By Kelvin Tshuma 
You find a pair of wide leg pants at Mr Price for R299. They look great on the hanger. You try them on. The waist fits, the length is fine, but something looks off. Maybe they pull across the hips. Maybe the fabric clings to your calves. Maybe you suddenly look shorter than you are. This is the wide leg pant problem nobody warns you about.
Wide leg pants are not just “loose pants.” They have a specific cut, a specific drape, and they sit differently on different bodies. Mr Price has been selling them consistently for years, but the fit varies wildly between their different ranges. I spent a weekend trying on their current wide leg offerings and talking to people who wear them daily. Here is what actually matters before you buy.
What Wide Leg Actually Means at Mr Price
Mr Price uses the term “wide leg” across at least four different cuts. They are not the same thing. Knowing the difference saves you from buying pants that look nothing like the photo.
First, there is the full wide leg. This is the dramatic one. The leg opening measures about 25 to 28 cm across. It falls straight from the hip with no taper. This is what most people picture when they search for wide leg pants. Then there is the relaxed straight, which Mr Price sometimes labels as wide leg but has a narrower opening around 20 to 22 cm. It is roomier than a skinny jean but not a true wide leg.
There is also the palazzo, which is made from woven fabric, not knit. Palazzos are wider than full wide legs and often have an elastic waist. And finally, the flare, which fits through the thigh and widens below the knee. Mr Price occasionally tags flares as wide leg in their online store. That is misleading.
| Cut Name at Mr Price | Leg Opening | Fabric Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Wide Leg | 25-28 cm | Knit or woven blend | Everyday wear, office |
| Relaxed Straight | 20-22 cm | Knit, cotton elastane | Casual, shorter frames |
| Palazzo | 30+ cm | Woven, viscose or rayon | Hot weather, beach cover |
| Flare | 22-26 cm at hem | Denim or ponte | Retro looks, boots |
One thing that surprised me: the same size in two different colours of the same pant can fit differently. Black fabric tends to be stiffer because of the dye process. Lighter colours like beige or stone drape more softly. If you try on a black pair and they feel tight, try the same size in a lighter colour before sizing up.
The Fabric Problem Nobody Mentions
Most Mr Price wide leg pants are made from polyester-viscose blends or cotton-elastane. The blend matters more than the size. A pair with 2% elastane will stretch and recover. A pair with 0% elastane will not give at all. Check the care label before you buy.
The viscose-heavy pairs feel soft and look expensive in the store. They also shrink if you wash them in warm water. I have seen a pair lose 3 cm in length after one wash. That is the difference between a clean break over your shoe and an awkward crop.
The cotton-elastane pairs are more forgiving. They hold their shape better and do not require ironing as often. But they tend to pill at the inner thigh after a few months of regular wear. This is not unique to Mr Price. It is what happens with affordable cotton blends. Still, you should know before you buy five pairs.
If you want the pants to last, wash them cold and hang dry. The dryer is what kills the elastic and shrinks the viscose. This is boring advice but it works.
How to Pick the Right Size Without Losing Your Mind
Mr Price sizing runs small in the waist and generous in the hip on wide leg styles. This is the opposite of what most people expect. You might be a size 32 in their skinny jeans and a size 34 in their wide leg pants. It is not you. It is the cut.
Here is the thing: wide leg pants should fit your hip, not your waist. The waist can be taken in by a tailor for R80. The hip cannot be fixed. If the pants pull across the hip or create horizontal lines below the fly, size up. If the waist gaps at the back, that is normal. A tailor fixes that in ten minutes.
Length is the second issue. Mr Price wide leg pants are cut for an average height of about 1.68 m. If you are shorter than 1.60 m, you will need to hem them. If you are taller than 1.75 m, they might hit above your ankle. The good news is that wide leg pants look intentional when they are cropped. A cropped wide leg with a flat shoe is a legitimate look. A cropped skinny jean looks like you outgrew them. Wide legs are different.
For the best fit, try the pants with the shoes you plan to wear. A wide leg that puddles over a sneaker looks sloppy. The same pant with a 5 cm heel looks sharp. The shoe changes everything.
Three Styling Mistakes That Ruin the Look
The biggest mistake is wearing a loose top with wide leg pants. This makes you look like you are wearing a sack. The rule is simple: fitted top, wide bottom. Or cropped top, high waist. The contrast creates the silhouette.
The second mistake is wearing the wrong shoe. Wide leg pants with chunky sneakers can work, but only if the hem hits at the right place. Too long and the fabric bunches over the shoe. Too short and you get a weird gap. The safest options are a slim sneaker like the Adidas Samba, a pointed flat, or a low block heel. Chunky dad shoes almost never work with Mr Price wide legs because the fabric is too soft to hold a break over a bulky shoe.
The third mistake is ignoring the rise. Mr Price sells both high-rise and mid-rise wide leg pants. The high-rise pairs sit at your natural waist and elongate your legs. The mid-rise pairs sit lower and can make your torso look long. If you are under 1.65 m, go high-rise. Always.
When You Should Skip Mr Price Wide Legs
Look, I like Mr Price. They do basics well for the price. But their wide leg pants are not for everyone.
If you need pants for a formal office with a strict dress code, skip them. The fabric is too casual. The viscose blends wrinkle by lunchtime. You will look disheveled by 3 PM. Spend more on a structured pair from Woolworths or a dedicated workwear brand.
If you are very tall, over 1.80 m, check the inseam before buying. Most Mr Price wide legs have an inseam of 74 to 76 cm. That is short for tall frames. You will end up with an unintentional crop.
If you hate ironing, skip the viscose palazzos. They crease if you look at them wrong. The cotton-elastane blends are better but still benefit from a quick steam.
For everyone else — students, casual office workers, people who want an affordable way to try the wide leg trend — Mr Price is a solid starting point. Just go in knowing the limitations.
The Verdict on Mr Price Wide Leg Pants
For the price, Mr Price wide leg pants are hard to beat. The full wide leg in cotton-elastane is the best value. Expect to pay between R249 and R349 depending on the range. The fabric is decent, the colours are on trend, and the fit is predictable once you know your size.
But do not expect them to last more than a season or two of heavy wear. The inner thighs will pill. The colour will fade. The elastic will relax. That is the tradeoff for paying R299 instead of R899.
My honest take: buy one pair in a neutral colour like black, stone, or charcoal. Wear them for a month. See if the wide leg silhouette actually fits your life. If you love them, invest in a better pair later. If you never reach for them, you only spent R299, not R900.
Wide leg pants are not going anywhere. The silhouette has been cycling back every few years since the 1940s. What changes is the fabric, the rise, and the width of the leg. Mr Price captures the trend well enough for most people. The key is knowing which cut you are buying and being realistic about the fabric.