In the black, from left to right: Joseph's gabardine cropped pants, Aritzia's Effortless, Ayr's High Hopes and Estelle and Finn's flared ponte trousers.
GOT THE popcorn ready? People always gripe about the Oscars—but admit it, they're fun to watch and who among us couldn't use some of that these days? Something else to cheer us is two over-50 women nominated for the best actress award—Demi Moore for The Substance and Fernanda Torres for I'm Still Here. And then, of course, there are the clothes—some outrageous, some meh and some outright gorgeous—that are always something to yak about.
Speaking of clothes, a reader wrote in, asking for suggestions to replace her black pants:
I have two pair that definitely have seen better days—they don’t hold their shape and are the wrong body cut for me now. I wear black pants a lot in Montreal [where she teaches] and here to board meetings, dinners. A bonus would be if they travel well.
—Cindy, Pittsburgh, Pa.
The quest for the perfect black pants is a lot like the search for the perfect T-shirt. Depending on how you style them, you can wear them pretty much anywhere from doing an errand to a business lunch to a formal event.
Type in “women’s black pants” on the Nordstrom or Macy’s site, and you'll get thousands of results in lots of combinations of fit (high-rise, mid- or low-waist, relaxed or tailored) and cut (wide-leg, boot-cut, barrel, flared, cropped). How do you choose?
With tag lines like "Wear Everywhere," "Effortless" and "IYKYK" (If you know, you know), Banana Republic, Aritzia and Alex Mill claim to have narrowed the choices and created the black pants of your dreams. Although these all have their merits, and may satisfy some, everyone's idea of the perfect pant is different.
Below, I've picked eight pairs that I've owned, want to own or want to try on.
Who can resist a pair of pants called Effortless? High-rise with front knife pleats, a relaxed drape and a long, wide leg, they’re cut from a stretch fabric (61% polyester, 26% viscose, 7% cotton, 6% elastane) that keeps its shape. They come in a bunch of other fabrics, including linen, and in short, regular and tall for heights below 5'3'', 5'3" to 5'7" and above 5'7". I'm tempted to try the ones in linen because the pair I have now is almost past its expiration date.
A polished look with a sweat pants feel. A high-waisted waistband hugs in the tummy, and a straight fit gives you that coveted leggy look. There are three inseam sizes available (small for 5'4" and below, regular for 5'5"-5'6", and long for 5'7" and taller.)
These would make a great summer pant. A blend of cotton and nylon and a smidgen of spandex, they're cut just a bit above the ankle, which is a length I prefer.
BR’s high-rise, pull-on pants are fitted through the hip and thigh with a flared leg that starts at the knee. In addition to the cropped flare above, they come in a full-length flare, capri-length, wide-leg, wide-leg cropped and skinny. Inseams accommodate heights with a choice of short (25.5"), regular (27.5") or long (30.5"). I bought a pair a few months ago in "straight everywhere." All versions ring in at $100.
My daughter-in-law, who works in finance in NYC, wears these with a jacket. Although I don’t go to any office but my own, I still wear the Theory pants I’ve purchased over the years. “Like Prada for a lot less” noted a salesman at Saks Fifth Avenue in D.C.
I'm a big fan of Joseph's gabardine stretch pants. The mid-rise, straight-leg trouser wears like iron, the fabric has a good heft to it, and the pants (and leggings) I've owned are comfortable and don’t bag out. The downside is the price has risen considerably, and they now sell for a ca-ching $435.
These pants feel deliciously cozy on the body but make you look chic, svelte and ready to face the world. Up the ante even more by pairing them with a black top in the same material. The one shown above is from Lela Rose; here's another more wallet-friendly one from Natori.
My colleague Nancy McKeon likes the cut—just trim enough to skim the legs. “The fabric is not as heavy as some other pants I have (like Lands’ End Starfish Straight- Leg pants), so when the temperature really really dropped a few weeks ago I either switched over to heavier-gauge pants or wore my ski Winter Silks long johns under them.”Available in size small through 4X. At $79, I’d consider buying more than one pair. Nancy bought three.
For pants with belt loops like the ones from Joseph and Theory, back-in-fashion belts, such as this elegant example—which fastens by wrapping the end and tucking it between the two brass silver plated rings—will sharpen your silhouette.
