Katharine Soft Trousers in caramel by Vivien of Holloway from Shop At Christine’s

This is my fourth pair of Katharine trousers – my first pair from their ‘soft’ range. My other pairs are quite dark and the fabrics are warm and thick, so for my first soft pair, I wanted something I could wear during the milder-but-not-scorching weather of spring and autumn, but needed a shade that would suit the colour palette of my current wardrobe.

Katharine Trousers come in a wide variety of colours and fabrics – whether your wardrobe is filled with bold, vibrant colours, pastels or more muted tones like mine, there’ll be a number of Katharines perfect for your aesthetic. I was tossing up between a bottle green (shocker), sand, caramel, burnt orange, and was even considering their beautiful light pastel pink after seeing so many fellow vintage gals on Instagram looking absolutely stunning in them. Due to size availability (and chickening out on the pink option), I opted for caramel. It’s a stunning colour, that suits every single jacket and knit in my wardrobe – no joke. The warm tone does wonders for my complexion, it’s so flattering and doesn’t wash me out (these photos however….).

Katharine Trousers are known for their higher waist-to-hip ratio, with a flattering cinched-in high waist and plenty of room in the hips. Don’t be afraid of following the Vivien of Holloway fit suggestion of measuring your waist tightly cinched when purchasing these for the first time – see my Katharine Flannel page for my experience opting for a size using my natural waist versus a cinched waist.

I purchased my Katharine Trousers through Shop At Christine’s, which is owned and run by Vivien’s lovely sister Christine. She is our very own Australian home for all things Vivien of Holloway, so if you’re in Australia or New Zealand be sure to visit her website or get in touch with her on Instagram to source your dream VoH pieces! You can also participate in pre-orders via Christine, which is wonderful and super helpful. My next (ahem) few pairs are coming via pre-order through Shop At Christine’s…

As my other pairs are in fabrics that don’t have any stretch, I was interested to see how this pair would fit with its slightly stretchy crepe, and if the gorgeous cinched waist look would be as dramatic. The fabric is only very slightly stretchy when compared with the flannel pairs, not enough to change the fit or the silhouette. I’d recommend choosing your size as though there was absolutely no stretch. Comfort-wise, they fit like a glove just as my other Katharines do. There’s plenty of room for comfort in the hips, but not so much that they look too big, the high rise leaves plenty of room for movement and is not restrictive at all. The fabric was warm and soft on this crisp winter’s day. Perhaps, one day, I shall be brave enough to rock a pastel pink pair! [UPDATE: yes I was and yes I did! See the gallery below for pastel pink!!]

Cotton Gingham Katharine Trousers

Vivien of Holloway’s summer Katharines range has expanded in 2022 to include stunning new cotton gingham offerings including the pair pictured above. I have added these images to the Style Gallery down below. They’re non-stretch, and I have found them true to size.

Long Leg Katharine Trousers

Are you taller than my 174cm self and worried these may come up a bit short on your gorgeous long pins? Katharine Trousers now also come in a ‘Long Leg’ version for the glamorous tall dames among us. They are currently available in a range of colours and VoH have said they will look into pre-orders of other colour options if there is demand. The Long Leg options have a 34 inch inside leg compared to 31 inch on the standard pairs. The standard Katharines are a perfect length for me, however I wanted to give the Long Leg a try with my extra high oxfords for a dramatic evening look. In these images below, I am wearing heels that add around 1.5″ of height compared to the images in the standard size. Given the extra length to play with, I have pulled the waist up higher than I’d normally wear with the standards. You can find a separate gallery featuring Long Leg images at the bottom of this page. Special thank you to Christine at Shop at Christine’s for making it possible for me to try these out!

Katharine Trousers Style Gallery

Trousers: Vivien of Holloway

Long Leg Katharine Soft Trousers Style Gallery

Pre-loved House of Foxy Blouse – MissBeetownWardrobe

I am wearing a Size 10 / 24″ Waist in both options with the following body measurements:

Bust: 33″ / Waist: 25″ / Hips: 36″ / Height: 5’8″

Any questions? Leave me a comment below and I will get back to you!

Explore Katherine Trousers on the Vivien of Holloway website

Explore Katherine Trousers on Shop At Christines – Australia

2021 Update: I am honoured & thrilled to have been invited to shoot a selection of stunning outfits for Vivien of Holloway featuring their beautiful Katharine Trousers. These images have been added to the Style Gallery above. Pieces featured in the collaboration series have been kindly gifted by the brand.