Sewingplums

There’s a good variety of pant shapes in style this season, for those of you who have the body shape to wear them. Each of my favourite fashion magazines picks out a different style to emphasise. . .

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Flares

Flared pants are among the UK ‘In Style’ must-haves for the season. Tapered to the knee then flaring to wider than boot cut.
There are many pattern possibilities. There are designer ones from Alice + Olivia at Vogue, perhaps Vogue 1051.

UK Elle says flares are only for people with long legs, the rest of us should continue with bootcuts.

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Tailored trousers

UK Vogue’s Runway Report says tailored trousers are an ‘instant update’ for the season. They mean straight legged pants that are loose fitting over the hips, a somewhat ‘40s’ style.

A pattern for ‘easy’ fitting pants could be Butterick 5250.

Or Claire Shaeffer Vogue 8498.

A good style perhaps for those of us who ‘spread’ when we sit down (my hip measurement increases by 4 inches. . .) We have to wear pants with extra hip ease anyway, and it’s difficult to find a way to make that look good.

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‘Cigarette’/ skinny pants

The UK Elle Runway Edit gives ‘tapered trousers’ as one of their Key Pieces for the season. Along with ‘evening trousers’ made from party fabrics.

UK Vogue calls these ‘cigarette’ pants, and YouLook Fab calls them ‘skinny’.

There are so many patterns for these, I’m just listing ones by designers.

The most recent is Issy Miyake Vogue 1204, paired with a tunic with modern proportions.

This one by Donna Karan, Vogue 1039, is combined with an interesting sleeveless top with gathers and ruched panels.

There are three patterns by Chado Ralph Rucci.
Vogue 1144 is part of a suit, paired with an elegant safari/ military style jacket.

Vogue 1054 is combined with a crisp big shirt.

And Vogue 1115 with a sculptural top.

For knits, there’s a new pattern by Sandra Betzina, Vogue 1197, with a knit top and tunic.

YouLookFab suggests ‘skinny cargoes‘. So for a more casual look, add cargo pockets to your favourite skinny pants pattern.

For the even tighter ‘jeggings’ – leggings in a very stretchy jeans-like fabric – see McCall’s 6173.

Skinny pants aren’t a viable option for me. In typical ‘pear shape’ fashion, my thighs are thicker than average for my frame. Even if I wore skin tight pants, my legs would not look thin. And to my eye, the top / jacket styles in these patterns would only look good with slim legs. But if you’ve got good pins, celebrate them !

Each of these skinny pant patterns is a different style. So, even if you can’t wear them, it’s interesting to think which you would pick if you had to choose one of them. I surprised myself by picking the ChadoRR suit, a style I aspired to when working, but I thought I was well past that phase of my life.

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Slouch pants

YouLookFab also suggests some other pant shapes.

She describes the new slouch pant shape as ‘usually high-waisted, pleated, voluminous in the hip area and skinny at the hems’.

UK In Style October issue calls this a ‘peg leg’ shape.

Donna Karan Vogue 1201 is a designer pattern.

(See also new Burda patterns 7438, 7439, 7463 – sorry I can’t get links to work.)

Soft safari pants

These are like slouch pants in shape, but made of more rugged fabrics and with added cargo pockets.
So use the same pattern.

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Harem pants

If you fancy this idea – good for party wear perhaps – there’s oop McCall’s 5858.

The pattern shape is simple, usually front and back the same, and with a dropped crotch. A good pant style to choose if you have difficulty getting the pants crotch curve to fit well ? 😀

long oop Simplicity 7223

Male Pattern Boldness had fun a few months ago making the men’s equivalent, zouave pants. This post shows the shape of the pattern piece very clearly. A quick easy comfortable casual lounging style ? 😀

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Personally, I don’t think any of these shapes would flatter me. I’ll be continuing with my simple classic style. I wear pants as background to more interesting tops. So I’m not worried that my pants are boring. If you do want to liven up simple pants, look at YouLookFab’s post on making classic pants more interesting.

There’s a wide range of options for pants shapes this season. So pick the style that looks good on you 😀

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Patterns and links available August 2010

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This entry was posted on September 4, 2010 at 9:34 am and is filed under current fashion, personal style. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. Both comments and pings are currently closed.