Thursday, April 3, 2014

How to Style Harem Pants


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Harem pants (aka harem trousers or woven joggers) are baggy at the hip/thigh but taper and become fitted at the ankle. I used to think this style was horrendous, but the more subtle "harem" styles have really grown on me. These pants are available in various different styles, prints, and materials. Forever 21 sells harem pants in various styles/prints for an affordable price; check out their harem pants stock here
I think a simple solid black pair of harem pants can offer so much versatility -- ranging from casual comfortable to classy & chic. I own two pairs that I really love: a $6.99 pair from eBay (shown on the left) and a $15 pair I found on sale at TJMaxx (shown on the right). 
* side note: the eBay pants (left) are a bit sheer so I wear thin cotton biker shorts underneath.

There are 4 main aspects I look for when searching for the perfect versatile harem pant:
(1) Bagginess: For a clean, chic fit: look for pants that are loose around the thigh area, but not too baggy at the crotch or butt.  The taper should start at the knee and continue down to the ankle. 
(2) Material: I try to avoid any material that makes the pants look like sweatpants or pajamas; so I generally look for materials that have a bit of a sheen (polyester, rayon, etc). It's also nice to have a blend of spandex or elastane for a more stretchy/comfortable fit. 
(3) Waist: I am definitely a fan of the high waisted fit for these types of pants. I try to avoid a drawstring waist as it gives off a sweatpants/pajama feel. Look for a plain elastic waist. Belt loops are a plus.
(4) Pockets: I prefer my harem pants to have pockets at the hips for that extra detail. I really like the look of draped pockets.

Here is the YouTube video I put together with some outfit ideas:



OUTFIT 1: Polka Dotted Button Down
polka dot chiffon button down (Forever 21, old) similar here
gold collar necklace (Forever 21, past season) similar here
nude belt w/ gold bow detail (F21, past season) similar here
dusty pink cross body (F21, past season) similar here
rose gold watch (Michael Kors) see here
harem style pants (eBay, $6.99)
black ankle cuff pumps (BCBG, past season) similar here & here

OUTFIT 2: Patterned Peplum
 
patterned peplum top (F21, past season) other peplums here 
dainty black triangle necklace (F21, past season) similar here
white quilted clutch/cross body (F21, old) similar
rose gold watch (Michael Kors)
harem style pants (eBay, $6.99)
black ankle cuff pumps (BCBG, past season) similar here, here here
also shown: 
black/cream handbag (Kate Spade 'Laurel') see here

OUTFIT 3: All Black Everything
black chiffon pintucked sleeve top (F21, $11.80)
nude belt w/ gold bow detail (F21, old) similar
gold spiked necklace (local Burlington Coat Factory)
black/gold pyramid stud bag (F21, past season)
harem style pants (eBay, $6.99)black ankle cuff pumps (BCBG, past season) similarhere here
aviator sunglasses (D&G)

OUTFIT 4: Comfy Cardigan
beige lace back cardigan (local Burlington Coat Factory)dusty purple jersey top (H&M, $5.95
long faux stone pendant necklace (F21, old) similar: http://bit.ly/1gZCwpq
black faux leather satchel bag (H&M, old) similar: http://bit.ly/Oc6j1c
rose gold watch (Michael Kors)
harem style pants (eBay, $6.99)

'Coreline' Suede Booties (Guess) http://amzn.to/1pFGjJQ




OUTFIT 5: Comfy Casual
dusty pink loose t-shirt (F21, past season) similar
long gold charm cluster necklace (F21, old) similar: http://bit.ly/1on9Cn5
aviator sunglasses (D&G)
dusty pink cross body (F21, past season) similar
rose gold watch (Michael Kors)
harem style pants (eBay, $6.99)

nude braided sandals (Forever 21, $12.80)



What's your favorite way to style harem pants?

4 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting this! I've been looking for a way to mix clothing/textures with harem pants. Keep it up girl!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment :D I'm glad this post helped with some outfit ideas ;)

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  2. Hi. The ones Ur wearing in the pics, are those the ones from ebay with drape pockets? And are they one size fits all? I always worry about one size fits all! Thanks

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    1. Yup! The pants I'm wearing in the pictures/video are the eBay pair with draped pockets! The specific eBay seller I bought from only had the "one size fit all - regular" for these pants. I was a bit weary at first, but they actually fit me pretty well (I am 5'4'' ~110 lb). The waist is very stretchy as is the material. The only potential concern is that the material is very thin and a bit sheer -- so if stretched too tightly, it will probably end up looking too sheer.
      There are other sellers on eBay that do sell a range of sizes. When I buy from an asian seller, I usually try to size up since their "small" is like our medium here in the US.
      Hope this helps!

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