The best pant styles you need to try this fall

September inevitably evokes the return to structure and seriousness. Fashion-wise, it’s the biggest month of the year, and whether you’re into the latest trends or not, force is to admit that a cycle ends and a new one begins in September. We’re letting go of all things short in exchange for more coverage. It’s not the time for layering yet—this is transitional fashion. Since nobody’s ready to say goodbye to the short-lived summer, this period is great for matching new pieces with summer pieces, one last time.  

A great place to start is pants. Most specifically, work trousers. A cousin to the ultra-casual jeans, they are versatile and are well suited for the ever-changing weather accompanying this in-between season. They sometimes are regarded as ordinary, yet they are anything but. 

Work pants, although they have a less glamorous history than jeans, have come hand in hand with the women’s liberation movement. It’s easy to forget that pants as an acceptable everyday clothing option for women didn’t truly catch on until the mid-20th century. There were moments when pants-wearing was acceptable in public, but various US cities had legislation barring women from wearing trousers. It only became normalized in the 50s thanks to a woman such as Katharine Hepburn. When it comes to dressing up, we now have more freedom of choice than ever, and pants—specifically chino pants, played a considerable part in those advancements. 

Here’s how to wear pants with pride this season. 

Wide-leg fit

^{The Gertrude Recycled Poly Wide-Legged Pant in True Black}

Wide leg pants are the most definitely the MVP of the last seasons, and they’re a great tool for transitional clothing. Their wide opening makes it breezy for warm days, but long enough for cool evenings outside. For fall, we’ll be switching mules for chunky sneakers. 

Straight fit

^{The Alice Straight Cropped Plaid Pant in Multi}

Who else misses full-length pants? They have this recognizable mature feel, and if you’re into the modernized version of 70’s attire, try it with a turtleneck or a short-sleeve sweater polo.

Slim fit

^{The Eleanor Slim Pant in Rust brick heather}

Because they’ve been everywhere for quite some time, it can be hard to find innovative ways to style them. The sliming aspect of it calls for sobriety: it will look effortlessly chic with a slick blouse and red lipstick.

Tapered fit

^{The Grant Tapered Pant in True Black}

What’s the difference between tapered and slim fitted, one might ask. A simple trick is to remember that tapered pants does is not slim fitted, but rather narrow, all the way to the hem. This neutral cut makes it the ideal staple for fall, and can be elevated with a light blouse before switching to sweaters.