Which fabric should I choose for my next pair of made-to-measure trousers?

So, my local menswear store manager has offered me a deal on my next order of made-to-measure trousers - if I order three pairs.

I was already thinking about ordering two pairs, so an extra pair for a discount isn't that much of a stretch. (He gets a discount at three pairs and is willing to pass at least some of that on to me.)

I was thinking about this because I always seem to find myself reaching for my higher-waisted trousers over low- to mid-rise trousers. And my absolute favorite trousers are all the made-to-measure ones I got from this store. Since I don't want to wear them out prematurely, I need to add some options to the go-to trouser section of my closet.

I know the first two I want to order. I have a mid gray pair of odd trousers and two pairs of midnight navy glen plaid trousers - which belong to a three-piece suit. So, in order to fill a particular gap, the first pair will be a charcoal gray in a 100% merino wool fabric. The second will be the same fabric in a dark burgundy. (See image #1 for both of these fabrics.) The specs on this fabric are that it's a yarn-dyed worsted wool with a thread count of 80/2*80/2 and a fabric weight of 280 g/m (8.26 oz/yd²). I'll have them made with a flat front, side tabs (no belt loops), suspender buttons, plain hem, half-lined to the knee, and with a ≈13" front-rise.

The third pair, though, I'm not so sure about...

Option 1:

The same fabric as the first two, in a bright navy blue color (a little darker than royal blue).
This one seems like the easy choice, though it might feel a bit boring. It gives me a fourth pair of year-round trousers that I would know I could always reach for and would be quite versatile. The biggest plus here is that it might go a little further toward protecting my suit trousers since they would be a blue-for-blue replacement. The downside is that there isn't much of a fun factor.
(See image #1.)

Option 2:

A light tan/khaki-ish colored fabric.
This fabric has a bit of a Shantung texture - similar to the three-piece suit and blazer I just ordered and mentioned in this post. This is fitting, since it's a wool-linen-silk blend. The fabric weight is 300 g/m - fairly lightweight and quite breathable. These would be primarily a warm-weather pant - which, around here, still gives me 8-9 months out of the year.
(See image #2.)

Option 3:

A mid-to-dark-gray glen plaid fabric.
This fabric has a burgundy accent that looks almost dark brown in certain lighting. In the photo I took with my phone, it looks almost like a light tan accent; you'll just have to trust me that it's burgundy. I really like the look of this one, but I'm a bit reticent since it's only 70% wool and 30% polyester - which violates my personal <10% synthetic fibers rule. The fabric weight is 280 g/m, so it's quite lightweight, but - with that much polyester - it'll wear a bit warmer. Still, it would probably be a year-round pair for me.
(See image #3.)

Option 4:

A dark-green to charcoal green, glen plaid fabric.
This fabric is just a straight-up glen plaid in dark, tonal greens - more emerald to dark green, as opposed to kelly or olive. In the photo I took with my phone, it looks gray and much lighter than it looks in person, but it's really a pretty green - and dark enough that the plaid is fairly subtle from just a few feet away. It's 100% wool (unsure whether it's merino) and 355 g/m. This would be a little too warm for most summer days, but could easily be a go-to in fall and winter.
This might be the most interesting option for a reason somewhat unrelated to the original task: I might want to have a three-piece suit made from this fabric. Buying these trousers would give me several wears with this fabric and, hopefully, cement whether I would regularly wear this pattern as a suit. Then, later in the summer, I could order this in a three-piece suit and would already have the extra pair of trousers for it.
(See image #4.)

So, what do you guys think? Which fabric should I order for my third pair?

The same fabric as the first two, in a bright navy blue color (a little darker than royal blue).

The light tan/khaki-ish colored fabric.

The mid-to-dark-gray glen plaid fabric with the burgundy accent.

The dark-green to charcoal green, glen plaid fabric.

12 votes

8 comments