A while ago I picked up a pair of wide leg pants for fun, and I’ve been loving them! I added them as a “filler” piece to try what’s trending right now, (from my blog post My Philosophy for Crafting a Wardrobe: Foundational + Filler Pieces—check that out if you missed it!), and I’ve really enjoyed how they freshen up my wardrobe.
I like how wide leg pants change up the silhouettes of outfits. I also like that, on a practical level, wide leg pants give you some more airflow and breathing room, which is great as the weather warms up. 😁
In case you want to try some, I’ll share two outfits with wide leg pants and offer some keys for how to style wide leg pants!
SIZING: I’m 5’6″ and usually S/M or 6 in clothes and 8.5 to 9 in shoes.
A Few Tips for How to Style Wide Leg Pants
Wide leg pants have actually been really easy to incorporate into my existing wardrobe. I know that will be a little different for everyone, depending on what kinds of pieces you tend to wear. But, personally, I’ve been able to switch out my black wide leg pants in many outfits that I’d typically wear with standard black work pants or black skinny jeans.
My main keys for working with wide leg pants are to 1) make sure to define my waist line by either tucking or knotting my top (or more simply, not wearing a top that is too long), and 2) wearing shoes that expose my ankles and part of the tops of my feet and that elongate my leg line, at least a bit. You can definitely wear shoes with a higher shaft that meet the hem of the pants, but since I don’t have many of those shoes to begin with, the simplest pairings for me have been shoes that expose my ankles and part of the tops of my feet.
Wide Leg Pants Options
There are quite a few options for wide leg pants out there, and I’ll share a few below.
The pair I’m wearing in this post is the Mid-Rise Pull-On from Old Navy. They’re a great, inexpensive option (when they go on sale) if you want a low bar to try a pair. They are on the thicker side, so the material looks pretty professional for work, but they can also be dressed down in casual outfits, at least in black. Not sure about how well the other colors would dress down. They have elastic in the back of the waistband, which makes the waistband stretchy and fairly comfy! They also have pockets. These pants are available in black, grey, and navy and in straight sizing, tall, and petite. Check them out HERE. I wear size 4.
There is a very similar pair in a thinner and lighter weight material, which is better if your weather is already getting warm. Plus, those have a higher waist. One of our PMT team members has them (she is petite) and said they are comfy! I haven’t tried them personally yet, so I don’t know if they’d work for business casual outfits, but they look great for casual ones. They come in straight, tall, and petite cuts HERE. And, there are plus sizes HERE.
A third pair that I’ve tried is from Nordstrom HERE. Those are a touch more expensive than the Old Navy pair. They look pretty similar, but they’re lighter weight than the Old Navy pair while still being professional for work. They are very comfy and stretchy throughout the entire leg and in the waistband. Unfortunately, they lack pockets. The rise is very high at 14″, which is too high for me and my shorter torso. They’re also a tad long on me, so I would hem them a couple inches for a perfect fit. But, they are a great option if you want comfort, polish for work, and a higher rise. Check them out HERE.
There are several more wide leg pants that you can shop by clicking through the widget below:
Two Outfits With Wide Leg Pants
Outfit #1: Work
First up is a look for work. Wide leg pants pair easily with a blouse for a professional work look. I have worn many outfit similar to this with standard black pants, and here, all I did was swap out those black pants for a wide leg pair instead. Just make sure to define your waist by tucking in your top or wearing a top that is short enough on its own. If your top is much longer than this, it will likely make you look pretty shapeless with wide leg pants.
This top is one of the Amazon finds I shared about last month. I have it in this print and in solid white. This top has a really versatile silhouette that works with pants and can be tucked into skirts. It comes in 3 prints and 3 solid colors. Check them out HERE. I wear size S.
For shoes, a super easy pairing is anything that exposes your feet and ankles, so I chose classic black pumps. If you want a professional-looking option for colder weather, try a pair of pointed toe booties with a higher shaft that meets the hem of the pants.
Shop the Outfit:
Top: Amazon (exact—wearing size S)
Pants: Old Navy (exact—wearing size 4; similar)
Shoes: (similar, similar, similar)
Earrings: c/o Nickel & Suede (exact—wearing size M)
Outfit #2: Casual
If you want to dress these pants down, pair them with a t-shirt and slip-on sneakers! This is another outfit formula I’ve worn a billion times, but usually with black skinny jeans, black joggers, or black linen pants. Here, I just used black wide leg pants instead, and it works seamlessly.
With the tee, make sure it’s not too long and either tuck it or knot it to add a finishing detail. For shoes, I prefer slip-on sneakers or any type of sneaker that has a low profile. Sandals also work very easily, as they naturally expose your feet and ankles.
This yellow tee is really, really soft. I usually prefer tees to drape well instead of being stretchy, because stretchy tees tend to cling to lumps and bumps in my midsection, plus drapey tees work better with the front tuck. The one thing I don’t love about this tee is that it’s stretchy rather than drapey. However, knotting it instead of tucking has worked well enough. All that said, I do wear this tee very, very often. Check it out HERE. I wear size M.
So, if you’re thinking of giving wide leg pants a shot, have fun and just do it! If you’re unsure how to style them, start with simple pairings, like a t-shirt or blouse, making sure the tops aren’t too long so that they can define your waistline. Then, wear shoes that expose your ankles and feet and help elongate your leg line.
Shop the Outfit:
Tee: Etsy (exact—wearing size M)
Jacket: c/o Nordstrom (exact—I wear size M; similar—I wear size M)
Pants: Old Navy (exact—wearing size 4; similar)
Shoes: Nordstrom (similar—I wear size 8.5, similar)
Earrings: c/o Nickel & Suede (exact—wearing size M in Blank Canvas)
Wide Leg Pants Options
Here are a few wide leg pants options. I haven’t tried them all personally, but if I know anything about fit, material, and sizing, I note them in the comments under each item. Scroll and click through to shop!
