Happy August! Today is back to work for me - after 2 months off, I am excited to meet my new Denver co-workers & return a daily routine. While my Summer break has ended, I am prolonging my Summer style with my favorite warm-weather beauty secrets including these easy waves & my easy tan touring (contouring with sunless tanner) tutorial that I posted on the blog last week.
At the end of last school year, I pledged to find the perfect work pants (something that has eluded me for years!) & I'm excited to share that my search is FINALLY over! During the Summer, I tried on over 15 pairs of work pants, & found 5 great options. Scroll down for the pair I got for myself & a review of 4 other pairs.
pants: Ann Taylor "Ann" Trousers - many of the styles are now on sale!
I feel like a total GIRL BOSS in this pants!
I feel like a total GIRL BOSS in this pants!
top: J.Crew Factory striped button down (this floral print button down is my current work shirt obsession)
shoes: Sole Society nude wedges (this season's style) - comfortable enough to wear all day!
purse: Michael Kors "Selma" tote
Pants are notoriously hard to shop for & work pants are a special type of fashion unicorn. In my search, I was looking for a pair that was fitted at the waist, had pockets, & was the right length for my go-to work shoes. I had already found this cropped style (now only $35) to wear with my work flats, & this search was focused on finding a flattering pair of full length trousers.
Try on tips: Take the shoes you want to wear with the pants with you to test length, & wear the type of shirt that you will typically wear with the pants. In each pair of pants, I tucked in the shirt and tested out how they felt while seated and with my hands raised, as I wanted to make sure that my shirt remained tucked while doing my normal activities.
Shopping tips: Work trousers can be pretty pricey, running $50 - $100+, but they often go on sale. In fact, all of my top 5 favorites are currently on sale - time to pounce!
My top pick was the Ann Taylor "Ann" Trousers. They fit the bill when it came to length, flat pockets, & they were fitted at the waist with a straight line of the leg that was the most flattering on me. I appreciate that this cut comes in many weights of fabric, as well as "season-less" material that is a mid-weight and appropriate for many climates.
(also tried & liked the cropped Devin Trousers, & the Kate fit trousers are a great option for women with curvy figures)
Coming in 2nd place was the Banana Republic "Logan" Trousers. They were more fitted at the bottom of the leg - not quite a "skinny" fit, but more tailored than a traditional trouser. The pants cut a clean line and I felt as if they made me look leaner than some of the other pairs I tried.
The most affordable pair I tried on & loved was the "Marisa" Trousers from LOFT. These had a very flattering fit, but they were not in my top 2 because they lacked pockets. Other than the missing pockets, these were almost identical to the Ann Taylor options I tried.
LOFT: Marisa Trousers (currently on sale for under $50!)
When I started on my work pant search, the Express "Editor" Pant was recommended to me by multiple people & I can see why these are crowd favorites. These pants had the largest amount of stretch, & definitely felt like they would be extremely comfortable for all day wear. The cut of this pair was fitted through the knee, & then flared out to more of a boot cut. However, I did find that the inseam was several inches too long - even when wearing heels.
Express: Editor Pant (buy one, get a second pair for $39.50 - lots of great colors!)
I really wanted to like the J.Crew "Campbell" Trousers, but the cut was not for me. These were the most fitted pair, skinny in the thighs and pretty straight down from the knee, however the fabric was very luxe and the construction felt to be of high quality.
J.Crew: Campbell Trousers (currently $20 off)
What are your favorite work pants? Who can tell me why work trousers are so hard to shop for!?
{Shop these exact pieces}
