Most people like to dress up to look and feel good. They can look fashionable with the right clothing combination, creating a statement piece. While wearing dresses, shorts, skirts, or pants can help anyone look stylish, dress pants might tell a different story. Looking great in dress pants, with their formality and classiness, is a bit challenging to pull off.
Dress pants are formal attire that you can wear on different occasions. While they can give off a stylish and sleek vibe, wearing them the right way is essential to make your attire look put together. While you might like to start browsing for dress pants at a great site that offers a wide selection, there are a few things you need to consider before buying your first pair.
For starters, below are some tips to help you purchase the perfect dress pants.
Ensure Perfect Fit
You won’t look great in dress pants if they don’t fit your body perfectly. With this kind of outfit, you need to ensure that it hugs your body just right for a tailored look. This means it should fit snugly on your waist down to your thighs, as loose pants can make your attire look baggy and shapeless. With that, you need to be extra mindful about the fit of your dress pants.
When shopping online, always refer to the size chart and get the size that closely matches your current measurements. It would also be helpful to check the return and exchange policy, just in case what you ordered online doesn’t hug your body right. Alternatively, you can always have your pants altered to achieve a custom fit.
Check The Length
After ensuring the perfect fit, the next thing you should worry about is the length of your dress pants. The appropriate length could help you look more fashionable in dress pants, depending on where you’d want them to end on your legs.
For a modern touch, you might want to consider going for ankle-cropped dress pants, allowing you to highlight the shoes you’ll pair them with. Alternatively, you can go for the standard length, giving you a formal and sophisticated look. You can purchase dress pants off the rack at your favorite clothing store, then bring them to an atelier for length alteration.
Choose The Right Color
When choosing dress pants, you might think black is your only option. Without a doubt, black dress pants are elegant and classy, and they’ll look fabulous with any top. However, you might want to consider giving other colors a try.
Aside from black, why not add gray, tan, and white dress pants to your wardrobe? This will give you plenty of options as you try to mix and match your timeless and tasteful staples, coming up with stylish combinations each time.
Styling Your Dress Pants
As you pick the perfect dress pants, the next thing you should ponder is how to style them properly. Doing so will work wonders to make your outfit look chic and elegant. As a result, you’ll look fantastic in your favorite dress pants.
Below are sure-fire ways to style this unique wardrobe item, allowing you to look stylish each time you wear them:
- Be Formal
Dress pants are commonly known for their formal appearance. While they’re suitable for formal events or gatherings, such as in the workplace or a wedding, this doesn’t mean you should forget about being fashionable.
To achieve a classic vibe with your dress pants, you can throw in a blazer that fits your upper body perfectly. For an all-out dignified look, you can go with a blazer in a matching color. On the other hand, pairing your dress pants with a blazer in a different color creates a nice contrast and conveys a slightly easygoing style.
Once you’ve settled on a suitable blazer, you have to decide what to wear beneath the blazer. You can opt for a sleeveless silk top or a snug-fit sweater for a sophisticated look. As for the neckline, pick the one that matches the shape of your face. For instance, V-shaped and scoop necklines are ideal for squarish faces as they balance the angular jawline. With a carefully selected top and a sleek blazer, you’re ready to strut your stuff.
- Add A Comfy Cardigan
A cardigan is a versatile piece you can easily pair with your other clothing staples. Hence, it’s not surprising that a good-quality cardigan is an essential item in most people’s minimalist wardrobes.
Pairing your dress pants with a comfy cardigan is the perfect blend of dignified and laid-back. The beauty of this semi-formal ensemble is that it looks perfect at any time of the day. Once you try this combination, it could become your new go-to attire for casual occasions.
- Match With Stilettoes
If you wish to make a statement, match your dress pants with a pair of stiletto heels. This is a sure way to achieve a sophisticated, stylish, and powerful look that can make heads turn in any gathering. Whether you’re attending a wedding or a corporate event, the right pair of stiletto heels will elevate your outfit.
When wearing stilettoes, choosing the right color is crucial. If you want to play it safe, you can’t go wrong with black stilettoes. If you prefer a pop of color, go for red high heels. This vibrant color provides a stark contrast to your black, white, or neutral-colored dress pants, giving you a modern and dynamic look that you can bring to any occasion. Alternatively, going with other bright colors would also be nice, as long as you pair them well with your clothes.
- Pair With Sneakers
If you want to convey a completely laid-back attitude, consider pairing your dress pants with a pair of sneakers. Instead of looking formal, you’ll give off an easygoing vibe that will make you feel good and comfortable walking around.
While there are plenty of sneakers you can choose from, pairing your dress pants with white sneakers would be absolutely great. White sneakers go amazingly well with any outfit, making you feel relaxed and cozy. You can even pair them with your favorite pullover sweater, which should work perfectly together.
- Add A Pop Of Color
Dress pants usually exude a tailored and traditional look, especially since they’re among the top choices in corporate and formal settings. While they can help make any attire look proper, you might want to consider adding a pop of color to make your entire outfit look fun and exciting. With this, there’s no way you’d look dull and conventional.
To achieve a pop of color, you can choose a colorful top. Another option is to pair your dress pants with shoes and bags in a vivid color, making your entire outfit look fun and party-ready. Alternatively, some dress pants are available in bright shades, allowing you to don your regular black or white tops and let your pants be your statement piece.
- Go For A Neutral Color
One way you can look great in dress pants without putting too much effort into styling and combination is to go for a neutral color. This way, you don’t have to consider the color theory. Although a neutral color doesn’t scream fun and excitement, it can make your ensemble look well-coordinated.
For example, if you’re wearing black dress pants, you can go for a top in muted colors like beige, cream, brown, or gray. Alternatively, you may choose a blouse in a lighter shade of brown to match your brown or tan dress pants. This monochrome style lends simplicity and elegance to your overall look.
- Put On A Belt
To look great when wearing dress pants, you might want to tuck in your top to draw attention to your slim waist. This allows your outfit to look incredibly chic and polished. Since you’ll be tucking in your top, it’s a fantastic idea to put on a narrow belt to finish the look.
Style experts recommend a skinny belt about half an inch in width for your dress pants. Black or dark brown is best if you prefer a muted and subtle style. You can also match your belt’s color with your shoes and bags for a balanced look.
As for the material, leather is one of the top choices as it’s versatile, long-lasting, and classy. You’ll look effortlessly fashionable with a stylish belt that matches your dress pants.
- Carry A Bag
Sometimes, it takes the perfect bag to complete the look you’re aiming for. In addition, the right bag can help you achieve the mood and vibe you want to create. It could be laid-back, formal, or semi-casual.
However, not all types of bags will go well with your dress pants. As a general rule, bulky bags are suitable for casual outfits, while small bags are more sophisticated and hands down the perfect accessory for your dress pants.
If you’re wearing dress pants for a formal occasion, a leather shoulder or clutch bag will pair with it quite nicely. As with belts, leather is the preferred material for most types of bags.
- Consider Patterned Dress Pants
When shopping for dress pants, you’ve probably noticed that most come entirely in one color without any pattern or design. While these would readily match any of the tops in your wardrobe, you might get tired of your pairings after a while. To make your outfit look more attractive, you may consider purchasing patterned dress pants for a change.
As you shop for patterned dress pants, don’t get too crazy or wild on the print. You also need to be careful with the size of the print. It shouldn’t be too big that it overpowers you, especially if you’re petite. You can go for stripes or checkered patterns for a sophisticated and fashionable look.
On the other hand, choose neutral-colored pants if you want to play it safe, or you might want to try bold colors. The choice is up to you. However, it’s advisable to wear a solid top so it won’t clash with the print of your dress pants.
- Pair With Statement Accessories
Of course, another excellent tip to look great in dress pants is wearing statement accessories that’ll go perfectly with them. If you think pairing your dress pants with a plain top or a blazer seems too dull and predictable, adding a statement accessory would surely elevate your style and pump up your entire outfit. It’ll be like giving your attire a quick makeover without putting too much effort into it.
For your statement accessory, you might want to consider wearing multiple layers of bracelets or a single stylish necklace. Another option is to put on large hoop earrings that reflect your playful personality. However, you must practice perfect balance and avoid overcrowding your attire with several large accessories, which defeats the purpose of having a statement piece.
- Go All Black
When all else fails, going all black is your safest and fool-proof option. Although it might look too dark, it can help make your entire outfit look svelte and sophisticated.
You can opt to bare some skin by donning a revealing top with a low-cut neckline or one with spaghetti straps. On the other hand, you may go for the other extreme by wearing a long-sleeved black blouse. Whichever you prefer for your all-black outfit, ensure that it’s something that reflects your personal style so you can wear it with confidence.
Takeaway
Looking great in dress pants isn’t about randomly mixing and matching it with the items in your closet and expecting amazing results. There’s nothing haphazard about a well-put-together outfit. It takes some careful thought and following the advice of style experts, such as the compilation of tips above.
For one thing, your dress pants need to be of the right length and fit you perfectly—not too tight, but not too loose. As for color, you can stick to black and other neutral shades, depending on your personality. Or you can experiment with bold hues and prints if that’s your style. The important thing is to wear your dress pants with confidence, knowing that you look good in them.
