The Ultimate Solution to the Dress Versus Pants Dilemma | Lifestyle.INQ

OCTOBER 27, 2022

This might just be the biggest fashion compromise you have to do: choose between jeans day or a dressy kind of day. Why not wear both?

“Everybody has jeans and everyone has dresses,” says Leandra Medine of Man Repeller. But in putting them together, the pair can “make old clothes feel fresh” again.

Though this trend is just gaining momentum right before we shift towards fall dressing, it is actually a tried-and-tested look just making a comeback. For some, it’s ’90s residue from when the decade’s infamous slip dresses were worn with an overused pair of denim jeans. It is also reminiscent of the the traditional Pakistani garb, the Shalwar kameez, where long tunics are worn over the shalwar. The Mughal empire calls dibs on this trend.

Cultural appropriation aside, designers drew inspiration from the garb, thus the dress-over-trousers resurgence, and is picking up pace on the runways, celebrities, and on the streets.

On the runway

Photos courtesy of Dries Van Note, The Row, and Hermés, respectively
Photos courtesy of Dries Van Noten, The Row, and Hermés, respectively

Make sure that the length isn’t too long or too short: mid-thigh at the very least, and knee-length at most. This new silhouette plays on long versus long proportions so adjust accordingly. For example, if the dress is longer, opt for cropped trousers.

On celebrities

Photos courtesy of Who What Wear, Yahoo! Style, and US Weekly, respectively
Photos courtesy of Who What Wear, Yahoo! Style, and US Weekly, respectively
 
 

Emma Watson’s Dior Couture look made trousers worthy of a red carpet appearance. But for other non-heavy duty looks, Sarah Jessica Parker suggests jeggings, while Kendall Jenner opts for an allwhite look with slits on the side.

On the street
Photos courtesy of A Love is Blind,Tommy Ton, Style du Monde, respectively
Photos courtesy of A Love is Blind, Tommy Ton, Style du Monde, respectively
If this is any clear indication, the look is a new way to shop your closet. Pair the two with your favorite sneakers, oxfords, or pumps. Have it your way, really, because being indecisive has never looked this good!

Art by Dorothy Guya

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