How To Style 1 Pant In 3 Ways

Growing up, I had very few fashionable people that I looked up to. My big sister was a major source of inspiration for my dress sense back then because I considered her to be the most fashionable person I know. So when I came to Cape Town for varisty in 2015, I had my own solid basis for what my style was, but having the freedom to explore my style further did wonders in establishing the style I have today…

So perhaps I am the last person on the planet who should be giving you fashion advice – I don’t exactly drape myself in Dior or attend Fashion Week, so what would I know? Well for starters, this post isn’t for the girl who’s into luxury fashion. My style is very casual with the idea of being comfortable with what I’m wearing whilst adding some chic elements, and this post is about making the most out of a pair of pants by styling them in three different ways.

I bought these checked pants from Superbalist about 2 months ago – I’ve always needed a pair like these to add to my ‘Casual, Comfort, Chic’ style but as soon as they arrived, I started wondering how I was going to style them in more ways than just a simple tee and sneakers you’d probably find me dressed in. After messing about with a few ideas, I came up with 3 ways that you can style just one pair of casually chic pants:

BOSS BABE

One of the first (and easiest) ways I enjoyed pairing these checked pants were with a solid colour top, oftentimes either black or white. I’ve watched a fair amount of Project Runway to know that when it comes to wearing patterns, you got to balance it out with a solid colour.

I wanted to keep in mind that these pants could also be worn to work, and so adding a simple but chic black turtleneck felt very #BossBabe. Of course, you could take it one step further by adding a black blazer to take this look to SHE-EO level. Add simple black block heels, white sunnies for some contrast and the Samsung Gear Sport watch to really command attention in the office.

PUFF IT UP

This is actually my mom’s puffer jacket, and I’ve been indefinitely borrowing it for about a year now. Bracing the winter in Cape Town calls for some serious winter warmers and this puffer jacket has helped incredibly. So how could I tie in my favourite puffer jacket with these pants?

By dressing down the look slightly into something more casual. This printed tee from Cotton On isn’t overly busy that it competes with the pants but it still has a chic vibe about it with the fonts. I also like that its slightly loose so you can wear it this way or tuck it in. Sneakers are definitely the way to go with a casual look like this, and my white Adidas pair fit just right with a look like this. An outfit like this is all about the casual and comfort factor in fashion – I want to be comfortable in what I’m wearing and each element in this outfit helps me with that.

DOUBLE THE PRINT

Even though there’s that fashion rule of not mixing patterns and prints together, rules are meant to be broken, right? Well, that’s exactly what I did here! I switched things up and turned my first point on its head!

These checked pants have a sort-of monochromatic vibe to them – its just grey, black, and white with the faintest sight of blue. So why not throw a bold splash of colour and wear a red, printed off the shoulder top? The look works because the top isn’t long sleeved or high neck; there’s a good amount of my skin showing off to balance out the collection of patterns and prints going on here.

Is going double on a print and pattern treading murky waters? Most likely, because finding the right prints that work together isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Your eye will oftentimes guide you on whether or not the prints and patterns you’re doing double on work – stand in the mirror and gauge the natural reaction you get when you see the two prints together. Are you cringing or grinning?

To pull a double dose of prints back together, accessorise boldly – I used large rose gold hoops from Lovisa. It’s important to use neutral colours to accessorise because you’ve already got all the colour need in the clothes you’re wearing. Although I didn’t get to capture my shoes this time around, I wore this with neutral-coloured wedges because balance is essential here.

As I continually grow in my fashion endevours, bringing you along with me is important because as trends and seasons change, so does a person’s style, and I hope you’ll appreciate this aspect of my blog – enjoying the many and different seasons that we go through together, even if it’s at one stiletto step at a time 🙂