Pants are now the main event, not the boring bottom half of your outfit | Jess Cartner-Morley on fashion

Who wears the pants these days? Everyone, that’s who. Let me tell you a story. Recently, I went to the John Lewis showroom, where the creative team was presenting their new collection to fashion journalists. Not a dressy activity, just a casual coffee at 9am. But on the other hand, it will never be completelynotdressy attire when the editors of magazines and newspaper-style offices all know they will be at same place. . It's the kind of thing where you really think about what you're going to wear, but you also don't want to look like you spent hours actually dressing.

Anyway, I glanced around the room to see what people were wearing, and realized that every one of the 10 or 12 women there was wearing pants. Not a dress, not a skirt, not jeans, but pants. Many different types of pants: wide-leg pants and pleated pants, cargo pants and carpenter pocket pants. Mostly in black/navy/grey, but there were also a few white pairs, two in pinstripes and two in red. All different, but all definitely pants.

This realization tickled me, in part because John Lewis really was the spiritual home of the floral midi dress. During the reign of the floral midi—roughly 2017-2022, if I were to attempt to carbon date it—a muted calf-length floral-print skirt or dress was what all of these same women would have worn at some point. -a formal business event for which they wanted to look great in a smart casual way. So for the entire species, having started wearing pants is a moment of fashion evolution.

It’s absolutely not about wearing pants “ fun”. Don't worry: I'm not advocating zebra stripes or glitter. It's about rediscovering the simple elegance of normal pants. It's not about wearing exciting pants, it's about wearing pants like pants are something exciting to wear. I think it comes down to wearing them with intentionality. So instead of treating them as the boring bottom half you wear with a fancy top half, you focus on them as the main event of your outfit. This may involve wearing a belt with your pants and, if so, thinking carefully about which one. This also means taking a minute to check in the mirror to see if the figure would benefit from a front crease, and removing the ironing board if so. You should choose a shoe whose hem touches without creasing too much, or wear your best socks if the length of short pants highlights the ankle a little.

Do you already have your pants for the season? Those flimsy flats we wore with white Stan Smiths a few years ago won't do the job, I'm afraid. We're aiming for Katharine Hepburn with a martini here, not a schoolboy wearing a school bag. They should be waist-high, not low-rise – probably with belt loops, as belt loops are the main energy of a pant, but are not essential if the waist fits you well. They should be loose through the thigh and knee, and either slightly tapered to the ankle or straight all the way down. “Baggy pants” have gotten a bad reputation over the years because they look scruffy. But a fuller cut seems like a more deliberate and sophisticated style choice – intentional, remember? – anything tight and stretchy. This is one of those times where the space between the body and the clothes is part of the look.

You don't need to think too much about it to know what to wear them with. , because the fact is that the pants are the main thing. A simple shirt, or knit sweater, or tucked-in T-shirt will do the trick. You want a sturdy shoe to balance them out, so a pair of loafers will probably work better than a ballet flat. But hey, it's up to you to decide. You wear the pants, remember?

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Style Assistant: Sam Deaman. Model: Cynthia at Milk. Hair and Makeup: Sophie Higginson using Color Wow and Makeup by Mario. Sweater and shirt: Joseph. Pants: Me+Em. Shoes: Zara