Top Trend: Oversized Pants

The trench coat inspired Dion Lee oversized trousers.

The key to today’s top trend is pretty simple: the bigger, the better. Long gone are the ultra-slim and narrow fitted pants that have dominated our wardrobes for the past few years. Now its time to make some room in your closet for some wide-legged trouser. And luckily this trend isn’t just for the tall and lanky set! Whether you inherited Naomi Campbell’s mile long legs or can just barely reach the top shelf in your closet, oversized pants make everyone see eye to eye. When cut high, they’ll help accentuate your waistline and elongate your legs. While a low slung take on the style will instantaneously give you an effortlessly cool attitude. To show you how both ways can flatter different forms we selected a few outfits fresh off of the Spring/Summer 2017 runways to show you how to look stunning in XXL.

While many designers adopted the trend, we’re amazed by how easy Dion Lee made it look. Usualy demonstrating his intellect and creativity though complex and abstract garment, this season the designer presented a serie of viable, woman-friendly pieces. This included an all beige look that used the trench coat as a sartorial jumping off point. The belt was used as a main feature of the outfit thanks to the way it emphasized the lines and gave a sense of coherence to the ensemble.

We also appreciated the daring of Delpozo’s opening look – a floral and refreshing take on the trend with periwinkle trousers impeccably nipped at the waist, amplifying the hip and thighs. Clearly,  Josep Font’s pret-a-couture creations are not afraid to take up space and certainly fill three-dimensions. Ordinary mortal would think that the best way to wear wide bottoms would be to keep the top simple. But Font dared to combine his voluminous pants with an oversized structural sleeveless shirt and huge graphic earing. A successful gamble that paied off with an undeniably modern offering.

Delpozo                                                        Acne Studios                                                 Stella McCartney

Acne Studios went for a more casual look with silky wide-leg pants finished off with golden tassels and styled with a peachy supersize sweater. For the Swedish house, oversized shapes are a classic as Jonny Johansson often enjoys playing with proportions. This season, the designer took his inspiration from the global refugee crisis. But more than just a political statement, Johansson’s Spring-Summer collection resonate as an ode to the rich textile traditions of immigrant countries, through the choice of fabrics and patterns he used.

Designer Stella McCartney balances the generous proportions of her khaki ruffled trousers with a very sophisticated shirt – indeed its corset effect fits perfectly into the paper bag-waist pants, and while the V-neck gives off a soupçon of seduction the loose sleeves add ease. To finish off this “date night” look McCartney paired it with simple black strappy heels.

Alexis Mabille                                                Vanessa Seward                                              Sonia Rykiel

It might be surprising but we are also quite fond of the see-through yellow wide pants spotted at the Alexis Mabille show. Especially since the French designer paired them with a transparent stripped shirt and a voluminous necklace for a luxurious, slightly seventies look in all primary colors. But the hint of skin seen through the fabric makes the look feel fresh and sophisticated.

Finally, we’d like to direct you to two very different version of oversized denim so that you can, at least temporarly, escape from your skinny jeans. Now, is there anything chicer and easier to style than a pair of high waisted trousers and a tucked-in shirt? We don’t think so, and Vanessa Seward’s interpretation of the trend is living proof. Those cullottes worn with a contrasting denim shirt and accessorized with wedges and a trendy basket bag are the perfect combo for this summer and will take you from the office to after-hours drinks any day of the week. But if you really feel like splurging with a statement look, we suggest you get inspired by Sonia Rykiel’s ensembles and especially those parachute pants combined with an oversized matching blouse and a leather black belt to highlight the waist.

Imposing and eminently comfortable, away-from-the-body proportions have become sartorial synonyms for freedom and boldness. They release us from the constraints of skin-tight silhouettes and give a new dimension to feminity. Ladies, this summer it is time to turn up the sartorial volume!