A pair of wide-legged trousers sold by Zara has drawn significant attention online after numerous wearers posted videos showing themselves tripping and sustaining injuries while wearing the garment. Priced at £25.99, the trousers have been dubbed “Zara death pants” on social media as clips reveal falls resulting in bruises, scrapes, and, in some cases, more serious harm such as fractures.

One TikTok user shared footage of themselves leaving hospital in a wheelchair, attributing a fractured knee to the pants. Other videos display individuals stumbling, falling face-first onto pavements, or nursing bloodied knees and elbows. Lucy MacDonald, a physiotherapist at Restart and spokesperson for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, noted that although high heels are the most common fashion items linked to injuries, long, wide-legged trousers can also pose risks to balance and movement. She said fractures, ligament tears, and bruises are among the typical injuries she has treated that result from fashion-related falls.

Despite the cautionary videos and hundreds of comments warning shoppers, the trousers remain a bestseller. The trend toward floor-length and wide-legged designs is widespread across the high street, with retailers such as M&S, Mango, and Next offering similar styles. Data from John Lewis indicates that searches for wide-legged trousers have increased by 61% year-on-year, with linen varieties rising 225%, trends reflected on international runways as designers including Victoria Beckham and Stella McCartney showcase elongated fits.

Zara’s website describes the trousers as “longer than usual” and “loose fit,” with product images showing fabric pooling around the model’s feet. The inseam length is listed as 43.3 inches (110 cm) for a small and slightly longer for larger sizes. Ruby Slevin, a tailor and founder of Banshee of Savile Row, identified the garment’s length as the key factor contributing to the trip hazard. She explained that many high street brands often use “fit models” — typically taller women averaging around 5 feet 10 inches — to test clothing proportions, or even stationary mannequins, which may not represent the average woman’s height of about 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 4 inches in the UK. This disparity can result in trousers that are too long and wide for the wearer, hindering safe movement.

Slevin emphasized that width and length should be tailored to the individual’s body, comparing ill-fitting trousers to wearing shoes of the wrong size. She recommended that consumers take overly long trousers to a tailor or dry cleaner for adjustment to avoid increased risk of falling.

Fashion historian Virginia Hill placed the current controversy within a broader historical context, noting that wide-legged trousers gained popularity in the 1920s alongside the adoption of house pyjamas by women. She pointed out that impractical or hazardous clothing has a long history, citing the hobble skirt of the early 20th century, which severely restricted movement, and the tragic 1927 death of American dancer Isadora Duncan, whose silk scarf became entangled in a car wheel. Modern examples include models such as Abbey Lee Kershaw and Lindsey Wixson, who suffered injuries linked to runway fashion in recent years.

MacDonald added that the most frequent injury from falls is a fractured wrist, which can take six weeks to nine months to heal, while less severe consequences include large bruises. Her advice is straightforward: avoid wearing items that increase the likelihood of falling.

Zara has been contacted for comment but has not released a statement.