Whatever Happened to Pants??
Lately I've been very reflective over my wardrobe. Going on a no buy for a whole month will do that kind of thing I reckon. (You can read all my thoughts on that experience HERE.) I've been really dialed in to what I tend to wear on a regular basis, and which pieces make me feel confident and put together.
And I had a revelation: I like who I am when I wear pants.
(Are you laughing, asking yourself 'what is she talking about? What's so great about pants??)
Well, here's the caveat. I'm not talking about pants in general. Not jeans. Not leggings or yoga pants. Not the things we wear all the time out of comfort or habit.
(Pour a little out for these pants that serve me and my life in glorious ways. But leggings alone do not a well-rounded closet make.)
I am talking about colorfully cropped wide leg pants. Paper-bag waisted tapered pants. Corduroy pants. Leather pants. Not prim office pants. Pants with personality, people!
At what point in our lives did we stop wearing fun pants? My daughter wears fun pants every day! Although I guess technically they're leggings. All I'm asking is, when did we make the switch to all denim and spandex, all day errryday??
I know jeans and leggings go with just about everything. They're amazing, and do amazing things for us and our wardrobes. Not throwing shade by any means to the pillars of our every day pants game. All I'm saying is, introducing some fun pants in your rotation may be just the breath of fresh air your old standby basics need! And maybe even the update YOU need to feel reinvigorated with your wardrobe.
I learned this first hand when I took a chance on these pink Madewell Emmett pants. High waisted, slightly cropped, in a happy color? There was something about them that just said 'easy yet elevated.' The high-waist, wide-leg silhouette flattered my figure so nicely; it defined my waist and skimmed over my curvier hips. I wore them ALLLLL the time! And every single time my outfit felt so much more interesting to me than if I'd styled all the same pieces with my everyday denim.
Since that first pair I've added the striped version and the white corduroy pair seen in these photos to my collection. And this train is gonna keep on rolling into spring 2019!
I want to share some of my favorite pairs of 'personality pants' that are out right now. FYI: Madewell pants come in regular, petite, and tall inseams, with a size range of 23-37. Their inclusive sizing is AMAZING!!! It's a wonderful thing to share a look that such a variety of body sizes and shapes can wear. Here. For. It!
The classic Emmett (seen below) comes in nine different colors!
Corduroy pants (as seen on me), also available in a rust color
Button-front edition, also comes in sea blue and coral
(*definitely want pants in this color this season!*)
(*also comes in olive and black in sizes 0-14*)
More tie-waist pants. Anyone else picking up on this clear trend for spring??
I think these white pinstripe pants are to die for. I'd wear them with a t-shirt and sneakers for day and a cami with heels at night.
*available in sizes 0-18*
*available in sizes 0-14*
If Madewell is lording over the land o' cool pants, it only makes sense for J. Crew to throw their cards in, too. And if you're looking for some pants with personality look no farther than these silk leopard print pants.
*available in sizes 00-16*
These cropped wide legs look like J. Crew's version of the Emmett pants. The front patch pockets seem to be the most noticeable difference.
*available in sizes 23-37, come in seven colors*
So! Whaddya think?? Will you take a chance on pants this spring? I suggest playing around with color and silhouette. If you wear skinny pants a lot, try a wide leg pair. If you're looking for a fun alternative to office wear, grab a paper bag-waisted pant you can wear to work and on the weekends.
Sometimes stepping outside our boxes doesn't mean taking big brave leaps. It can just mean retraining our brains to see opportunity outside of our comfortable, habitual grooves.
Thanks so much for stopping by The Tony Townie today! So grateful for every single one of you who spends time here in this space with me.
xxBrooke