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I’ve had a few requests for styling several of the on-trend pants we’ve been snapping up this mid-winter season, specifically Highsport kick flares and their replicas and cousins at lower price-points; the modified horseshoe style of the Brylie pants I’ve been yapping about; and horseshoe jeans, period. Below, some thoughts.
The $850 Highsport pant (dubbed “the Newsletter Pant” because so many fashion writers with Substacks have been smitten with them for the past year) has seeded a new wardrobe must-have for 2024: the stretch kick flare pant. Less expensive options have been cropping up (pun intended) left and right: I own these from Donni (soft and stretchy, run TTS — seen above) and these from Spanx (more compressive and office-ready, run a tad snug), but I’ve read several empassioned reviews of Gap’s pair and J. Crew just released a sweater-material iteration this month. I’ve taken a lot of my style notes on this silhouette from Donni and the dressed-down, model-off-duty, just-ducking-out-for-coffee-on-a-Saturday, borrowed-from-my-boyfriend look they cultivate. Specifically, I like the pants styled with a boxy button-down (balances out the body-consciousness of the bottoms), a sweater over the shoulders or a masculine-leaning field coat layered on top, and a pair of trendy flats. I’ve seen a lot of chic peas styling with Mary Janes, mesh flats, or loafers — the effect of the statement shoe decidedly communicating “I know what I’m doing here.” I also like them paired with a knit sweater and cool sneaks, and a wool coat. Boiling all of this down, my two style suggestions for this look: 1) lots of layers and different textures; and 2) play around with (mix and match) overtly masculine and feminine elements. I shared myself styling my Donni pants in a post last week and also above/below.
G. LABEL SWEATER* // AMAZON BLUE LIGHT GLASSES** // LESET POINTELLE TEE (LOOK FOR LESS WITH THIS NEW J. CREW) // DONNI RIB KNIT PANTS // ALTUZZARA WATERMILL BAG // J’ADIOR SLINGBACKS
*Shared some look for less options here.
**Do these do anything? I’m very skeptical. I bought them a few months ago because I spend so much time staring at my screen and have no idea if they’re doing anything. They do look cute though? These are specifically designed for small faces / teens.
LA LIGNE SWEATER // RAG & BONE BUTTON DOWN // CELINE SUNGLASSES // LOEFFLER RANDALL FLATS // HIGHSPORTS // TOTEME BAG
KULE SWEATER // HIGHSPORTS // PARIS CAP // RUE DE VERNEUIL TOTE // ALIGNE WOOL COAT (RUNS BIG — SEE ME IN MINE HERE!) // LOEWE FLOW SNEAKERS
More cool sneakers here, BTW!
Onto my Brylie pants. I adore these. Great fit for petites. (I’ve written this before, but if you’re taller, I’d try the Nili Lotan Shon pants, which someone once called “The Hampton Pant” because you couldn’t walk down a street in Sag Harbor or Amagansett without seeing them). These are “horseshoe-lite” pants. Wearable and flattering. My top styling tip for these — balance out the utility style / drama of the pants with classic, feminine pieces: a cropped blazer, a pointed toe flat, an elegant watch.
MANGO BLAZER // BRYLIE PANTS // EVERLANE RIBBED TURTLENECK // CELINE PHONE SLING (LOOK FOR LESS WITH THIS) // ROGER VIVIER FLAT // MARCH HARE WATCH
I recognize that horseshoe jeans and even my Brylies are polarizing — to each her own! I laughed when a Magpie wrote that she sees this silhouette and thinks only “Yosemite Sam.” I now think of Yosemite Sam whenever I see them – ha! I like having fun with fashion though – I never take it too seriously. Anyhow, for horseshoe jeans (Citizens are the “it” pair, but you can get the look for less with these Everlanes, these Free Peoples, or these Amazons), I think it’s important to wear a figure-hugging top (I like the bookishness of a turtleneck alongside this loud shape) so you have some angles to work with and polished details to elevate the look: a fabulous bag, a leather belt, great sunglasses.
VINCE TURTLENECK // CITIZENS JEANS // AEYDE MOA FLATS // JANESSA LEONE BELT // TODS BAG // BY ADINA EDEN EARRINGS
By the way, do you know about the brand Aeyde?! Cool and slightly under-the-radar / just about to take hold as a Loeffler competitor in my opinion. They have fashion-forward / designer styles for less than half what you’d expect to pay from brands putting out similar styles (Celine, Khaite, etc). These are very Miu Miu; these are very Celine. And I love the 90s minimalism of these slingbacks.
P.S. It’s their day, too.
P.P.S. When my grandmother lost her daughter — truly heartbreaking.
P.P.P.S. The fallacy of open time.
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