I'm still trying to get all the garments I made this year photographed before the cold sets in here in Montreal. Thankfully we got some pictures of these simple but awesome linen pants while it was still warm out.
I'm pretty obsessed with the cropped, wide leg pant trend happening right now; it looks great on everyone and it's a welcome alternative to the skinny legs I'm generally wearing. I decided I needed an elastic waisted version of this silhouette after spending a weekend with Kelly and pining over her easy, slouchy wardrobe. She made some similar pants in an oatmeal linen and they just looked so damn comfortable. I used to think elastic waists were an "I give up" clothing gesture, but I've since come around to their charms. There is something very appealing about not having anything dig into you all day long.
Isn't the colour of this linen amazing? I found it in San Francisco and got the last of the bolt. It has a little lycra in it so it's especially forgiving in pant form. The pattern is self-drafted; one of my personal sewing goals this year is to start tweaking my blocks when I have a specific design in mind. When I want an instant gratification project I often use existing patterns, but it's often quicker and easier to just draft it myself.
I meant to include some inseam pockets but I ended up screwing them up, so I just sewed up the side seams for the time being. It's more of a wearable muslin so I'll make sure to add them for my next pair, since I deeply regretted not having pockets every time I wore these. Which was all the time. These are the pants happy tummy dreams are made of.
I wore these non-stop this summer with cropped t-shirts - the rise is sort of an awkward length so proportionately they needed something shorter on top to balance them out. I think I'll add an inch or so to the rise of the next pair. Here I'm wearing them with a super simple linen top I made last year - linen on linen goodness.
These will be packed away until next summer since its already cooling down a lot here (I am still in denial and refuse to pull out my duvet just yet). I had plans to make a bunch of Lander pants this fall to feed my cropped pants addiction but now I'm wondering if I can rock an exposed ankle for that much longer.
Where do you stand on the cropped pants trend? An April-November romance or can it be achieved all winter long with the right socks?
That color is to die for (and your shoes are fabulous too)! I love to wear them in the winter with tall boots, although mine are usually a tad shorter, more in the culottes range – http://laurasdailylookbook.blogspot.com/2017/02/hobo-hobbit-pants.html
I’ll have to see how they look with my knee high boots!
I’m a fan of cropped trousers anytime, but don’t have any wide legged ones yet. I think the trick for winter is knee length wool socks and ankle boots. Sometimes I wear tights or leggings under trousers that are more summer weight. Basically, being warm enough is paramount. That and a comfy tummy! I’ve been thinking more and more about elastic waistbands. Why should grannies hog all the best ideas?!
Ah ha yes! Knee high socks is a great idea – I’ll have to see how it looks in reality.
Enjoy autumn as long as possible! I’m so short, no one can tell if my pants are cropped or not. But might I suggest retroactive pockets, putting a fake vertical welt as an opening just forward from the side seam and having the pocket bag reside under the tum and just off the top of the thigh? You gotta keep the welt skinny and make sure the bag top catches on the waistband. Alternately, the lack of pocket weight allows for less industrial weight elastic in the waist (that’s been the tradeoff here at the laboratory. Ugh).
That’s a great idea! Although honestly, I’m probably too lazy to go and fix it. I’ll just adjust for the next pair 🙂
Another great outfit…. I’m unsure about wide legs on me, being all hips and bum….. but this is so lovely – you’ve balanced the volume of the trousers perfectly with the top.
I’m all hips and bum too! You can totally rock it!
Love the pants, and a wonderful bum fit they are too! I was awfully skeptical of the wide leg suiting everyone thing, but then remembered the last pair of pants I made were wide-leg and they look pretty darn good (if I do say so). I think Sarah (Fabric Tragic) is onto it when she says it’s how you balance it – and you’ve done it wonderfully here. I think we’ve just all been wearing skinny leg for so long we forget other options look great too 😛
I think there’s something about the ankle being visible that makes the proportion work. It also just feels fresh and different after YEARS of skinnies.
You can always go full 70′ and wear higher boots instead of bare ankles! OUH sock-boots are a thing now… AGAIN (makes me feel so old. last time they came I was in my teens LOL)
Don’t tempt me! I just might!
I think you should!!! The only reason I am even considering owning sock-boots again is to wear cropped pants during winter
Love the colour of this linen Heather Lou! Your shoes and Tee bookending them is perfect 🙂 I just made up my second Ebony and just had to tell you how MUCH I love this pattern! I made the tunic length in navy bamboo/cotton blend and the shortie in wine bamboo/cotton. Beautiful! Swinging, lusciousness swinging around me all day long. 🙂
Oh I’m so happy to hear that Kathleen! I have a few Ebony’s on my to-make list this fall too… I want a cozy one in merino…
I’m making myself a pair of Lander’s right now because I want to continue the wide legged pant into the Winter. Looking for someone to show me how to wear the cropped length with cold weather foot wear…..
Me too!
I’m in love with the cropped wide leg look. I’ve paired my Gaston Pants, Nagoya Pants and cropped jeans with ankle height boots and I think they look great. {Gosh, I hope so.} I wear my cropped pants on the longish side and they tend to hit close to the top of my boots.
Long, swooshy pants are very cool but with our wet winters they tend to wick up water and I can’t stand that.
Ilove long wide legged pants but can’t wear them from basically November to April because of the snow situation!
Ugh…on the snow situation in general…and you’re right; it would be even worse than rain. 🙁
Thanks so much for the mention in Maker Journal. Gives me confidence in my styling. xo
And…I totally forgot to mention that I think some cropped wide legged pants would look totally cool with brogues or loafers and chunky socks. Am I brave enough myself? Maybe, but only if I manage a tone on tone colour scheme. {You know…short legs and all…}
Heather Lou, I luuurve a wide legged cropped pant. 5 years ago I started suffering with plantar fasciitis, which gives one’s feet hell – as a result I had to start wearing quite clumpy shoes – aaargh. The cropped wide legged pant saved me, cos’ they look kinda cool with clumpy shoes avec orthotics. For winter I fully embrace them with boots, heeled and flat, they’re just perfect and yours are bloody excellent. I’ve been self drafting a bunch of floaty elasticated pants too 😉
Oh I’m sorry to hear about your feet! Have you looked into Worishofers? They’re kind of dorky/cute sandals. I bought some in gold a few years back and they were soooooo comfortable.
If you’d described this look to me I wouldn’t have got it, but it is literally perfection! I love it so much. I need some wide leg cropped trousers now!