Colorful thighs. - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Colorful thighs.

purple8

Are colorful pants ok for business casual in general? And what if you're size 10 and short? I tried on a pair of blush colored pants and a pale blue pair, but didn't buy either because I didn't want the world recoiling from my colorful thighs.

Also, how do you ladies decide what's "age-appropriate?" How do you know if your clothes are too old or young? Personally I don't really care what another woman wears if it makes her happy, but I know some people do judge about these things and I don't want to be the office weirdo.

General

15 replies

Latest reply was from froggiebecky

K. Period.

Veteran

I think colored pants have become very mainstream over the last couple of years. I wouldn't bat an eye if I saw someone wearing a pair in my office. Size, height and age would be irrelevant too. Blue and blush sound like lovely options. Light blue is almost like gray and blush is almost like tan or cream, so just a slight spin on classic neutrals.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Ha your post made me laugh, colorful thighs.

I tend to wear what makes me happy (age 55) but I do also work hard at making an outfit at least a little bit nice looking. So that might mean, having just the right shoes or top to go with those colorful thighs.

My advice would be to get those pastel pants if they make you happy, but to enlist the help of a talented salesperson (or your friends on YLF) to create an outfit around the pants. Otherwise they might become orphans.

After 3+ years on this forum I feel this is one of my biggest learning moments. That I need to come up with a good outfit around something new - very quickly - or else it just won't get worn.

This might make you ultimately decide you don't want the pants because if might require an investment.

For example, to wear the light colored pants I would recommend a light colored jacket and shoes to go with the pants. Not high contrast at all with the pants. It doesn't have to match the pants but should be tonally harmonious. That is a great way to get past the petite issue (which I am too -- and tonal dressing, creating a column of color, is a great way for people to think you are taller).

Hope that helps!

purple8

Ok, I'm going to go for it. Both pants actually came in petite (yay!) so it's meant to be. Thanks!

purple8

I'll also add that I too have made the mistake of not buying coordinating stuff soon enough and ending up with sad orphans.

Minnie

I agree with K.Period in that colored pants are mainstream these days.
Almost anything (micro-minis are probably an exception) can be age appropriate depending on what it is paired with.
Age-appropriateness seems so random. Different "experts" seem to have widely differing opinions about what is appropriate at what age.
Young male style experts seem much stricter than older female ones. Figures
I think more important than the chronological age of the wearer is how the whole ensemble looks.

carter

Veteran

I love colored pants for work and have several (age 50). My thighs are colorful and BRIGHT! I think the pastel pants sound lovely. I'm keeping an eye out for some myself.

Linda

I just got a pair of pale gray ("silver") skinny jeans, a thrilling LOFT sale item. I haven't shopped LOFT often at all. But these pants are wonderful, and will work for me as a pastel, going forward. I wore them in a low-constrast look the other day, with a heather gray cable knit v neck pullover and a greige pair of OTK boots -- and I'm short. I think you can complement pale colors with related shades in items that won't come across as screaming "wearing colored pants!"

Carla

Veteran

The heels are a bit much, but the colour combos are inspirational. I use Pinterest for ideas when I'm not sure. I just type in....'pastel pants style', or whatever!

The navy blazer would certainly help with a work appropriate casual style.

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Maybe a light colored bootie and relaxed fit white jacket over them would be fun.

Helena

Veteran

I think I am learning from Suz ... I will say it's not so much about the color, as the styling ... unless you work in a super-conservative place where anything that is not navy blue is banned, then I think if the cut and style are business-appropriate, then they would be fine for work.

As for the age question, my personal opinion is that fitting in can be under-rated - I always aim to be somewhere in the spectrum of what my similarly-aged peers are wearing ... not the same necessarily, but at least in the same ballpark! Otherwise, the clothes end up taking centre-stage, which is actually where YOU should be

adorkable

Veteran

I'm just popping in to say that colorful thighs make me happy.

Beth Ann

Veteran

I have colored jean style trousers: white, cobalt and "fire britches." I wear them to my university teaching job, pairing them with neutral blazers and nice footwear. And let me tell you, my thighs cannot be missed in any hue.

I think starting with a colored trouser, rather than a jean, and starting with blush or pastel blue, would be a great way to try out colored bottoms.

Adelfa

Veteran

I wore a pair of oxblood jeans to work today for casual Friday. For me deep colored jeans keep me in my comfort zone (I also have eggplant and cobalt). But I tend to avoid pales anyway

I like to put toning neutrals with my colored jeans. So with yours, you might put pale gray or pale tan or cream. Also, wear footwear that tones as well, maybe light taupe or a metallic.

As far as age appropriate goes, I sample a lot of trends. I think what keeps me feeling age appropriate is:

1. wear lots of neutrals

2. stay covered up

3. keep the fits fluid

purple8

Lol @firebritches.
I'm excited to shop tomorrow, big thighs and all. Coming from a creative/jeans environment to a more traditional environment, I had these fears about business casual, that I'd have to wear sad docker pants and dumpy shirts. And yeah, there is some of that in my office, but I don't want to go down that path. Pretty dresses and colorful pants are on the list!

froggiebecky

Veteran

I've got big thighs, too, and I'd have no problem with prints on them. That being said, I've not yet found any I love that also fit, but I'm trying them when I find them.

And to me, I'm dressing too old when I look in the mirror and see my mother. She had a few dressing rules (for me), and it took me a while to get over them and start breaking them.
Some choice examples:
1. The best way to 'minimise' my large bottom and thighs is to wear tapered jeans. (no no no no. They looked awful on me, but she insisted I'd look terrible in anything else. Second lesson: try things.)
2. My arms are too big to pull off strapless/sleeveless things in any capacity.
3. Thou shalt not wear sleeveless things to church.

So…if I look at something in a shop and think "she'd have bought that for me," I almost always put it back.