Why, indeed, you may ask?
As promised, from time to time I'm taking a break from reporting street style fashion, so I may let loose on a fashion rant. Every season the Industry is all psyched to ram a fashion trend down our throats, and every season we vote with our feet by refusing to wear it. I remember a few summers ago, the shops were full with what looked like pregnancy dresses. And the shop stayed full of them, because we weren't buying.
But no trend has been so relentlessly ignored (in my humble opinion) than 'harem pants', or 'peg leg trousers' as they call them in the UK because pants means underwear. Which is kind of what they look like: giant diapers. I needn't go on & on because I already have. And as before, my offer still stands: submit a photo of just one girl who looks halfway decent in them, and I'll post it on this blog.
I'm truly curious how other women feel about this. Is it just me? Do they think we're total idiots? Okay, I've calmed down now and think I'm done with this rant. For now. The offer still stands tho: send me a photo of someone who looks good in their harem pants, and I promise to put it up. I have a feeling the angriest women are those who shelled out big bucks only to have the damn things hanging in their closets with the labels still on.
Update: Stephanie Clayton of Style Odyssey just rose to the challenge: check out her comment below, and then this.
Posts
13 comments:
I am in total agreement with you regarding this strange trend. I have yet to see anyone look anything but ridiculous in them. The baggier the crotch, the worse the look!
That said, this spring I purchased a pair of 80s-era, slightly baggy silk pants from a thrift store. They have a high-waist and tapered legs, as was typical for that time. I cropped them myself and now they are both flattering and current. They're my take on the loose trouser trend. (Check them out at http://styleodyssey.blogspot.com/2009/04/white-ann-demeulemeestersshoe-heaven.html) My point is, one can usually find (or DIY) a flattering version of a trend without ending up a fashion victim. IMO, harem pants are a big "don't" for virtually everyone, but slightly baggy pants might just work!
Love this post, thanks for the rant! :)
Wow, Stephanie, just looked at it and it's a great look! And I love your phrase, 'DIY a trend', did you coin that? It's exactly what I do! While my husband gets rid of anything in his wardrobe he gets bored with (apart from his ties- I recently gave Oxfam a shopping bag full and he didn't even know) & that's why his closets are so tidy. I, on the other hand, am a total pack rat BUT I do find I can often DIY a trend just by digging deep into a closet. I've held on to a pair of wide, kind of silky dark navy high wasted wide legged trousers from the 80s cause they're so Kate Hepburn & felt glamorous in them. Perhaps it's time to let them out into the sunlight! Thanks for posting, hope you're enjoying island life you lucky lucky girl!
I love them in theory and have been working on this dilemma myself:
http://style-spy.blogspot.com/2009/02/elephant-in-room.html
Which got a resounding thumbs-down from my readers. But I'm not ready to give up yet.
Wow, just looked at your posting - way back in February, you predicted this mass exodus from the trend! It's a great piece and well illustrated - anyone reading this if you haven't already, check it out! I love the top shot - it really does look like a double-trunked elephant.
What I've got, I now realise, are SLOUCHY trousers, and I love them! But I'm still a skinny leg, gap jeans kind of girl - especially in white.
THANK YOU! : )
Hi Jill, I don't know if I coined the phrase "DIY a trend" but there you go. :)
Thanks so much for the link on your post update.
I should be working, but this is so much fun!
FYI, check this out: http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/2009/05/on-streetsweater-shorts-sydney.html
Now if those aren't ridiculous pants, I don't know what is! But as always, the Sart's photography is stellar.
Now THAT I like! Probably cause a), he's a guy and b)he's got attitude & style, those glasses are so cool, he's cute to begin with so he could wear anything. But still, this trend definitely has to be filed under W for What WERE They Thinking.
Next up: Jumpsuits. Has anyone out there bought any this season?
Stephanie: you are definitely, in my book, a phrase coiner! : )
I actually do not understand your being upset about it. Because they might be unflattering on some, but I do not find them too bad. And that is with most trends, isn't it. There always will be people who like it, and people who don't. It is not like the industry FORCES women to buy. I for my part have gotten harem trousers as soon as 2007, but haven't bought any this year, when the shops are full with them. It really can be an appealing look.
oh and I love drop crotch! that might be why.
I also hate a harem pant--if it has a drop crotch, that is. I've come to like slightly baggy pants so long as the proportions are right. Personally I have to be careful because sloppy looks do NOT look good on me. They just don't.
To Kitten:
Good for you! I just got on a rant about it because I don't like a trend being forced on people - so that's great that you were ahead of the trend (& interestingly, didn't buy any this year simply because the shops were full of them). I'd love to see a shot of them working (which is why I was so excited when I saw that couple in the rain - I thought that look was great). If you'd like, email me a jpg & I'll put it up: jill@haybooks.com
Thanks! JCx
I bought harem-ish pants last year at H&M and I love them. I say harem-ish because I'm not sure if they qualify: they've got a high waist, very baggy hips and thighs, and tight cropped legs. Anyway, I call them my "clown pants", and they are very comfy and fun. I'm pretty sure all my friends hate them, though... oh well :D
I suck at taking pictures of myself, but here they are in two outfits:
http://lily-field.net/pics/harem1.jpg
http://lily-field.net/pics/boy_tshirt_1.jpg
Hi Katia,
Well there you go! You like them, they're comfy & fun, and you don't give a toss if your friends might hate them which means you've got style! And you probably look great in them because you're happy & comfortable, and that's what shows.
What I'm ranting about (which I'm gearing up to do again with bubble skirts) is when a trend is pushed by the industry - not bubbling (sorry : ) up from the street - and you can see it's so obvious that the people (almost always women) wearing them don't feel comfortable: they've bought into a trend but it isn't their STYLE.
I can't open jpgs as comments - can you email it to me please: jill@haybooks.com - compressed but not too lo res (about 1-2 mb originally before compression)
thanks! jCx
I love harem pants, but only the cropped ones. I have ones with a slightly hangy crotch, and ones without. I really have to be careful with the shoes, though. My friend has been wearing them for almost 3 years and they look so awesome on her no matter what the shoe. She also wears them with knee high boots, but again, only the cropped ones. I find it really funny that people are so insanely vehement about them. Who cares? They're fun, different and can look really elegant. Much better than muffin tops or camel toes (excuse the vulgarity). Life's too short to wear the same things all the time.
Post a Comment