Okay, I think I have way too much time on my hands these days, my friends. No. I take that back. I have just the right amount of time. Enough time to muse about things that one doesn’t have time to muse about when one is working, and running around in all directions living one’s stressful modern working life. Retirement gives one the time to muse… if one chooses to make the time.
Enough time to muse about roll over pants, anyway. And the meanings that phrase might have other than the intended one which I read the other day.
But I need to back up a bit.
The other morning I read a post on Leandra Medine-Cohen’s newsletter The Cereal Aisle. The post was called “We’re in our rollover-pants era.” And in the post Leandra wrote about the apparent micro-trend of rolling over the waistband of one’s pants.
I didn’t know that was a trend, micro or otherwise. But I don’t live in the trend-o-sphere like Leandra does. So I accepted her greater knowledge of current fashion.
I did however have a bone to pick about the punctuation of the title. It seems to me that there should be no hyphen between rollover and pants, that pants should stand on its own with rollover as the adjective modifying pants. But that’s just me being picky. Ironic you might say considering that I frequently make up words using hyphens, like trend-o-sphere. And because I initially thought that rollover should be hyphenated, as in roll-over. But all my grammar sources disagreed.
As you can see in the photo above, Leandra is very slim, despite have given birth to the adorable baby she’s holding and a set of equally adorable twin girls a few years ago. Most of the women who seem to sport the rollover pants trend are very slim. No belly fat in view. But I, my friends, am not that slim. And even when I was a lot slimmer than I am now, even when I weighed 125 lbs. back in my mid-twenties, I had a belly. Even when I was running and doing so many crunches a day that Hubby tried convince me to back off for the sake of my neck, and then tried to console me with: “Suz, if anyone deserves to have a flat stomach, you do.” Bless him, he’s so supportive of my quest to be fit.
So when I saw Leandra’s title, “We’re in our rollover pants era,” my first reaction was to guffaw. And my second was to wail, “Haven’t I always been in a rollover pants era?” As in roll over the top of my pants era. In fact, aren’t most of us in a roll over the top of our pants era? I mean, seriously, aren’t we?
When I told Hubby what I was writing about, he didn’t get it. “Roll over pants,” I said, “As in roll,” and here I gestured with my hands, “over pants.” “Ah,” he chuckled.
Language is funny isn’t it? Especially idioms. Hubby and I tried to come up with other possible meanings of the phrase. A command to a dog named Pants, perhaps. “Roll over, Pants.”
In truth we didn’t come up with many variations. But that started us on one of our usual discussions of how we use language in ways that might be odd, idiosyncratic, or downright wrong.
Like how I always use a definite article when I am speaking of an intestinal affliction from which I frequently suffer. I always say I have “the diarrhea.” I think because that’s how Mum used to say it. And Hubby thinks it’s hilarious. Not the affliction, the way I say it. Still it doesn’t help that when I am suffering he’s always laughing. And I sometimes counter that we say “the flu” and no one thinks it’s funny.
In fact the whole definite-indefinite article, or no article at all, thing can be very difficult for those learning English as a second language. There are any number of posts online debating whether measles should be preceded by the definite article. I guess it’s no surprise that I always say “the measles.” Ha.
But seriously, why do we say “the plague,” but not “the chicken pox?” And don’t get me started on prepositions. Why does “going to the home” mean something so very different to “going home?” Why does omitting both preposition and article make such a difference?
Idioms. They just are what they are. For my entire teaching career kids were frustrated with my inability to explain them.
Like the post I wrote ages ago about wearing a tee shirt and pants, and Wendy from York commented that at first she thought I was going out in my underwear. Ha. That made me laugh. But what Canadians call pants, the English call trousers. And even though we sometimes call our underwear “pants,” we more usually call them panties.
Which leads me to the use of singular or plural. Especially when referring to bottoms. We say “pantsuit,” or “trouser suit” but the pants or trousers on their own are always plural. And why is pantsuit one word and trouser suit two words? And I’ve seen articles about “jean trends,” or brands referring to their “most popular jean.” But no one ever says they are wearing jean.
See? Grammar and idioms can be a veritable minefield, as I’ve found out since I started writing this blog.
But before I go any further down that road to madness, let’s get back to rollover pants, or roll over pants, shall we?
I will never ever participate in that particular trend, my friends. Because the latter always precludes me from the former, if you follow me. I’ve been trying to disguise the roll over my pants for too many years to think about exposing it now. Heaven forbid.
The advent of the half-tuck styling trick has helped enormously. Fluffing a half-tucked sweater, or tee shirt, over a waistband just far enough down over one’s abdomen to disguise the roll works a treat. Loose tee shirts that are cropped at just the right length are a boon as well. My current favourites are the Everlane box-cut tee or Uniqlo AIRism tee shirt. They are just loose enough and just long enough to cover what needs to be covered without adding too much bulk to one’s outfit. Similarly loose tees under fitted jackets, or any jacket for that matter. Loose cropped sweaters too. My pink Vince cropped sweater has been hiding my roll over pants admirably since 2017.
But until recently I haven’t been keen on the big, loose shirt thing. I have a couple of big, loose shirts, but haven’t worn them untucked over pants. Until this week.
Here’s what I wore: this blue and white striped Nordstrom Signature shirt, over the cropped mom jeans I bought second-hand last summer, with these old, old, raffia sandals with block heels. I bought these sandals back in the late nineties. And in the past couple of years I’ve been wearing them again. I carried my Eric Javits straw bag and wore a pair of blue chandelier earrings that you can’t see very well in the photograph.
Here’s why I like this outfit. First, I like the cut of the shirt, the looseness of it, the neat collar, the hem. I unbuttoned an extra button at the top and two extra buttons at the bottom and rolled up the sleeves in a messy cuff. I didn’t want the shirt to look too neat or prim. The loose cropped pants are just the right shape for the shirt. The pants and shirt are super casual. But the sandals and the see-through chandelier earrings are dressier, more feminine, and work in opposition to the messy, casual pants and shirt. The big straw bag makes everything look more summery.
The contrast between the slightly dressy and feminine elements and the super casual elements makes the outfit look current. And very me. At least the me which I currently am. Retired, casual, comfortable, but still keeping my hand in with respect to fashion. Oddly enough it’s the second-hand jeans and the really old sandals which make the outfit current. Now how ironic is that?
So, I guess I do have time on my hands, my friends. Not too much time. Just the right amount of time. Time to muse about words, and idioms. And roll over pants. And how to combat roll over pants. Time to muse about outfits. And what makes outfits work. Or not.
Retirement gives one the time to muse. That is if one chooses to use the time to muse. And I do.
To quote Linda Grant, I’m “thinking aloud about clothes.” It was ever thus. And hopefully ever shall be.
Now it’s your turn. Any opinions out there about the “rollover pants” trend? Or the roll over pants conundrum?
48 thoughts on “On Roll Over Pants”
This is a most delightful musing! I found myself chuckling at your observations and nodding my head. Finally, your outfit is perfect. I liked how you described it and why it works.
Thanks, L. 🙂
Professional copyeditor here. “Rollover-pants era” is correctly hyphenated because “roll0ver pants” is a compound modifier for era. Now you know . . .
I have seen this trend lately too, and yes, it’s definitely sported by young women, but not always slender ones(!). It seems nowadays young women have a lot more body positivity than I ever did, and I am just turning 70. I actually weigh the same now as I did at 16 (153# at 5’6″), with several leaner decades in between. When I was in high school, I felt self-conscious about my tummy and thighs and would never reveal what girls and young women are revealing nowadays.
I’ve felt the same way as you about big shirts, so I was inspired by your pairing and may just have to try it for myself. We have the same hair(!), so why not the same outfit?!
Thank you so much! That got by me, as we say down east. Th hyphen is needed because the compound adjective, “rollover-pants,” is before the noun “era,” as opposed to after it, as in “the era of rollover pants.” Ha ha… I totally missed that.
I remember roll over tops in the 1960s . I was a teenager & my school did not allow mini skirts so my quite bulky skirt was rolled over every day until I reached the school grounds . I remember how uncomfortable it was but I was prepared to suffer for fashion . Not now . I find the differences in English around the world very interesting & you can’t be too purist about it . Take our pavements & your sidewalks . It was sidewalks here until the edges of roads were paved in the 18th century but you stuck with sidewalks , the word the settlers took with them . Hard to know which is proper English now . I love your outfit . That is what I’m living in this summer , loose well cut shirts & light loose trousers /pants . I’d like to snatch that perfect summer bag off you .
Yes! I did the same with the pleated skirt that was part of my school uniform. . . I can’t imagine that closely resembling the cool mini-skirt look I was attempting (all that bulky roll, supposedly hidden under by the bottom inches of my boxy button-down shirt. . . .
First off I love the outfit. So cute and summery and casual. Secondly even though I’m very slim I wouldn’t dream of wearing roll over pants. That would definitely look like trying too hard at 62 in my opinion. I’ll just speak for myself. Personally I’m not interested in seeing anyone’s stomach except at a beach maybe. Again that’s me. Finally I wanted to share a funny grammatical error that takes place in the very remote northern rural Alberta area I come from. Everyone says in hospital instead of in the hospital. For example, ‘Uncle George is in hospital.’ I always notice that and the accents since the we’ve lived in the USA for 25 years now.
I remember doing that too, Wendy, rolling up our skirts. And while I didn’t wear a uniform, I do remember that rolling a pleated skirt created issues.
The first time Stu and I read a book which referred to “pavements” we were very confused. Especially as the writer talked about a car driving right up on the pavement, and hitting pedestrians. Who was where and why was it so unusual for a car to be driving on the pavement?? Ha.
Sue I too always have a tummy even at my lowest weight. Apparently it is our narrow hips that are the culprit.
Hmm. Maybe you’re right, Lise.
Aw,I’m in Rollover-pants era as well,so posh (I have to roll over two pairs of my summer pants at the waist,because they are now too long -for flat sandals- and than disguise my tummy area veeery well , usually with a long and wide shirt or silk tunic :):))
Dottoressa
Rolling pants to shorten them means pulling them up as well. That can also be problematic. Ha.
Such a great post! Have you read Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss? Punctuation certainly changes everything. The outfit you put together is beautifully styled, and you look wonderful. Your description reminds me of the Tik Tok 2 plus 2 theory. I’m paraphrasing, but the idea is to use two “smart” pieces, plus two casual pieces. Rollover-pants do not work well for my apple shape.
Yes I did read that Lynn Truss book. Commas can be very inconvenient is not used cocrrectly.
Not to complicate the rollover pants discussion (!), but I often wear foldover pants, or cotton yoga pants with a foldover waistband, and I keep the waistband unfolded. This creates a high, smooth, very comfortable waist with no elastic band. No roll over the foldover, lol!
The good thing about those yoga pants with the wide waistband can be very good. You can choose the height of your own waistband.
Ha! Whimsical and enjoyable post. My midriff likes the support of a higher waistband so non rollover for me!
Love the big shirt and your styling. Just the perfect amount of slouch and polish.
Me too. I love a high-waisted pant for that very reason. Especially loose pants or dress pants.
Great read! I am with you on the roll over pants. It’s an ongoing effort to find the right thing to disguise it. 🙂
When my DD first moved to England, she found out about the pants/trousers differentiation quickly. Ha! I also notice that when one is unwell (vs. ill or sick) they might end up in hospital vs in THE hospital.
Yes, I’ve heard that too, here in Ontario. At home we always say in THE hospital.
Great outfit Sue! Abs I have this in my closet, more or less. I’m going to try it this week with a long shirt I rarely wear but should because it’s good quality. I just don’t enjoy ironing it !!!!
Have a great week
Thanks, Deanne. 🙂
As someone who can relate to your efforts for a flat tummy, no to rollover pants. I dislike low waisted pants for the same reason. As to your outfit I just read sandals with kitten heels are instyle this year, lol
Going shopping with my sister to see if I can find a nicer hoodie than my costco one that is fine for walking the gravel road but not out for a casual evening
I’ve seen kitten heels everywhere as well. Thank goodness I have a couple of pairs tucked away somewhere. I still like the block heels too, though.
I’m laughing out loud about roll over pants. In order to wear this trend, does one have to buy pants that are too long and then roll them over? Otherwise the pants might look “high water” as was said in my youth. Perhaps there is a roll over pants section in the stores but since I’m 85 and no longer buy green bananas, I seldom buy new clothes either.
I think that people who rollover, just roll down, thus making the pants low-rise. Another no-go for me anymore. 🙂
Sue, I enjoyed this essay so much. I am fascinated by our language and how it is used, particularly the differences in U.S./Canada/UK speakers. I hope you will write on this topic again. A favorite sticker of mine says, “You had me at the correct use of ‘you’re’.” You may find it interesting to know that my late Appalachian mother-in-law also placed the word “the” before your affliction. I have always liked the way the Brits say “in university,” instead of our “in college.” As to the outfit, you look smashing! It’s an elegant summer look for you. Something you may try doing is wearing a tee shirt or tank top underneath and leaving the big shirt open. As to rollover pants, they look goofy to me. But I don’t like the partially-tucked in shirt (sorry) or the untucked shirt hanging out below a shorter jacket. The latter reminds me of the current trend in nearby Nashville of women wearing cowboy boots and shorts; it seems discordant to me.
Canadians say university as well. College for us is a technical college with diploma courses not degrees. 🙂
And there’s another trend among the Gen Z’ers, of which my 16yo slender g’daughter is an example. Her wardrobe comprises quite a few pairs of thrifted jeans, always oversize — and the solution to that is a heavy shoelace threaded through the back three or four belt loops and tied in a shoelace bow. . . .
I sometimes wonder if so many of the trends that involve stitch-less adjustments have to do with a gradual fading-away of basic skills with needle and thread. And so we see some inventive problem-solving . . . sometimes of a very back-to-the-future variety!
Fun post, and I love that outfit on you!
I imagine the pulled together with a shoelace look is very cool among that age group. Like how we used to bleach our jeans. Or add patches where no patch was needed. Or flowered bottoms when the jeans became too short. My sister did that and I inherited them. 🙂
You look cool in that outfit – in both senses of the word 😉
Thanks, Judi.
As a fellow roll over gal, I ♥️ this post. And I love your fit (as the kids say). My oversized shirts are now *really* oversized, as I’ve lost some weight (but not the roll over), so I’m playing with proportions and tucking and layering…
On a grammar note, I spent the last week in southern Sweden (Sue, if you haven’t been , right up your travel alley), and every time I ordered a shrimp dish, which was quite often as shrimp are the signature dish there, the server inevitably corrected me to “shrimps.” By the end of the week, I’d surrendered.
I kept hearing “fit check” on social media and for a while thought it was about checking to see if an outfit was too large or too small. Ha.
It must have felt odd to be saying “shrimps.” 🙂
P.S. I think that both Stu and I would love Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. I’ve wanted to go for a while now.
I was perusing Substack today and happened upon a blog, I think What I Wore or something like that. There was a photo of a slim young woman wearing gorgeous Donni linen pants pulled down to hip height, underneath she wore a VERY high cut bathing suit baring considerable skin, I’m guessing also possibly backside as it was a thong. Ok look for the beach or pool but kind of questionable for street wear. The linen pants wear perfect though.
I was pretty outrageous sartorially as a teenager but that would have been a bridge too far even for me to cross in my Doc Martens and low slung hipsters ( no skin reveal though;)
Ha you know that a good PEI’er says ‘off Island’ not off the Island. As in ‘She is off Island that week.’ Or ‘They’re on Island now’
Yep. I’ve heard that in P.E.I. I just love how the language changes a little everywhere we go.
What a wonderful article! I chuckled the whole way through. I confess to being a bit of a stickler for correct grammar myself despite being a science teacher. Sometimes I feel like I should sit with a red pen when I read the morning paper as the spelling and grammar are not the greatest at times. There are a few YouTube clips that have people from other countries trying to come to grips with both the grammar and the pronunciation which are hilarious.
Love the outfit today – totally my style. I have my own personal rollover so I am sure I don’t need trousers to emphasise it!
My personal bug bears are things like the misuse of pronouns as Judith mentioned above (there, their, they’re) (it’s, its) and adding apostrophe’s to everything. Misuse of apostrophe intended. Ha.
I say PANTS to rollover pants ,what happens when they unroll, do you reroll ,maybe they don’t unroll if you have a flat stomach🥴
And moving on from musing over putting the word THE before some illness but not others leads me remembering a conversation with friends regarding animals ,
Why do we say, for example ‘the cows ,the chickens ,the pigs , the goats in the field but never the sheeps in the field.
If non of this makes sense have no fear they are the musings of a 70 year old sitting having a cup of tea at 7.30 am on a Monday morning whilst waiting for my brain to click in 😂😂😂
So many things are “just the way we say them”… as I used to say to kids all the time.
There is a wonderful podcast called The History of the English Language – I thoroughly recommend it – and in one episode, the animal plurals is explained. Sadly, I cannot recall it just at the moment. I stumbled upon it some years ago and there are many, many excellent episodes to listen to. I am having my coffee as my brain clicks in too.
Well, we Catholic girls started that rollover trend in high school, didn’t we? We used it as a way to make our skirts shorter on the way to and from school while letting it down to the proper level when among the nuns. I would not follow this trend not because of my current muffin top waist but because of the reminder of high school. Looks great on the slim woman though. Following your mental flights of fancy…..where do slim women with flat stomachs exist in the wild? I don’t know any. Not even among my nieces; they are all as we were with some weight here or there that they think is too much when they really look delightful and young, although not as thin as the woman wearing the rollover pants. Do we tend to create friendships with others who are physically like us? Maybe, because that might imply we have the same interests. I am going to puzzle about this all day – why don’t I personally know women with flat stomachs?
We did the rollover of our skirts too, but I never went to Catholic school. I must muse on the friends with the same body type idea. Interesting idea.
I never heard of rollover pants. I did do the rollover with hand me down skirts from my grandmother because they were so long! I remember being embarrassed to have to do it. I do remember in my teens calling pants, “flood pants” because they were short! lol. Now we call them crop pants!
The rollover pants were a big thing back in the 2010s when I was teaching. The teenagers rolled the waist of their sweatpants down to expose more midriff. I saw a few teenagers at the mall the other day doing the same thing. Now that I know the trend exists I’m seeing it everywhere. But only on the teenagers.
Just dropping by to report that I saw my first rollover pants on Leeds station on Tuesday, worn by a tiny teenage girl. I think that is probably where they should remain. Always on the lookout…
I’ve been noticing the same thing… now that I know it’s out there I can’t stop seeing it. Ha.
Late to the party. This is funny. I have always had a flat stomach (despite narrow hips as one commenter above notes), but in menopause I can tell that it’s trickier to retain that! The only time I have worn rollover pants, despite the flat stomach, was when I had a pair of silk pants not dissimilar to the pair on the woman in the post, bought to be worn with low heels. I rolled them over because they were too long to wear with flats, but I eventually simply buckled and hemmed them. End of rollover-pants era for me.
Your outfit is very soft and attractive. I like the accessories! It reminds me of outfits I was wearing regularly around 2012. I don’t know why, but I was really into monochrome soft blues with oversized shirts and jeans underneath. I also don’t know why I was wearing things untucked, but maybe because we were travelling quite a bit and I was always overeating.
That said, I don’t know about you, but my core style and silhouettes haven’t changed very much since I was in my early twenties. I cycle themes around, but usually come back to similar looks. In my early twenties I was wearing loose men’s Levi’s or soft mom jeans, usually in a pale or worn wash, often with a tee or tank top (maybe white) with an oversized soft lambswool cardigan or shirt or blazer over top. My go-to casual looks don’t stray very far from this ideal even now, although I did get more into a slim or cigarette pants look and alternate with that; my less casual looks tend to add in some pattern mixing and some vintage touches. I find it comforting to think of having a “core” style.
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