Standing at only 5 feet tall, I am the smallest person in my group of friends, and more often than not, the smallest person (or one of the smallest) wherever I go. As a stylist, I am continually baffled about the boxes we tend to put ourselves in regarding what we can and cannot wear.
I am a whole hearted believer that we must all dress for our bodies and come to realistic terms that nothing looks fabulous on everyone, however some of the constraints we set are ridiculous, one of those being that wide leg trousers are for the tall girls. Wide leg trousers are for everyone! It seems that people believe that a wide leg adds volume and shortens the leg line, but what really happens with a properly fitted wide leg trouser is that your legs appear longer and leaner.
Generally, I try to stick with slacks and trousers which have a higher waistline. This is because when you tuck a blouse into a high waistline, your legs immediately appear as though they are as long as the high waist. Thus, you appear taller, SCORE! I love when that happens! Similarly, the long leg line has a slimming effect as long as the pants are properly fitted. If you have wider hips, I recommend finding pants with no pockets, or take them to your tailor to get sewn shut. This will ensure that you don’t add more volume to the hip area.
The great thing about wide leg trousers is that they benefit your body shape in two ways: If you have wider hips, the wide leg serves to create a nice line to the floor, balancing out the bottom half of your body to minimize the hip area. Similarly, if you don’t have hips and have a more boyish figure, the wide leg will help give you a bit more curve and volume, especially when you tuck in a flowy blouse to highlight a narrow waist. This will help give the appearance of an hourglass shape.
Now if you’re short like me, the key is to tailor your pants. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Your tailor should be your best friend when it comes to creating your personal style. Find someone local and get to know them. The better they know you, the better they will be able to customize your clothing to you, making small suggestions here and there.
Wide leg trousers are not just for the tall girls, and the key to pulling them off when you’re short is to get them hemmed to the perfect length. Bring the shoes you most often wear with your pants, and get them hemmed so they are long enough that they almost touch the floor, but don’t drag. You don’t want them to bunch up at the bottom, but you want them to fall nicely in a straight line to make your legs look as long as possible.
How do you feel about the wide leg trouser trend? Love it? Or is it not for you? Show me your best look with #writestyles