wide-leg pants are here to stay, so how do we style them?
wide-leg pants are here to stay, so how do we style them?
so into that #44
Hi! Hope everyone is having an amazing week! Here in Carmel, it’s finally feeling like fall. Delicata squash is the produce of the hour (have you cooked Saturday’s recipe yet?!), temps are dipping down into the low 50s at night, and it’s been super foggy for the past few days.
If you follow me on IG you already know this, but if not, I have to tell you: Monday evening while hiking in the foggy Santa Lucia mountains, I observed a dark watcher! It’s a phenomenon that happens when sun rays hit a cloud just right — my shadow looked like a huge far-off figure with a rainbow orb around it. It was very heady, but I had no idea how rare it was until I got home and told George, who absolutely freaked. Apparently hikers hunt for this illusion their whole lives and never find it?! Pretty cool.
I’m so pumped for my Palo Alto book tour event tomorrow (if you’re in the area, come hang!). I’ve said this before but, after having been pregnant, postpartum, or nursing for the better part of the last six years, fashion is feeling FUN to me again. It’s feeling good to put a little more time and effort into creating outfits.
There’s one fashion trend that has swept the globe, but is still kind of confusing to many of us…
WIDE-LEGGED PANTS. Wide-legged pants hit the scene during my second pregnancy and by the time I’d given birth and was fitting back into my old pants, the old pants were no longer *cool.* (Not that this matters, wear what you love!)
It took me some time, but I can now say that I’m a full convert. I embrace all pants baggy and flowy, like the Gap barrel jeans I can’t stop wearing this fall, these wide-leg sweatpants, and my sort of patchwork-y wide-legged jeans from Gap that feel and look so much more expensive than they are. It can feel scary to leave skinny jeans behind, but I promise once you find a good fit for your body, you’ll never look back!
Though I love my new collection of wide-legged pants, I’ve found picking shoes to wear with them to be oddly difficult? And I know I’m not alone in this — Molly, Jillian, and a lot of my friends and cousins report having the same issue. So we threw the question out to some of the stylists, fashion designers, and bloggers whose newsletters here on Substack we love!
The group came back with very chic and illustrative pant + shoe combos. Keep reading for their recs! And be sure to check out their newsletters if you too are into (or even dabbling with!) style. Each of these women shares fashion trends and outfit inspo in such a fun, fresh, and original way. Following their newsletters is how I get ideas for easy outfits to throw together that I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise!
The question we asked: We’re so into wide-legged jeans and pants… but what shoes should we be wearing with them?!
From
(lifestyle blogger and author of ): I personally love the way wide-leg denim can elongate your legs (I'm a shorty!) and my favorite way to wear wide-leg denim more casually is with a clog! Truly so comfortable with ample support. There are a ton of styles available this season, whether you're looking for a pair with a heel or something a little more flat.Liz’s jeans: Amo Frida Jean
Liz’s shoe recs: Here are two styles that I'm loving for fall (and the best thing is you can slip your big cozy socks in there, too): Healed clogs and flat clogs
Note from Caro: I’m now eyeing these flat clogs from Quince (my Quince code is INFP-CARO10) and these heeled clogs from Amazon!
From
(designer, writer, and author of ): The shoes I find most pleasing with wide-leg jeans all have pointier toes. Some sharpness to cut through all the soft fabric at the foot. To me, the heel height really doesn't matter (and I'm only 5'4").Jane’s jeans: They're my new favorite J.Crew studded wide-legs. I'm just acting like these jeans don't have studs and wearing them with everything this fall. My advice: Let the hems puddle, they don't need to be so perfect! Note from Caro — the jeans are 30% off! I just bought them. Size down, according to reviews.
Jane’s shoe recs: These Mary Janes from Margaux and these classic kitten heels from Manolo Blahnik are my go-tos. And now that I'm looking, I've just come across this square-toed Emme Parsons Mary Jane, which, though blunted at the tip, would look so smart!
Note from Caro: Jane’s styling of the chunky cable-knit sweater with this outfit just inspired me to buy this $50 cable knit sweater from Quince (again, my code = INFP-CARO10)! Also, here are some less-pricey round-toed Mary Janes and square-toed Mary Janes that I love. And another good kitten heel!
From
(lifestyle blogger, former editor + stylist, and author of ): I love a wide-leg jean!... but as someone who is 5'1'', I'm pretty particular in looking for styles that aren't too baggy or overwhelming on me. I found a pair of Celine jeans last year (the Polly) and they're by far my favorite fit / most worn. I actually sized up in them for a slightly wider cut (I believe they're a true looser straight leg) and then had them hemmed. If you're petite, you'll most likely always need to have the length shortened! If you're on the taller side, the Ayla from Citizens is so good (and in a darker wash). (Note from Caro: My mom and I both have and love the Ayla!)Alicia’s pants: Polly jeans by Celine
Alicia’s shoe recs: My everyday style is very casual so I am wearing them now with sandals as it's still warm in California (I love this simple black pair that elevate any look and feel nicer than your average flip flop) and with sneakers (here’s another clean simple sneaker option).
Note from Caro: OK I hadn’t considered wearing flip flops with wide-legs, but I dig it! I love these from TKEES too.
Irene’s pants: Riand 28 Carolina trousers (paired with the Riand 28 Grace top and a Vintage Pierre Cardin leather blazer)
Irene’s shoe recs: Shoes with an elongated toe box like these Hereu Puntera flats (pictured), Jil Sander flats, and these from Toteme, Aeyde, and Aldo.
From
(lifestyle content creator and author of ): One of my favorite things about wide-leg jeans is their versatility — a day-to-night staple! Loafers and Mary Janes have been a go-to for me this season.Gabby’s jeans: Madewell Plus Superwide-Leg Jeans
Gabby’s shoe recs: Mary Janes from Sèzane (pictured above) and Madewell’s Vernon Loafers
Note from Caro: Loafers are another shoe I’ve been eyeing from Quince!
From
(lifestyle blogger and author of ): I was honestly bewildered by this as well until I accidentally discovered the perfect shoe. I was planning to wear my red La Ligne pants out to meet friends and tried on all of my heels only to feel like everything just looked... wrong. I slipped on a pair of ballet flats and was shocked at how well they paired. And so ever since then, I've been wearing an almond toe ballet flat with my wide-leg jeans.Grace’s pants: La Ligne Colby Pant and AGOLDE Daryl pleated wide-leg pant
Grace’s shoe recs: These Dolce Vita Mary Janes. If you told me I'd get this much wear out of a pair of cream colored flats, I would have laughed at you but I promise — I wear these constantly (they also look great with dresses — both midis and minis!). My Le Monde Beryl Luna flats were more of a splurge but they are pretty perfect. Really comfortable and again, the toe looks perfect peaking out of wide-leg jeans. And here’s a more affordable dupe for the Luna flats.
From
(stylist, creative director, and author of ): Historically I've had a very hard time with wide-leg pants and closed-toe shoes. I really only wore wide-leg pants with sandals — something about the foot being closed off made me feel... unlike myself. I previously dedicated a portion of a newsletter to this topic! The more I keep trying, however, the easier it gets for me to get on board with closed-toe shoes.Laurel’s pants: My favorite pair of wide-leg trousers are from Kallmeyer — they're the Le Smoking style. They have a beautiful pleated front, drape so nicely, and are wide enough to be wide without being cartoonish. They feel sharp and precise — the waistline is crisp, and they're not overly slouchy. They're basically the perfect black pant, in my opinion. I love wearing them with something boxy on top, like this tee from Still Here, in a terrific marigold yellow.
Laurel’s shoe recs: These Rebecca flats from Loro Piana (pictured). The flats remind me of what a secretary might have worn in the late 80s, and I like that retro office/preppy vibe from them. The pointed toe, and the more open vamp of the shoe (the part that shows the top of your foot) keeps this from feeling too closed-in on me. These pants also look great with a pair of Converse or loafers, but the Loro Piana flats really make me swoon!
Note from Caro: They’re definitely not a perfect dupe but I love the Matilda flats from Sèzane and they’re a perfect heel height and similar toe shape to the gorgeous flats Laurel shared, at a lower price point!
Thank you so much to Liz, Jane, Alicia, Irene, Gabby, Grace, and Laurel for this fashion primer! Also… if you have a pair of shoes you love wearing with wide-legged pants, let’s hear it!
The Women by Kristin Hannah. I can’t stop thinking about this breathtaking book about the women who served in Vietnam.
Lake sent the boys and me some of their holiday pajamas and the boys have insisted to wear them now through Christmas. My code CAROLINExLAKE will get you 10% off!
My mail-in ballot arrived last week! I won’t use it since I really get a kick out of voting at the polls (I love the buzzy, patriotic energy), but have you checked your voter registration? It’s go-time!
My publishing team created a one-page checklist of all of the recipes in the book that you can print out, keep in your book (or on your fridge!), and check off as you go! FUN!! I asked them to create one where the recipes are categorized by protein, and another where they’re categorized by how long they take, as in the book chapters. Download them here!
sheet-pan gnocchi with sausage, brussels, mushrooms, and burrata, 2023
This was one of, if not THE, most popular recipe from all of 2023! In it I give tips for how to deconstruct the meal for kids, and a few knockout riff ideas. Even if you’ve cooked the OG recipe a ton, I hope you’ll go back and try some of the riffs (like gnocchi + butternut squash + sausage + goat cheese — YUM).
pasta e ceci, 2022
If you missed
‘s guest post back in 2022, click this link and get to cooking! Pasta e ceci (aka pasta with chickpeas) is a hearty, comforting stew, and Colu’s iteration is beyond delicious. The recipe includes pancetta, but it would be easy to omit anytime you’re looking for a high-protein meatless meal this fall.sheet-pan honey-roasted chicken, carrots, and brussels sprouts with tahini yogurt, 2021
Wowww, I almost forgot about this sheet-pan chicken dinner from 2021. It marries my longtime love of honey-roasted carrots with skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, crispy Brussels sprouts, and a creamy, dreamy tahini sauce. PS, honey-roasted carrots are one of my go-to Thanksgiving side dishes! You can use the marinade from this recipe to roast a huge sheet pan of them (or any other root veg) this holiday season.
This is such a size *exclusive* round up of jeans. I feel exhausted after clicking through it. (I did see the single pair of madewell jeans featured that come in bigger sizes). Before kids I was a size 29 jean and fit into everything and felt good. I took for granted that I could shop everywhere. Several years and 3 kids later, I am several sizes bigger and wow, it sucks! The first three pair of jeans I clicked on don’t come in larger than a 31 or 32 (???) and the next brand only sells a small medium large? There’s no reasons for brands to not expand into larger sizes except that they only want thin people wearing their clothes. Something I’ve seen some people doing that I think would be really helpful for next time - note the sizes the brand carries so that people don’t need to constantly click on links and feel disappointed.
I’m so glad that you shared shoe suggestions because that’s been the toughest part of wide-leg pants for me. I also want to say that I love the archives section. Those recipes plus Saturday’s gets me through four days of deciding what to have for dinner each week which is a life saver.