the waist and the sleeves are pushed up. Our guide to how to style a jumper has more on the length of a knit.

Shirts, T Shirts and tanks

A shirt brings structure to the softness of a barrel leg. The Perfect Shirt tucked into the faux leather Billies makes a smart outfit with some personality for work. A knitted tank such as the Rebecca Ribbed Tank Top worn over a white shirt does the same with the cotton pairs. With an oversized shirt the cut matters, and the Olivia Oversized Poplin Shirt works untucked because it sits shorter at the front, with a dipped hem at the back, so the hip still shows.

A T Shirt with some structure at the shoulder works in the same way, and the Skylar Shoulder Pad T Shirt balances the width of the leg with a more defined shoulder. There are more tops, from fine knits to shoulder pads, in our guide to what to wear with barrel leg trousers.

Colour combinations for autumn

Most of the Billie colours work with the neutrals you already own, and a few combinations are worth knowing. Olive is softer with navy than with black, and it makes an unexpected but deliberate contrast with a powder blue shirt, as in our guide to the art of layering. Camel looks rich with the gingerbread stripe of the Cora Alpaca Blend Short Sleeve Striped Jumper and a charcoal layer underneath, while ecru works as a winter white with stone and taupe knits.

The newer colours have their own partners. The forest green balances well with a fine merino roll neck, the mustard works with navy and with chocolate, and the leopard sits easily with burgundy, as does the faux leather. For one colour from top to toe, the olive faux leather pair with an olive knitted tank looks polished with very little effort.

Jackets, blazers and coats

A cropped jacket is the easiest layer, because a longer one can cut across the widest part of the leg. If you prefer a longer layer, wearing it open lets the waistband show, and pushing the sleeves up adds a little shape at the wrist. With a blazer, a slightly shorter style balances the volume of a barrel leg better than a longline one.

The Ayla Wool Blend Reversible Jacket works open over a barrel leg, and with the Billies it does a casual job, where with tailored trousers it reads more like a grey blazer. A jacket that finishes at the waist, the same point the trousers anchor, keeps the line of the outfit unbroken.

How to dress barrel leg trousers up

Barrel legs dress up more easily than people expect. The Billie Barrel Leg Faux Leather Trousers are the obvious place to start, since the faux leather adds polish to almost any top. A sparkly blouse such as the Jules Striped Blouse with a heel takes them out in the evening. Washed black denim works in the same way, because the edge of the wash plays against the sparkle.

For a smarter daytime look, the ecru Billies worn full length with a tonal knit and a blazer are the most formal of the colours, and gold jewellery or a belt finishes the outfit. With the jeans, a little cami, a blazer and heels make an easy evening outfit.

Shoes for barrel leg trousers

A narrower shoe is the one rule that holds for every barrel leg outfit. A pointed flat lengthens the leg, a slim trainer keeps a casual outfit light, and in winter a narrow boot that hugs the ankle sits neatly under the hem. Our guide to what shoes to wear with barrel leg trousers goes through each option.

More barrel leg guides

For the shape in denim, see our guide to how to style barrel jeans. If you are deciding between shapes, barrel leg vs wide leg trousers compares the two, and how to style striped trousers has outfits for the striped Billie. Every colour is in our barrel leg trousers collection.

Frequently asked questions

How do you style barrel leg trousers?

Show your waist with a tuck or a half tuck, roll the hem to show a little ankle and choose a narrower shoe. A neater top half, such as a fine knit, keeps the volume in the leg, while a shorter chunky knit or an oversized shirt with a half tuck works if you prefer more volume on top.

Are barrel leg trousers smart or casual?

They can be either. In cotton with a knit and trainers they look relaxed, while in faux leather, or in ecru worn full length with a blazer, they look polished enough for work or an evening out.

How do you dress up barrel leg trousers?

Faux leather is the easiest route, worn with a sparkly blouse and a heel. Cotton pairs dress up when worn full length in a tonal outfit with a blazer, gold jewellery and a pointed shoe.

How do you wear barrel leg trousers in winter?

A knit that is neater or shorter than the trousers, a cropped jacket or a coat worn open, and a narrow boot that hugs the ankle carry the shape through winter. Ecru works all year as a winter white, and richer colours such as chocolate, forest green and leopard bring warmth to the colder months.

Can you wear barrel leg trousers to work?

Yes. A white shirt tucked into the faux leather pair, or a knitted tank over a white shirt with the cotton Billies, makes an easy work outfit, and a slightly shorter blazer adds polish.

What colours go with barrel leg trousers?

The neutral Billies work with almost everything, from navy and charcoal to camel and ecru. Olive is softer with navy than with black, mustard pairs well with navy or chocolate, and leopard sits easily with burgundy.