April 25, 2007

SS07 Trend: High-Waisted Wide Leg Trousers

First off, regarding Sat's 'Thoughts On Three CDs' post, I would like to point out that taste is subjective, whether it is of fashion, beauty, music, books and food etc. Everyone should have their own likes and dislikes and be open-minded about those of others. Afterall, what makes your taste superior to someone else's? But anyways, let's move onto today's topic: high-waisted wide leg trousers (such an annoying long name!)

I grew up in the mid-90's to mid-00's, when low-waisted jeans (or pants) dominated, so I must say, it feels very weird for me to see high-waisted trousers (or anything high-waisted for that matter). I've always thought high-waisted trousers as a thing of the past -something that is unmodern and most importantly, something that is unflattering to the majority.
But then when the tide seemed to hint of such trousers and Top Shop made some, I thought it was a good time just to experiment with them. Thus I bought this affordable pair from Top Shop. So now I have to look at different people wearing them to get inspiration and styling yeses and nos.

I was first inspired by MK, whose trousers are from Top Shop. For such a short girl, she sure doesn't make the trousers look unflattering (although it looks like she's got those super high Balenciaga boots underneath.) I really like the business look on the left and the cool look on the right. Unfortunately, it's hard to look as casual cool as she does.

Styling yes: Keep the top simple, mono-colour and deflated (ie. no volume). And tuck the top in. I really love Ashley's trousers on the left -the top of the trousers exactly at the narrowest bit of Ashley's waist. The trousers look clean-cut and stylish, plus they make her body look long.

Keira Knightley shows that even for someone as thin and tall as her, these trousers can look nice or just wide, depending on the angle. And I'm not so sure on the striped top (to go with these trousers.)

Styling no: Make sure there are no puffy pockets on the trousers because it just makes your stomach look bigger than it actually is.

New photos of Mischa seems to say, if you want to try high-waisted wide leg trousers, don't go for denim! Stick to black and grey like MK and Ash. Afterall, if it can make Mischa Barton look wide, then it's bound to make most of us look worse.
My final verdict: High-waisted wide leg trousers are very difficult to wear no matter how you put it. And I still think they don't look young, casual or modern. But hey, that's what high street shops are for -to let us try out trends for a short period of time just for fun!

51 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

i would have to pass on this one. they all look riduculous... especially mischa barton. I can admit that MK does an Ok job as for all the others... ugh. not the best look at all.

4/25/2007 10:29 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Blahyuck-when i see high waisted pants, i think they look "uptight and uncomfortable". Seriously, the eyes overlook the figurative shape of a body because the pants dont compliment the butt or waist (in my opinion) for that matter.
When it comes to high waists....mm pass, not even on pretty petite olsens.
xoxo

4/25/2007 10:41 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hmmm . . . for some weird reason, the pants look more baggy on MK and Ashley (and still look kind of ok), while they make everyone else (especially Mischa) look at lot bigger than they really are. I never really liked high-waisted pants, but if I were to wear them, I'd wear them like MK and Ashley and make sure that they don't hit me in all the wrong places, nor make me look bigger than I really am (and I'm a size 0 petite).

4/25/2007 11:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

the photo of ashley on the right is alright.. but the rest are sick.. and until now i thought it was impossible for mischa to look short and tubby -- that photo almost turned me off of her.. but only almost ;-)

4/25/2007 11:41 AM  
Blogger Carrie said...

I have a pair of these from BCBG and love them to death. They are so comfortable but compliment a very pulled toghether outfit too. I usually pair mine with a white or cream top that hits just below the top of the pants (the tucked in look is nice but not so flattering for girls with bigger butts).

PS. Your blog has inspired me so much I started my own very recently so I'd love for you and anyone of I Am Fashion's readers to check it out (it's still in it's beginning stages but is promising, trust me!)

spinoffstyle.blogspot.com
Thanks again,
Carrie

4/25/2007 11:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

High-waisted pants went out of style for a reason. While I'm glad that it is no longer in vogue to wear jeans that cause you to moon everyone each time you sit down, this is just too much! They make butts and hips look gargantuan; they make boobs look saggy; and they just look really old-fashioned. Now, I really like high-waisted skirts and I think they look chic. But trousers? The Olsens look a bit like they're peeking out of a potato sack, Keira and Mischa look like they have stubby little legs, and JS looks about 20 years older and 30 pounds fatter.

Just say no!

4/25/2007 2:50 PM  
Blogger The Curio Keeper said...

I have yet to see anyone wear this and look flawless.

4/25/2007 4:22 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I find the Ashley's combination the best, although I'm not sure how this would look on "normal" girl ( as myself) considering that she's so skinny...All other pants.. well can't say I like it...but it's a relief to see that this "perfect" girls, also have their bad-figure-caused-by-bad-pants-moments!

b.t.w. really like your blog :))

4/25/2007 6:11 PM  
Blogger Diana @ So Fash'on said...

Here is a photo shoot I did with the tops I designed, called "Summer Mood".

http://dianabobar.wordpress.com/2007/04/25/summer-mood-photoshoot/

Please do check it out if you have time and leave your critique.

Thanks, have a great day looking pretty chic!
Diana

4/25/2007 6:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Most average women sat out the ultra low rise and settled for a regular low rise, it'll be the same for this trend. Anything higher than the actual waist is too high IMO.

I would get these pants with a side zip and flat front. I'd wear them with a tight tank or cropped tee, overlaid with a shirt tied at the waist or wraparound shirt to accentuate the waist line.

4/25/2007 8:25 PM  
Blogger glamour girly said...

I kinda like the trousers on MK and Ashley, but it is very hard to look good in them. If I could find some cheap ones that were actually long enough for my 5'11" frame, I might try it, but I am not going to look too hard.

p.s. love your blog! i visit daily!

4/25/2007 9:13 PM  
Blogger Couture Bowl said...

Just wrote a post on the same subject but just about denim!! I think that denim is so hard to pull off and can make even the skinniest look wide as you mentioned. But I do have to say that MK looks adorable. An interesting twist on the work pant.

4/26/2007 12:17 AM  
Blogger Caroline said...

When you work at an office and have to wear professional clothing everyday, it's so refreshing to wear something like this that is still profesh but with a fun, young, hip twist. I admit it can look awful, but I LOVE high waisted skirts with a tucked in top. So these trousers could totally work too.

4/26/2007 12:36 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i love high waisted trousers. It really depends on how you rock them...

http://thecoveted.blogspot.com/2007/03/todays-attire-031907.html

My waist doesn't really exist, so it gives a more feminine feel. also here
http://thecoveted.blogspot.com/2007/04/todays-attire-forties.html
i'm wearing the jeans... and i just love them...
yeah yeah, i know i'm wearing the same blouse in both, but i love that blouse too...
; )

4/26/2007 12:43 AM  
Blogger Frapp said...

I just don't think they look nice on anyone to be honest, and they can make any bottom look huge. I think I've been brainwashed by my mother's constant wearing of waist-ending tops and waist-reaching jeans...I'll stick with my boy-fit, thanks.

4/26/2007 1:37 AM  
Blogger The Shopping Nerd said...

Some of those photos are just...disastrous...stay away!

4/26/2007 2:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Very few people can look good in high-waisted pants. Even celebs and models can't really pull it off. I'm going to stick with my favorite boot-cut jeans.

4/26/2007 5:06 AM  
Blogger Ellen SB said...

I have thought a lot about it, but I still haven’t decided if it is a fashion faux. I think Mischa looks totally ridicules, totally wrong styling, horribly wrong with that rock t-shirt.

Still Madonna and Mary Kate looks great in them.

I would say: it depends, but high waist pants must not be styled as normal pants. The top needs to be simple and the belt broad.

But: I love the whole concept of having a part of the waist above the pants like Madonna.

4/26/2007 5:06 AM  
Blogger Weekly Blogette said...

Not only does the denim make you look wider it emphasizes all the WRONG places!Fav trouser would be the one Ashley wears on the left it best supports her shape and black makes the look slightly more sophisticated. Which makes sense considering that that's Ashley's style, while her sister is a bit more edgy.
P.S. I think your blog is great! Could you check out mine sometime?

4/26/2007 7:12 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love the pants, especially on MK and Ashley. However, I agree that they are difficult to pull of, and unfortunately, I can't.

4/26/2007 7:53 AM  
Blogger S said...

Well I actually have a great wide legged high waisted pants from Massimo Dutti that I absolutely adore. They are so comfortable, I wear them to work almost 3 times a weak, they are beige with a cute belt...

and how do they look? Well, I think they look great and have been getting quite a few compliments with some people going so far as to ask whether I've lost weight! I guess the high waist elongates the legs or some other mathematical explanation of the sort...

4/27/2007 4:26 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've been in love with trousers for forever and I love the high waisted look since I'm petite. As for the Mischa Barton picture, I never thought it was possible but the pants made her look fat.

4/28/2007 5:01 AM  
Blogger Fashion Critic said...

I brought those TopShop trousers too and they are fabulous

5/01/2007 5:39 PM  
Blogger Loanna Beek said...

i did not think it was possible for mischa barton to look like a chunker, and frankly i also didn't think it was possible to look fat in high waisted jeans. but somehow she pulls it off in that photo. tragic.
regardless, i wear highwasted jeans and you can kiss my ass. no, not you. i just mean in general. the world seems to feel comfortable commenting on them every time i wear them and i've started taking it in stride. there's a reason the high waist is back. it's flattering and compliments a nice figure.

5/15/2007 6:33 AM  
Blogger Pinkmimosa said...

1. Great Blog. 2. Wow, how can Kiera looks so bad? They all look like utter garbage and they are so much better looking than me!! 3. I've worn this look and liked it though it felt really, really weird at first. Of course seeing these photos makes me question wether or not I looked as good as I thought I did. Regardless, when I wore pastel pink high waisted pants, I found guys ogling my bottom and felt great in it, but please know that I have a tiny waist and giant hips / rear. I promote this look for types like me; anything low visually widens my hips, and then whatever top I have to wear (without showing gut or but flesh) fails to reveal my awesome waist, which guys go nuts over. 4. Denim sucks and I doubt I'd care if it vanished off the face of the planet.

6/18/2007 11:16 PM  
Blogger Melanie said...

All hail the high(er)-waisted straight leg jean. Finally, a style that I can wear that doesn't leave a gap at my waist large enough to hold a small child, koala-bear style :) I have hips - not gigantic, but I had a baby, so there are hips. And, I have a long, relatively small waist and short legs. So, low rise jeans made me look like a garden gnome. NOT attractive at all...

9/05/2007 3:29 AM  
Blogger Crochet Bay Boutique said...

Hey girls, it's all about money.
Fashion is like history...it always repeats itself. You can mark your calendar for a 20 year recyling trend.
I design crochet clothing and patterns. An art that used to be considered "old fashioned". Bet you can guess...the dollars are pouring in with the Revival of Crochet appearing everywhere in fashion for the last several years.

My motto? If it LOOKS HOT on you...WEAR IT. Who cares what floats down the runways!

9/11/2007 11:27 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have just bought a pair from coaat they are fantstic, make my waist look tiny, just unsure what to put with them!!

10/24/2007 3:43 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

why cant they make low rise trousers?? that would look rly nice. i like them, but i think i could only pull off the low rise ones... the other ones would make me look fat

11/13/2007 11:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I walked into a Wet Seal about a month ago, and the girl at the cash register had a pair of these on, denim and all. I thought she looked absolutely fantastic and have wanted a pair every since.

I really think it's about finding the right pants and how your body is. If it works, then these pants look great.

Ashley pulls it off very well, I think.
It gives you a break from everyone wearing skinny jeans like they're going out of style, that's for sure.

11/15/2007 11:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My mom got me a pair of denim high waisted wide leg jeans with gold double buttons in front from the states, and I must say, they look great on me! I have a short torso but really long legs so it actually looks very flattering on me giving me a small waist and a cute butt!! I wear it with tucked in ribbed tank top or a plain fitted t-shirt (any bold color) cork wedges and simple jewelry and i get compliments all the time.

11/19/2007 10:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Actually, if you'll carefully inspect the people that the pants don't flatter you'll notice they're all wearing flats with wide-leg pants. . . of course they look horrible! Wearing wide-leg high-waisted pants with flats (round toe, no less) cuts off the line of the leg and makes anyone look dumpy. Duh. High-waisted pants seem to look best if they're medium width and straight in the leg and if they don't go past the belly button, just up to it. :-)

I like this trend but like anything else it shouldn't be taken to the extremes celebrities and runway designs take it to. Plus on petites (like me) they extend the length of the leg, which always helps!

12/21/2007 1:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

High waisted/corset trousers/jeans are meant to flatter petite figures. Back in the 18th/early 19th century, corsets were worn to cinch the waist in order to make it appear smaller .. and to give the impression of a curvier figure (bust and rear). Mary Kate's and Jessica's pairs are the most attractive. MK's make her look long, lean and small-waisted. Jessica's look fantastic too .. If she had worn a crew neck tee they would have looked gorgeous. I don't think you can wear high necks with high waists. Too much "rise."

1/02/2008 5:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sorry .. Correction for the post directly above .. ASHLEY* not Mary-Kate.

1/02/2008 5:46 PM  
Blogger Unmodern said...

Yup can't wear these my hips are too wide. the nonly person who wore them right was MK i guess. they look nice but definitely a fad . low rise stayed around so long because it was flattering

1/22/2008 2:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i have really wide hips and a tiny waist (hips 42" waist 27") so these trousers are perfect for me, the hipsters usually end up half way down my thighs when i sit down. since these came out its the 1st time ive been able to find something to wear that fits other than elasicated waists!! yey high waisted trousers!!!!! i can alter them and still get them over my large legs- i used to be a ballet dancer and gymnast so theyre a life saver for me.

4/10/2008 9:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good Job! :)

6/27/2008 2:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wow, seriously I am going to have to pass on this one. I love wide pants, but low cut is the way to go. This is a mix between a raver and an old grandpa....bad mix...

10/31/2008 4:35 AM  
Blogger Tori said...

high waited pants that are tailored to fit snug from mid hip to waist with a longer, thigh skimming, trim tailored jacket really can look good..ESPECIALLY on a woman who wants to show curves...but not tummy..its all in how you wear it...plus...if you are even a bit over weight AND under 5'4..don wear them...this is a style for folks with a bit of height

3/06/2009 3:26 AM  
Blogger Tori said...

oh...and here is a way to wear them if you want to do it for the office
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41BT2W1OLAL._SS500_.jpg

3/06/2009 3:31 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

These type of pants look great if the top is tight and the pants are loose. I used to wear them with a scoop neck long sleeve thin material shirt. They were tight at the waist with a larger belt and loose from the waist down. The best way to wear them in jean form is the version Lauren Hill wore in Sister Act 2. They look best without pockets and if they are going to have them them should not be noticeable. If they sold them in the stores again as well as a decent pair of plain flats without bows or buckles, I would go out a buy a pair.

8/27/2009 12:24 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Great tips! I think these women's pants are really nice, but not in denim, obviously. MK and Ash look great. Then again, they always look stylish.

5/31/2010 1:38 AM  
Anonymous Glenda said...

The workwear trousers are available in a wide range of colours so if you have a company uniform and have to stick to the colour of your company then there is a fair chance that there will be a colour to suit you within this range. The trousers themselves are made from a very tough DuraTwill fabric which is designed to offer extra durability where needed as well as being lightweight enough to afford comfort when being worn. You cannot help but notice how these workwear trousers feel like an everyday pair of trousers rather than a pair of workwear trousers.

work trousers

12/21/2010 12:27 PM  
Blogger Mark said...

Interesting post. I have been wondering about this issue,so thanks for posting. I’ll likely be coming back to your blog. Keep up great writing. Find great organic drawstring pants and yoga pants at veggieswear.

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