Ask Angie: My new loose fitted trousers - total disaster?

Last week I asked you opinion about a new loose fitting trousers (see pic 1). Based on your feedback and Angie's recommendations I decided to keep them and got them shortened and tapered from the knee. I also decided to dive into this style rather than dip my toes and took them with me to the business trip this week.
This is what I think :
1. We tapered them too much, I like them to go lower over the shoe. I am taking them back to my mom to un-taper a bit :-)
2. I don't like a waist surrendering roomy blouse with them very much. If I wear a vest over this blouse it works better.
3. I am not sure about tucking in - too shapeless on me?
4. I like the shorter jacket with these trousers and not sure about a longer riding jacket - does it look weird with this style?
5. I like the sweater with the trousers, somehow it gives me shape better than tucked in blouse IMO.
All in all I am not sure if this style is really flattering on me. Jonesy rocks this type of trousers and Angie looks sensational in hers but maybe I have too much of the lower body to make them work? I am afraid I look frumpy and shapeless in them :-(
On the other side they are very comfortable and maybe the most comfortable trousers I ever wore for a flight...
I am not sure if this is just an adjustment factor for me or if they truly look bad...please tell me what you think?

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22 Comments

  • Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

    I will be watching this thread like a hawk Sveta because I just had Wonder Woman do the same thing to a pair of Lord & Taylor trousers for me and have been wondering about the same thing. I will post mine later and we can compare.

    FWIW, I like these on you.

  • replied 11 years ago

    This is all a mystery to me! I'm glad you and Shannon are figuring it out for the rest of us. I'll stay tuned too!

  • Vildy replied 11 years ago

    I see what you mean about the sweater giving shape. I like that. I also like the low contrast (with the pants) leopard shirt trimmed in black. I like all the jackets with them. I like the last picture where the striped shirt is pulled up from the bum. (but not for business wear)

  • rachylou replied 11 years ago

    I love these on you. I think they work a wee bit better with the long silky blouses. I like the first look with the horizontal stripe blouse best and the leopard (?) print blouse with the vest a whole lot.

    I wouldn't do what looks like the black men's style oxford shoe with them. With the black waist, the eye doesn't ever make it up to your face.

  • replied 11 years ago

    If you want my 100% honest opinion, I don't particularly care for this type of trouser, in general, unless you go all in and go super avant garde, a la sartorialist. For the everyday folk, they look as if you have lost tons of weight and are trying to make do with existing clothes. I think you have other trousers that fit you a gazillion times better. Are these a disaster? No. They are fun and a different option. Keep experimenting! The outfits with the light shoes are much better.

    I know I'm im the minority with this, so take it with a grain of salt.

  • Diana replied 11 years ago

    I am keeping an eye on this thread because I am so clueless about trousers but really want to try a slouchy trouser look!

    To my eye, I think it's the color/fabrication that's not doing it for me. The combo of the light color and what appears to be soft fabric is making them look almost too soft or something, almost like flannel. It may just be the photos though. I think with such a soft look, you need to pair something harder or more structured. Like a structured black blazer or something. I like #1 the best because somehow the black accessories and fitted top are making the pants look less soft. Reducing the taper on the legs would probably help too since it would make the leg line at the bottom a little straighter.

  • Sharon replied 11 years ago

    I LOVE the pictures with the jackets. Especially the longer grey jacket. It's an androgynous '80s look, in a really cool, modern way.
    I think the key to this will be the length of the tops. I don't think #2 is flattering because it hits you at exactly the wrong spot. #5 I like a lot, and I also like the curved hem on #3. I agree that the vest looks good and is more figure-flattering. I'm not that keen on the tucked looks either-I think maybe the combination of high-waisted, voluminous and tucked gives you the appearance of a big expanse of fabric.
    I think maybe you just need to play a bit more with what you have in your closet.

  • cheryle (Dianthus) replied 11 years ago

    Sorry Sveta but II preferred them before the alteration. I think the width on the upper leg needs the fuller bottom portion to balance. T

  • catgirl replied 11 years ago

    I think the pictures in set 4 are the best and work really well, and I like the length. I would prefer these to be even slouchier, actually - right now they seem a bit in between, but they still work with the jackets to my (admittedly often wrong) eye.

  • Deborah replied 11 years ago

    Sveta, can I suggest that given this is a new style for you it may take some time to get used too? I am in the process of learning how to wear my slouchy pants and I am struggling with proportions because I realize I am trying to style them like the pant style I most commonly wear.

    I actually like these on you. I think the more fitted looks on top work well with these pants and to my eye both jackets look great.

    I do hope Angie pops by as I would really like to see what she has to say.

  • Aida replied 11 years ago

    Hmm tapering a bit more could make these look more intentionally slouchy which would be a big help in styling. I MUCH prefer the tighter, shorter sweater with the light shoes in #5 proportionally, along with all the jackets; the extra shape definition or structure really works well with this type of trouser. The looser tops may work better if you taper more, to balance some of the volume. With the fabric being so light and you so tall, I think lighter footwear is working better, unless it's heels.

  • Suz replied 11 years ago

    Hmmm. Thinking aloud.

    I really like the pants on you. I don't think the problem is the pants. Not at all.

    I think for me it is competing greys/taupes etc. I would love to see them with different colours of top/ jacket to see what it would look like. I DO like with the jackets (in theory) and also the vest. But I am just wondering how they might shine with different, less neutral elements in your closet.

  • Sveta replied 11 years ago

    Shannon / Claire, you are so clever to learn from my mistakes :-)
    The shoes in pic 1 are not the ones I would wear with these trousers. They are not oxfords, they are heeled booties but too dark and heavy for these trousers. I just had them on when I took the pictures.
    Zap, thanks for honest opinion, this is what I need!
    Thanks for learning with me and thinking aloud, ladies. It is not easy to try a new style, isn't it? :-)
    My main concern was if this particular style looks goofy on me because my lower body is far from slender. I guess jury is still out on this one - back to the drawing board!

  • Sveta replied 11 years ago

    bumping for Angie :-)

  • Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

    I've looked at both of our slouchy transformations in detail Sveta. I think a HUGE part of your concern is related to it being a new style for you. You may need to just "sit" with it for a while.

    As for your work that your lower body is far from slender - crap I say! Have you seen my lower body???

    I think Aida may have a point in that they may need even more tapering at the ankle to make them look intentionally slouchy. When Wonder Woman pinned mine I was worried that the ankle taper was too narrow but she assured me that this is what gives the pants the shape I'm after and she was right IMO.

    I'm far from an expert and definitely wait to see what Angie's comments are. These are just my thoughts FWIW :)

  • Angie replied 11 years ago

    I like them, Sveta! In fact, I think all the outfits work apart from the ones where you tucked in the tops. That colourblocked waistband is too horizontal for my eye.

    I think my version is a little more tapered threw the knee down - which is what Aida is seeing. If you like, you can taper a little more.

  • shiny replied 11 years ago

    I really have no idea, but I'm also thinking "needs more taper"! Around the ankles. For scrunch, like Shannon has with hers. Maybe it's not so much taper, as going straight down, but narrower, from calf to hem?

    I adore the slacks with the jackets in #4.

    Not as crazy about the tops tucked in, unless a jacket is over.

    Don't think you need the vest to define your upper body more. The tops are form fitting enough on their own. The vest in set 2, when I first saw it... I didn't realize it was a vest. I thought it was some sort of bib. That is because of the way you are standing, and possibly also the high contrast. But it took me a minute to figure that out.... at any rate, I vastly prefer without the vest.

  • krishnidoux replied 11 years ago

    I like them.
    I think you are not wearing the right shoes though. You need something with a little heel, fin heel preferably. Like Angie's.
    I love the silhouette with the long jacket.
    Keep experimenting.

  • Sveta replied 11 years ago

    Thanks for the feedback. Sorry it took me so long to reply - had to work until midnight yesterday and all day today! :-(
    I cannot taper them anymore at the opening. As they are they are already too narrow and don't go over the shoes much. Do you mean taper more from the knee with the same opening?
    Angie, yours go lower on your shoes in the back and this is why I thought I tapered them too much at the opening.
    Anyway, I think I need to experiment more...I am sure more posts will be coming your way on this subject! :-)

  • CocoLion replied 11 years ago

    I like the way these fit around the ankle, tapering looks good.

    My least favorite part is the front and crotch. The crotch is slightly dropped, but not enough to look intentional IMO. So my favorite looks are where you wear long tops and cover this area. Sorry to be harsh Sveta. I see that Angie likes them so take that with a big grain of salt.

  • Lyn D. replied 11 years ago

    I think you are doing a great job in styling this type of pant Sveta!
    As a fellow pear this shape might be too scary for me to even try-out and here you are posting some pics already. I notice that Angies pants are a dark colour, and I am sure this helps with the upper/lower body balance thing too.
    I prefer the untucked tops and think you are certainly on the right track to make this work very stylishly for you, especially with all the helpful feedback from the forum.

  • CK replied 11 years ago

    I like them best with the sweater in the last photo. I think longer but more fitted tops are the way to go with these trousers. I also kind of like the vest over the flowy blouses as well.

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