The Wide-Leg Pant: Still Going Strong

by kalosstyle

Who else has major anxiety about the return of bootcut jeans?? Whether you’re an earlier adapter or someone who (like me) never feels quite ready to move on from a beloved style, here’s my take:

new and old trends can live together.

You don’t have to retire your $400 Jesse Kamms the minute that Jeanne Damas dons a pair of hip-hugging, full-length jeans! While I will probably give the new bootcut trend a try (and I’ll share my thoughts with you once I do!), I am definitely going to keep on wearing my wide-leg pants! I have two favorite pairs that I wear on repeat: one from Everlane, and one from Urban Outfitters, which I styled two different ways for this post:

Outfit #1: The Post-Punk Romantic (The Urban Outfitter Wide-Leg Jeans)

This is one of my favorite outfits ever! This poet-blouse from Gravel & Gold totally gives me Keats/Byron/Shelley vibes, and billows in the most beautiful, gravity-defying way!

This graceful, utterly romantic top provides a sharp contrast to the modern edge of these high-top Converse sneakers and raw-hem, cream-colored jeans from Urban Outfitters.

Since both the top and pants have a lot of volume, I thought I would pull out my little bonsai bag again! The juxtaposition of different volumes (big pants, small bag) strikes a playful imbalance that I find really fun.

I also used the same jewelry in both outfits, but here’s a close-up of my go-to piece, the Matisse ring by Wolf Circus:

Outfit #2: The Lady-Like Tomboy (The Everlane Wide-Leg Crop)

For this outfit, I paired these Everlane pants in Ochre with a graphic tee from Jour/ne. The simplicity, clean lines, and overall loosely-fitting silhouette exudes a laid-back tomboy vibe, while the french-girl femininity of these lemon LoQ sandals and tiny bucket bag add a touch of glamour.

Some advice for wearing wide-leg pants:

If you go with volume-on-volume make sure that your pants are cropped and not floor-length! The crop shows a little bit of your ankle so that you don’t look like you’re swimming in your clothes.
Go for pairs that are not only high-waisted, but a little bit fitted at the waist and hips. It won’t highlight your “problem areas” (which are not problem areas, btw, women are supposed to have curves! But that’s for another blog. . .). It actually makes your midsection appear smaller because of the volume at the bottom of the pant leg; balance is the name of the game.
You’re going to want to wear these with everything (if you aren’t already), so buy a neutral color so that you can pair it with as many tops in your closet as possible (or don’t, if you’re into bold colors!)

I think this is one of the most flattering and body-inclusive trends that’s come around in the last few years, especially Everlane’s generous range of sizes in this style. I am still excited about this look, and I hope you get the opportunity to give it a try, or mix up your existing wide-leg pant ensembles!