How To Style Wide-Leg Pants?

Wide-leg pants are less restrictive than other options and easy to move around in, but if you’re worried about getting lost underneath baggy clothing, opt for a fitted top. A ribbed cardigan or tight turtleneck will provide balance and allow you to show off your shape.

What Are Wide-Leg Pants?

Wide-leg pants, also known as palazzo pants, are fitted at the waistline and flare out from the hips. Unlike flared pants, which extend out around the ankles, wide-legged pants flare from the hips downward to create volume around the ankles. Wide-leg pants can create the illusion of elongating your legs.

Are Wide-Leg Pants In Style in 2023?

Yes, they most surely are! Women’s wide-leg pants have arguably become one of the top trending fashion staples of 2023. The right fit can flatter all body types with the right clothing and accessories – like shoes – and bring you on trend.

Women’s wide-leg pants can be different leg widths, such as cropped, ankle-length, or super baggy. If you choose cropped or ankle-height wide-leg pants, many more shoe opportunities open up, and a chance to show off that footwear!

Of course, you can find a variety of colors and fabrics, making some more optimal than others for certain occasions. For example, high-waisted, wide-leg pants for women are popular but can also be found in a medium rise.

Wide-leg pants – especially black wide-leg pants – can be dressed up or down, worn casually, or even to a fancier event, depending on what you wear them with. That’s why shoes and accessories are very important!

History Of Wide-Leg Pants

Before exploring how to wear wide-leg pants further, I’ll touch on their backstory. Trying to cover the entire history of wide-leg pants would involve digging into the history of pants as a whole. So instead of telling you about how cavemen spent hours stitching together their first sets of trousers, I’m going to start when wide-leg pants earned a reputation for themselves.

Baggy pants have always been associated with hip–hop and urban culture. Rappers wore them in the 1980s since they improved the visual flair of breakdancing and rebelled against the tight-and-bright mainstream styles of the decade.

Specifically, MC Hammer ushered them into public consciousness with his famous hammer pants, which were wide-leg trousers with a tapered ankles. As with everything else in the 1990s, wide-leg pants became even more extreme. People made them bigger and wider, and they were associated with more niche interests.

Rappers and b-boys were no longer leading the baggy pants movement. Instead, skateboarders, pop-punk bands, electronic music enjoyers, and fashionistas began adding the style to their rotation.

However, their surge in popularity wasn’t fated to last. They grew out of style in the public’s eye in the mid–2000s, and the only people who still wore them were rappers in the bling era.

They were still around, but many people dropped them like hot potatoes.

Eventually, even rappers moved away from baggy pants in favor of skinny jeans. For example, Lil Wayne and Wiz Khalifa were nearly always seen in tight pants rather than the wide-leg variety that was famous only years prior.

That’s all changed nowadays. Retro fashion is making a comeback—particularly the styles from the ’90s—and that means people are finding new ways to wear baggy pants.

Today, people welcome the relaxed and loose-fitting silhouette of wide-leg pants.

When To Wear Wide-Leg Pants?

Spring and summer are the best seasons to wear wide-leg pants. The warm weather is perfect for lighter fashion, and most baggy pants nowadays are breathable. Moreover, these are the times of the year when relaxed fits are ubiquitous, and you can get away with prioritizing comfort.

Speaking of comfort, wide-leg pants are great for low-key events and occasions. Casual parties, sunny days spent in the park, and walks around the neighborhood are perfect for breaking out your widest pants.

How To Wear Wide-Leg Pants, The Comfy, Celebrity-Approved Fashion Trend That’s Here To Stay

It’s easy for us to get excited about rising fashion trends, whether we’re talking break-your-ankle platform shoes or subtly sexy corset tops. But despite all that temptation to test out the latest runway looks and celebrity “It” items, figuring out how to pull these pieces off in real life can often leave us stumped. For instance, we may have ditched skinny jeans years ago, but learning to wear wide-leg pants — without looking like we shopped a stranger’s wardrobe — took a bit of experimentation. However, we have figured it out and are happy to share this newfound knowledge.

The good thing about wide-leg pants, especially wide-leg trousers, is that they’re as versatile as jeans while still being roomy and comfortable, just like sweats. Plus, there’sproportion is only one thing to consider when putting together your look. So we’re sharing our favorite ways to wear wide-leg pants, breaking down a few quick tips and outfit ideas bound to spark inspiration.

The Everyday Way

The key to wearing wide-leg pants is that, while they’re meant to be roomy in width, you should still make sure the length hits right where you want them to (preferably just below the ankle), which can be achieved with tailoring. After that, you can style these babies as your go-to pair of pants or jeans, whether you opt for a graphic T-shirt or a sharp-looking blazer.

With Oversized Items

If Hailey Bieber is your style icon, then you know the model and Rhode beauty founder love to pair oversized pieces together. Styling your wide-leg pants with a baggy top or jacket creates a uniform look that feels intentional. Add a pair of heels if you’re worried about coming off as lax rather than luxe.

With Slim-Fitting Tops

4 Types Of Wide-Leg Pants

From dramatic jeans to lose loungewear, there are many styles of wide-leg pants, including:

1- Wide-Leg Jeans

You can dress up or dress down with wide-leg jeans. For example, wear light-wash wide-leg jeans and a crop top for a casual look, or wear a dark-wash wide-leg pair of jeans with a button-down shirt for a business casual look.

2- Wide-Leg Jumpsuit

A wide-leg jumpsuit offers a streamlined and cohesive look from top to bottom. Wide-leg jumpsuits are a great alternative to summer dresses or formal dresses.

3- Wide-Leg Dress Pants

You can wear wide-leg trousers and linen pants featuring pleats and tie-fronts to the office. These wide-leg pants offer a dramatic look with a relaxed fit that’s comfortable for work.

4- Wide-Leg Loungewear

Wide-leg pants made of stretchy, breathable fabrics are perfect for lounging or physical activities. In addition, you can find wide-leg sweatpants, wide-leg yoga pants, and wide-leg pajamas.

These Are The Boots To Wear With Wide-Leg Pants

It feels like another lifetime when skinny jeans reigned supreme; nowadays, it’s hard to even fathom performing the jump-and-pull dance required for squeezing into the restrictive style.

That’s not to say the skinny jeans are a faux pas if you prefer them. Still, between shifting from peak-pandemic loungewear back to more presentable styles, wide-leg pants have made a case as the most wearable silhouette for their comfortable yet elevated sensibility. Albeit, with this evolution, we’re left with the question of how to style our favorite winter boots with this relative newcomer in our wardrobe.

First and foremost, it’s essential to remember that wide-leg pants are typically cut to be worn with a heeled shoe that elongates the length of the leg. While you can opt for statement-making stilettos, there are plenty of approachable heel heights, block widths, and platform options on the market that provide the needed lift while being walkable. Suppose you’d rather forego a heel together. In that case, Jacqueline Zenere, stylist to industry icons like Ashley Benson and Olivia Palermo, has a solution. “Wide-leg pants with flat boots can work only if cropped above the ankle in most cases; otherwise, the hems will puddle, and you’ll end up.

With a ruined pair of pants,” Zenere tells TZR. Plus, a styling trick or two can help make all the difference. “Long legs paired with a high waistline can create an hourglass figure even if you don’t have one, especially if you’re game enough to tuck your chosen top in.”

From eye-catching pops of color to the on-trend square toe, discover the five easy and of-the-moment boot trends that can be styled back to wide-leg denim or trousers for guaranteed success and a smart styling solution.

Wearable Heel

While a sky-high heel is undoubtedly chic when styled with wide-leg pants, it’s not always practical for a day on the go. So instead, try a block heel for a width that provides extra support — or you may be surprised that a skinny silhouette heel is pretty comfortable if you keep the heel height under an inch or two.

Square Toe

The square-toed boot is a trend that feels admittedly retro — in the best way possible. However, this fresh shape feels new once again and brings an element of interest as it peeks out from under a pant leg. If you’re hesitant to try this one, ease into the look by opting for an all-black option; and once you’re feeling more adventurous, test out a style with a contrasting colored sole.

Platform Sole

Platform boots are another nostalgic trend that has emerged on the market. The extra lift offers elongation to effortlessly pull off wide-leg pants without causing hardship from lack of support. Whether a platform lug sole or block-heeled option, comfort is key in this trend.

Exaggerated Point

Boots with a pointed toe have an undeniable “je ne sais quoi” about them — and they’re a no-brainer as an option to wear with wide-leg pants for their lengthening abilities. In addition, an exaggerated pointed toe offers an eye-catching, elongated look that helps with any hemline drag and can be found in styles that range from whimsical cowboy boots to sleeker iterations.

Pop Of Color

While adding a pop of color to your outfit is always fun, it’s a sneaky styling trick, too. For example, opt for a contrasting hue to your wide-leg pants, which will catch anyone’s eye à la creating visual length to your look. Plus, a pop of color doesn’t necessarily need to be outside your comfort zone; other neutral works just as well.

What Type Of Wide-Leg Pants Outfits Can You Get?

We’re spoiled with how many types of wide-leg pants we can get. You can buy them in nearly every fabric—from denim to wool to linen—and in every width. So no matter what your definition of ‘wide’ is, you’ll be able to find a pair that suits you.

For instance, if you consider ‘wide’ to be slightly larger than average, you’ll just as easily find pants as someone who thinks wide-leg pants are synonymous with parachute pants.

How To Choose The Best Wide-Leg Pants Outfits?

Before purchasing a pair of wide-leg pants, ensure you can answer the following questions. Doing so will help you choose the best wide-leg pants for you.

How will the pants work with the other items in my wardrobe?
Are they made with a heavy fabric or with a lighter material?

Are the pants high-waisted?
How much do they cost?
Which brand is producing the pants?

How long are they?
Can I wear them on multiple occasions or only in specific circumstances?

Fashion Tips To Avoid With Wide-Leg Pants Outfits

There used to be so many rules about how to wear wide-leg pants and how to not wear them that, at one point, it was nearly sacrilegious to even have them in your closet. Thankfully, things are a bit more relaxed these days. That said, there are a few ways you can screw up your outfit if you’re not careful.

My biggest piece of advice is to balance your wide-leg pants with a slimmer T–shirt. Of course, it’s possible to pull off a baggy on-the-top and bottom look, but more often than not, you’ll look like Soulja Boy at the 2007 BET Awards.

There’s another big mistake that Soulja Boy made with that outfit that you can learn from. Given that it was 2007, it’s safe to assume that he was wearing his pants below his waist—which is not only dated but also incredibly unflattering.

These days I’dI recommend wearing your wide-leg pants either at your waist or a bit higher. That’s also why more wide-leg pants are high-waisted. Also, remember that ‘wide-leg’ doesn’t mean ‘ill-fitting.’ So, avoid wearing pants that are too long for your legs.

I mentioned Hulk Hogan’s JNCO jeans outfit earlier to show the longest your wide-leg pants should be. You’ll probably have trouble walking if you wear a pair that falls over your shoes.

How To Take Care Of Wide-Leg Pants Outfits?

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all way to maintain your wide-leg pants. How you take care of them depends on the material, their value, and whether you bought them brand new or second-hand. In general, if you want to keep your pants in good condition, then I recommend taking these steps:

Only wash them in cold water

Wash them with similar-colored items
Hang dry them
Get them tailor

FAQ’s

Is wide leg pants good for chubby ladies?

Maybe you’re wondering if plus-size ladies can wear wide-leg jeans well. The reality is, if you’ve been wanting to try this look (or any look, for that matter), there’s nothing stopping you. Regardless of physique, everyone looks excellent in this style.

Should wide leg pants be short or long?

Your wide leg pants’ hem should, as a general rule, be between 1/4″ and 1/2″ above the floor and between 3″ and the floor. Basically, you should always cover your ankles. Your wide-leg pants or jeans can truly make or break the appearance for you depending on their shape and silhouette.

How do you look thinner in wide-leg pants?

When wearing wide-leg pants, it’s imperative to tuck your top in or find a technique to draw attention to your waistline. Simply put, balance is everything. You must create a flattering silhouette while making sure you’re not drowning in fabric, and a tucked-in top, tight or loose, will do just that.

Do wide leg jeans make you look thinner?

Wide-leg clothing is preferred for its comfort and adaptability. They compliment pear-shaped ladies because they counterbalance broad hips and thighs. High-waisted, wide-leg styles can make you appear taller, slimmer and leaner. The bootcut suits all body types and is the most universally pleasing style.

Do wide leg jeans make you look slimmer?

Unambiguously, wide-leg pants do indeed help you look slimmer. Your legs will appear longer thanks to the high, fitting waist, which also gives the impression that your waist is smaller. Wide trouser legs make them incredibly figure-flattering, covering lumps, bumps, and any minor problem areas with ease.