Go-to-Hell Pants, A Preppy Christmas Staple

Broadway Legend Lee Roy Reams (Center) 

Go-to-Hell pants, or GTH pants, are motif embroidered trousers, typically corduroy around Christmas and in lighter fabrics in other seasons.  When the motifs are animals, these are also called critter pants.   In the wild (below), they are often seen alongside equally festive tartan trousers, always wool.

GTH pants are a great way for naturally low key, more serious people to temporarily embrace bright festive colors, and a way for loud people to pass themselves off as low key, serious people temporarily embracing bright colors.  

These classic preppy Go-To-Hell trousers are most often paired with button-down shirts, wool crew neck sweaters, or navy blazers with festive ties.  (The concomitant wool tartan trousers look particularly smart with velvet blazers (as shown below) or velvet smoking jackets.)  

Often finished off with snaffle-bit loafers or velvet slippers.

(Left) Publicist Edward T. Callaghan—who originated Harry Winston Jewelers’ strategy of “dressing” Academy Award contenders and presenters—in Wool Tartan Trousers with Velvet Blazer and (Right) Muffy Aldrich in Embroidered Lilly Pulitzer Corduroy Whale Pants with Wool Crew Neck Sweater and Pearls

Photo Credits:  Muffy Aldrich