Straight-leg pants get a bad reputation for being unflattering and difficult to style. The opposite is true, though. They can be styled in many different ways for any occasion. Are you wondering how to wear your straight-leg pants? We scoured the internet for style inspiration to share with you.
Straight-leg pants can be styled casually for weekend plans or professionally for the office. Dress them up for a date night or girls' night out. Here are some of our favorite styles:
- Casually cuffed with sneakers
- Ankle length with a front tucked top
- Office ready with blazer and heels
- Day to night in contrasting neutrals
- Fall ready with ankle boots
Ready to make your straight-leg pants the star of your wardrobe? Continue reading to learn how to accomplish these looks. We'll also cover other common styling questions when it comes to straight-leg pants.
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Ways To Style Your Straight-Leg Pants
Check out these trendy ways to wear your favorite pair of straight-leg pants.
Casually Cuffed With Sneakers
Cuffed pants and casual shoes can make any occasion more comfortable. Pressed jeans in a darker color paired with a nice blouse, like the image above, can be worn to the office for a casual but put-together look. After work, you can go ahead and run those errands without feeling overdressed or uncomfortable in formal work attire.
Click here to see these white sneakers on Amazon.
Ankle Length With Front Tucked Top
To avoid a shapeless silhouette while wearing straight-leg pants, tuck your shirt in. This will accent your waist and highlight your body's shape. If you don't want to tuck your shirt in all the way around, just tucking the front and leaving the back untucked will achieve the same look.
Click here to see these white straight-leg pants on Amazon.
Office Ready With A Blazer and Heels
Straight-leg pants deserve a place in your office wardrobe. They pair well with a blazer and heels to give a polished and professional look. Use straight-leg trousers for office professional or jeans for business casual.
Click here to see these black straight-leg pants on Amazon.
Day To Night With Contrasting Neutrals
Go from a day at the office to a night out on the town without having to change your clothes. This look can be paired with a blazer and sensible heels or flats for the workday. After work, ditch the blazer, add some glamorous accessories, and put on your favorite heels to be ready for a romantic date night.
Fall Ready With Ankle Boots
Straight-leg pants work well with ankle boots to create a warm and fashionable fall look. Pair your boots with pants that end well above the ankle, like the image above.
If you are wearing straight-leg pants that fall lower than the ankle, make sure that they are wide enough to cover the top of the boot. You don't want the hem of your pants to brush the top of your boots and get bunched up. If this happens, your otherwise well put together look will look unkempt and sloppy.
What Shoes Look Best With Straight-Leg Pants?
Straight-leg pants aren't as difficult to pair with shoes as one would think. There are many types of shoes you can pair with straight-leg pants, making them a good option for any style. Flats, sneakers, and heels pair well in any season, while sandals and boots can be used in summer or winter, respectively.
Flats
Pairing flats with straight-leg pants is a great idea for a number of reasons. You can elongate your figure and appear taller by wearing flats with straight-leg pants that end at the ankle. Flats can also help you create a well put together look while still remaining comfortable. If your style is particularly tailored feminine shoe styles, such as ballet flats, they can soften your overall look.
Sneakers
Sneakers are a versatile footwear choice that work well with many styles of pants, including straight-legs. Choose pants that end at the ankle for an easy and carefree look. Or, you can cuff your pant legs so that they end above your sneakers.
Heels
Heels can be used to dress up any look. If you choose to wear heels with your straight-leg pants, try to wear pants that fall at or slightly above your ankle. Pants that are too long can get caught underneath your heel and cause you to trip or fall.
Sandals
Straight-leg pants can be worn in the summer and pair well with sandals. Full-length pants that end at the ankle will show off your sandals and keep your pants and sandals from rubbing together.
Again, you don't want your pants to be too long so that you are stepping on the bottoms with your shoes. You can also cuff your full-length pants for a cute but casual look. Cropped straight-leg pants are great for the summer and pair well with sandals.
Boots
It is often difficult to determine the best way to wear boots or decide which pants work best with them. Straight-leg pants pair well with ankle boots, especially with the hem landing at the ankle. The hem of the pants can also rest right above the boot, but with enough room between them so they don't rub together.
If you have a mid-shaft boot, ensure that your pants are wider than the shaft of the boot so that the pant covers the top of the boot. If you want to wear boots with a taller shaft or prefer to wear your boots over your pant legs, leggings or skinny jeans work better than straight-leg pants.
Are these suggestions not enough? Be sure to read our post, What Shoes To Wear With Straight Leg Pants: 7 Suggestions.
What Length Should Straight-Leg Pants Be?
Generally, straight-leg pants should fall right below the ankle but not be long enough to graze the top of your foot. If you are wearing boots, though, the guideline is a bit different. You want the leg of your pants to cover the top of your boots, so you may need them to be a little longer to accomplish this. Here are the inseams you should be looking for based on your height:
- 5'3" or shorter: 21" inseam
- 5'4"-5'7": 28"-32" inseam
- 5'8" or taller: 32"-34" inseam
For more information on this topic, check out our article, How Long Should Straight-Leg Pants Be?
Are Straight-Leg Pants Flattering?
Straight-leg pants are flattering because they elongate the look of your legs, making your figure look slimmer. Be sure, though, that you choose the correct in-seam for your height. If your pants are too long, they are likely to get ripped up at the bottom, making them look sloppy. You also won't get the benefit of the elongated look.
In Closing
Straight-leg pants should not be avoided for fear of not knowing how to style them. This style of pants pairs well with any shoe. With many styles of straight-leg pants, only one or two pairs can yield many different outfits. If you don't own a pair of straight-leg pants, you should add them as a staple to your wardrobe. Have a pair but avoid wearing them? Pull them out of your drawer and experiment to create some new looks!
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