This “Unsexy” Pants Trend Blew Up in Hollywood This Year — and It Makes Me Feel So Badass
Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
The history speaks for itself.
Getty Images
I don’t know about you, but as the year comes to an end, I always get super reflective. I think about all the great things that happened and everything that I accomplished in the past 365 days that 2021 Eva would be so proud of. I think about the people I met, the activities I tried, and because I work in fashion, all the “new” old wardrobe essentials I wore that I’ll be taking into the new year with me.
Worth mentioning: I really stepped outside of my comfort zone in the last year; I strayed from my usual routine and that includes going away from my trusty (and safe) outfit formulas, but I’m so happy I did. Why? Because change is good, duh. But also because I discovered the pants trend that truly makes me feel like my most-badass self. Who says clothes can’t make you feel like a different person? I say they can!
Courtesy of Eva Thomas
The trend that basically makes me feel invincible is trousers, which I like to refer to as my power pants. And TBH, they kinda, sorta are. But before we get into that, let’s just say the history of pants is a complex one, and way back when, women technically weren’t supposed to wear them. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that we really started to openly see trousers on women, one small step toward equal rights. Eventually, a seemingly simple piece of clothing encompassed so much: Pants represented equality, power, freedom from restriction, and mobility, in more ways than one.
Nordstrom
Shop now: $275; nordstrom.com
Abercrombie & Fitch
Shop now: $90; abercrombie.com
Sometimes we forget that something as simple as pants holds so much history, but that’s why when I wear my trousers these days, I feel extra empowered. The loose-fitting “office bottoms” or “work trousers” skyrocketed back onto the fashion scene in 2022 — see: A-listers like Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wore the bottoms nonstop, setting these babies up for big things in 2022 and beyond — and to be frank, these celeb sightings were really what inspired me to slip into them, too.
Over the past year, I’ve accumulated an impressive trouser collection. The first pair I bought were from an airport shop in Munich in early 2022, and they’re currently my most worn — hey, it’s the best 50 euros I ever spent. This purchase kicked off my obsession, and now I own a range of trousers from Nordstrom (like this Open Edit pair that’s nearly sold out), plus these from Splendid, 7 For All Mankind. I’m currently eyeing this pair from Reformation because I can’t get enough.
There’s something so sexy to me about putting on these power pants. Maybe it’s the loose, nonchalant silhouette that makes me feel like that coolest person in a room; I’ve never been a fan of super-tight pieces, after all, so aside from the nonchalant vibes, their shape is also incredibly comfy. Or maybe it’s because you can really take a pair of trousers and turn them into whatever you want. T-shirt and sneakers for low-key ease? Yes. Corset and pointed-toe heels for a sexy spin. Absolutely! Trousers are basically like a chameleon that can transform into anything you want (just like you!).
Of course, the deeper history of pants makes them all the more empowering. Bad. Ass. Women! And that’s how I feel when I’m wearing them. Shop some of my all-time favorite trousers that I pinky promise will make you feel so powerful and dynamic.
Everlane
Shop now: $128; everlane.com
Reformation
Shop now: $178; reformation.com
Nordstrom
Shop now: $218; nordstrom.com
Madewell
Shop now: $98; madewell.com
Falconeri
Shop now: $126 (Originally $290); falconeri.com
Karen Miller
Shop now: $171 (Originally $214); karenmillen.com
Shop More InStyle Editor-Approved Fashion:
For more InStyle news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on InStyle.
