During the 1990s, Guardian cartoonist Steve Bell depicted prime minister John Major wearing Y-fronts over his trousers.

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This afternoon, a few days after Owens's well-received fall 2013 runway show, the designer has been persuaded to conduct a house tour, clad in his usual uniform: unlaced sneakers, shorts over trousers, a halter T-shirt atop a garment he calls his "level" turtleneck (because of the straight line across the shoulder, in front of the throat).

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The young man, who was tall and thin, with sun-streaked fair hair, and a wind- and sun-burned face, who wore the sun-faded flannel shirt, a pair of peasant's trousers and rope-soled shoes, leaned over, put his arm through one of the leather pack straps and swung the heavy pack up onto his shoulders.

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Since then, the trend for oversized, pared-down cashmere worn over fancy skirts, shorts or trousers has gathered apace.

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Wander the main street of Avenida 10 de Agusto, known locally as Leather Street, where over four blocks there are more than 100 boutique-style leather stores, selling jackets, trousers, bags and even shirts, many with workshops behind the display floor.

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He wore suspenders that kept his trousers hiked high on his waist, and a midnight blue Italian suit jacket draped cape-like over a starched white shirt, which was tieless and buttoned up to a very prominent Adam's apple.

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