Standing out from the crowd is a full-time occupation for the street-style set. While professional clotheshorses may enjoy several other part-time careers - such as temporary traffic wardens, as their mid-road photoshoots send bemused drivers scattering - trailblazing trends before the rest of us have even had our morning coffee remains their breadwinner.
Of the many trends to come out of the current show circuit - see cold-shoulder-robing, drousers, alt-shirting, power-puffing and other newly-coined phrases that not even Google can comprehend yet - the emergence of vinyl trousers as 2017’s answer to Vetements’ stepped-hem It-jeans is one worth considering IRL.
Sure, a pair of trousers shiny enough to see your reflection in is a no-brainer choice for those whose job it is to look good at all times. But, on a far less glamorous note, their wipe-clean attributes are also not to be overlooked by clumsy types who routinely juggle egg-sandwich-eating with mobile email checking.
And while the street styler’s preferred approach may be to opt for a tomato-red mirror-shine option courtesy of Louis Vuitton or Isabel Marant, a plain black pair worn with a big slouchy jumper is a look that is not only accessible to those who play their life out in hashtags.
London Fashion Week AW17 - street style
Crucially, a loose cut is key. This is not a throwback to the squeaky pleather leggings, which somehow slipped into mainstream popularity in the murky depths of the late Noughties. Instead, a little slouch goes a long way to pulling these off with aplomb.
Straight leg and ankle-cropped styles are not only more modern, they’re also far less sweaty than their clingfilm counterparts.
Topshop’s cracked vinyl peg trousers boast a flattering tapered fit and semi-matte texture for a fit which skims rather than sticks to your hips, while Self-Portrait’s remit extends beyond contemporary lace cocktail dresses next season with the inclusion of a pair of patent slim-fit trousers in black or burgundy.
Never far from a trend-in-the-making, H&M and Zara are both swimming in wet-look trousers, while those wishing to supplement their vinyl collection with a much louder hit should note that Topshop’s popular Jamie jeans come coated in silver and banana-yellow lacquer this spring.
If you’re still contemplating whether a shiny trouser will make you happy, it’s also worth pointing out that a glossy finish works a treat with other of-the-moment textures such as a teddy-bear shearling coat. Or consider that a slick of black Latex could be just the thing to toughen up that marshmallow pink ruffle blouse you bought in December.
At the very least, plastic trousers may save you a few quid on dry-cleaning bills.
