How to wear wide leg trousers

Whether you’ve already got a pair of wide leg trousers or you’re merely thinking about incorporating the style into your wardrobe, knowing the best ways to wear wide leg trousers can be a big help. Wide leg trousers can be an excellent choice for all kinds of occasions, from evening dress for a wedding or funeral to casual trousers for days out with your family. Keep reading to learn more about how to make wide leg trousers work for you.

How to style wide leg trousers

The first step to styling wide leg trousers is to ensure they fit properly. Stylistic tips like the ones we’ll explain below are ways that you can pair your trousers with other items of clothing and tweak the look to be the most flattering it can – but if you’re starting off with a pair of trousers that doesn’t fit you well, your whole outfit will be affected.

So, assuming you’ve chosen a pair of well-fitting wide leg trousers, what should you think about when it comes to putting together an outfit?

Remember the rule of balance

We talk about the merits of balancing your outfit a lot here at Chums, and for good reason. A well-balanced outfit can help to make all the various components come together in harmony. Balance helps to prevent your look from becoming overly clunky or too form-fitting; it gives you an appealing silhouette.

The width of your wide leg trousers can vary from style to style, so you may need to do a bit of trial and error to see what works best for you. For the basics, however, it’s worth knowing that wide leg trousers shouldn’t be paired with oversized tops or jackets. Wide leg trousers have a bulky, blocky silhouette that is best paired with a slimmer top - though that’s not to say you have to stick to skin-tight tops to make the look work.

As a general rule, the wider the leg of the trousers, the bulkier your top half can be without being too much. For instance, if your trousers are considerably wider than your leg, perhaps similar to flares, pairing them with a chunky knit cardigan could be a nice way to wear them in the winter. For warmer weather, a light jacket or overshirt could be appropriate. However, if your trousers are closer to a regular trouser width, they may look better with thinner jumpers and fewer layers.

Try heeled shoes

Although footwear can often come as an afterthought, only considered when it’s time to leave the house, the shoes you choose can have a big impact on the cohesion of your outfit. One thing about wide leg trousers is that they have more fabric than slim-fitting alternatives. This means that they can be easier to trip on as the fabric pools around your feet when you’re not wearing shoes. Because of this, wearing raised shoes with either a thicker sole, a platform or a heeled component may be a safer option.

The good news is that those choices are also the most stylish ones. Wide leg trousers often have a lengthening effect, accentuating the full length of your legs, and you can build on that by choosing shoes that make you appear even taller. Whether you’re heading to an event that requires formal trousers or simply meeting up with friends for a coffee, a pair of heels can elevate your outfit to new heights.

Consider patterns and colours

The different patterns and colours your wide leg trousers will match best with depends on the patterns and colours of the trousers themselves. If you choose a pair to be a staple wardrobe piece, they’ll likely feature neutral colours, so you can either pair them with other neutrals to create a simple work-friendly outfit, or add splashes of colour in order to elevate the look.

If you’ve gone for a bright colour or pattern for your wide leg trousers, then you have three options. Firstly, you could play it safe and match with neutral colours to have a simple look with a single splash of colour. Alternatively, you could pair your trousers with tops and shoes in the same shade for a sleek, monochrome look – although this depends on how well the shades match. Finally, you could enter into some trial and error pairing different patterns and colours to create a more eclectic outfit. It’s really up to you!

Are wide leg trousers flattering?

Wide leg trousers are famed for being a flattering outfit choice for practically any woman. They’re meant to give the illusion not only of longer legs, but of a smaller waist, too. If you’ve never worn them before, you might wonder if they’ll make you look too bulky - but this is rarely the case. Wide leg trousers are designed to be loose-fitting and sometimes even flowing, all to accentuate your natural proportions.

Want to know if wide leg trousers are right for you? Well, we think they’re the ideal option for any woman looking to diversify her wardrobe – but don’t just take our word for it. Why not try a pair yourself?