Let a Relaxed Trouser Be Your Work From Home Hero This Fall
All products featured on Vogue are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
As a self proclaimed “pants person,” I always feel most myself when wearing trousers. While I appreciate great lounge or sweatpants on certain occasions, I was never the type to immediately change out of my work clothes upon coming home. For the most part, I was already pretty comfortable with what I had on and I never felt the urge or desire to shed it for something “more relaxing.” When I started working from home back in March, and the line between office and at-home attire became blurred, the below-waist part of my work ensemble didn’t change much. While I can understand the resistance to sitting at a desk all day in a pair of stiff jeans (though, this editor has done it many times before), I’d argue that a pair of chic, ever-so-comfortable trousers are a happy medium. Soon enough, you’ll forget about your sweatpants and leggings altogether.
Despite being out of view on video calls, a great pair of trousers can be just as important as a statement Zoom-worthy top or earrings when it comes to feeling ready for the day. A relaxed, loose-fitting trouser not only looks impeccably chic in a Phoebe Philo kind of way, but they’re also practically effortless. Slip on a pair, and you’ll see what I mean. They’re billowy, but not overly voluminous, and they’re loose, but don’t look sloppy at all. That combination strikes the balance between being comfortable and looking put together. You might remember some of these styles as suit pants, however, when dressed down with a t-shirt or oversized button down, they feel anything but formal. Plus, you can most definitely wear them in public and when paired with a fall knit, they’re several steps above a sweatsuit, but arguably just as comfortable as one.
With the changing of the season comes a new offering of cozy trousers made from warm and fuzzy materials, which further bridge the gap between suit pants and sweatpants. A personal favorite I look forward to breaking out of my wardrobe this season are a pair of woolly black pleated trousers from Vince. I’d choose them over sweats any day of the week.
