I think this will be a valuable post. Thanks for considering it, Angie! I think it will be interesting taken in conjunction with the what does your wardrobe say about your individual style blog post as well. Thanks for all your effort in educating us to make better wardrobe decisions!

Good to have you back, Dani! I hope that you and Mum are doing okay.

Maya, I have baby black and white pinstripe pants, similar vibe as you.THAT’S a different animal. They aren’t plain black slacks in my book. They make me feel fabulous.

I keep encouraging micro- check pants (*sigh*). Few people are into the look. I’m going to change that. Stay tuned.

Are they really not into the look or do they just find them as hard to find as me? Many (of the few that I find) look kind of goofy and pajama-pantish. And of course there is the low rise issue. But you said stay tuned, which I am doing.

Actually I do own plain black slacks. I guess I have 2 pairs. The black ones are hemmed for a heel.

re microcheck pants - I have just put them on my "list" for winter after seeing a lady wearing them in the PO the other day.
I think a blog post on all this would be great Angie.

Angie, just wanted to reply to say that you definitely won a convert when you first mentioned microcheck pants as being a great option. I own a couple pairs from Express' suiting trouser line, and in spite of the small pattern they've been very versatile. That being said, I'll probably keep a pair of black trousers around too because of the ability to pair them with my black blazer for a suit or to make colorful print blouses pop.

So far I haven't had any luck finding microcheck pants in casual fabrics that and flatter my shape and are within the range I'm willing to pay. I'm also hoping to find a good business-casual wool pair next fall since I've literally worn right through my last pair of wool trousers.

I agree, if casual microcheck pants were more available, I'd wear them a lot more. Right now I do have a pair from the Gap, but their fabric quality isn't great (not that I would expect it at this point). Esprit had a few this winter that looked good, but unfortunately they only come in one length. Angie, do you think there are signs that there will be more options available in US?

I *used* to have a pair of microchecks. They were Lee ones that I bought second hand for a few $$ in Canada once. Unfortunately they were a size (or 2!) too small, and even in my pre-ylf days realised they were way too short for PPL. Eventually I recycled them for someone else to hopefully find and love! I'm totally open to find a new pair if I ever see them in shops here!!!

Somehow I missed this thread this weekend.

Just wanted to chime in and say I too would find such a post:
'people need to understand what a basic is and how it functions in a wardrobe'
very helpful'.

(i.e. a definition of what constitutes a basic, and then perhaps elaborate a little on how to wear them/pick the right ones for one's specific needs. I think Tara's suggestion - the style of your basics will be different depending on your personality and fashion style - is a very interesting one).

Mazeltof, Kari! You saw the micro-check light. Thanks for chiming in about that.

Marianne, you can let down the hem of most Express pants. Have you ever tried that? I saw micro-checks in Euro stores in NY this year. They are definitely around. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for you.

Sounds like I’ll need to do a few posts on "basics".

I'd love some micro-check pants too, but haven't found any yet. Fingers crossed!

Thanks Angie! I meant Esprit pants, which don't have much room for it. But that would probably work with Express pants, except those were kind of dressy. Did they actually have casual ones?
What about Euro stores in Vancouver?

Yes! Get yourself to Zara and Club Monaco (Canadian store). I love all things Canadian!

I keep looking for microcheck pants too. I have a question, how are these different from a colorful cotton trouser (ex: JCrew chinos)? I have imagined, perhaps incorrectly, that a cotton microcheck is suitable for winter because of its pattern, while a chino (not in khaki) would be suitable for summer.

Perhaps you'd like to start a new thread with those questions, Cricket?

Sure! I'll just paste this question into a new thread.