I Need Help! - YouLookFab Forum

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Dressing

I Need Help!

Rock

I bought these pants on a work trip and even thinking about them makes me happy. I bought them at a small, local boutique in Lexington KY while shopping with a lovely friend, and it was a great day, which adds to my fondness for these pants.

The problem is that I’m having difficulty styling them. In my mind, I wanted a monochromatic look, but they are a cool toned metallic champagne and all of my tops and sweaters are too yellow toned to for these pants. They also have a tiny grid print, so wearing them with a patterned top seems too busy. I think the monochromatic look is so stuck in my head that I can’t think out of the box.

I would also like to dress them up so I can wear them on a casual day at work or out for the evening.

They were expensive pants and they have inhabited my closet, unworn, since September because I’m struggling to style them, even though the fit and comfort are great and I love them.

I would very much appreciate any styling advice you can offer. The Forum is a great source for style inspiration, and I sure need some now!

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Dressing

20 replies

Latest reply was from Carol

cat2

Veteran

Not sure what your preferred palette is, but I vote for trying turquoise.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

It’s difficult to see the tiny grid pattern and I think they count as a “false plain”. Maybe try your patterned tops with them and stand further away from the mirror to assess?
Also why monochromatic?
Do you have ideas on your colour season or Kibbe image identity that might help you enlarge your ideas on what to wear?

MsMaven

Veteran

Oh I would love to have these! Not sure what I would wear, but if I owned these pants I would make a reason to wear them, maybe to dinner with friends. I see myself in a black cashmere v-neck sweater and these pants. But that is for me, here in the SF Bay area pretty much stuck at home for the time being.

Thanks for contributing to my fantasy life.

Sisi

Veteran

Oh, what beautiful and unique pants! Congratulations for the lucky find! While waiting to find the right top for the monocromatc look, i would wear them with a black sweater or a white shirt, depending upon the weather . A small golden necklace or bracelet would be "tonal" with the shine of the pants.

Star

Veteran

Maybe a camel colour would work. Black and dark or cool mocha brown. I have a cool light grey top which has a warm rose-gold sheen. It works with most colours (cool or warm) but fights with patterns for attention.

kkards

Veteran

Great joggers.

A couple of ideas, wear a dark sweater and dark retro sneakers. Wear a white tee shirt, tucked in to give a waist line, and a 3rd piece, maybe a blazer or open cardigan or denim shirt worn as an over piece.

If you really want a monochromatic outfit, maybe look for tops from the same brand and see if they offer a matching top or something in the same color.

Jules

Veteran

Ooh fun challenge! I can see why you fell for these pants. Rather than monochromatic, i would think about tonal or just low contrast neutrals. So for example thinking about my own wardrobe I would try a white tee shirt, light blue denim jacket and white or cream sneakers as basic starting styling. I googled ‘how to style metallic joggers’ and seems like silver predominates but I think the styling ideas apply: a lot of white tops and sneakers. See some screenshots I grabbed.
I agree they read as a false plain so you could use pattern but I don’t think it’s an easy win! Maybe a graphic black and white print or a chunky variegated wool knit. I feel like with pattern you’d have to really ‘go for it’.

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Val

I actually love how they look together with the bedspread underneath them, both color and texture! Do you have anything in this color? It would be monochromatic.

As for the tiny pattern, I was just reading about
sumptuary

laws in Edo Japan. They forbade non-nobles from wearing bright colors and ostentatious embellishments, soan entire culture and industry developed around fabrics with tiny patterns—imperceptible from a distance but up close you could see it and appreciate the sofistication and wealth of the owner.

if you search "edo komon", it gives lots of beautiful combinations with these tiny pattern fabrics

RobinF

Veteran

What about a silver or gray top?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Rock, those are super fun sparkly utility pants! They're not patterned. As Jenni said - they're a false plain.

Think of them as a SOLID TEXTURE rather than a pattern, and outfit ideas will begin to flow

Try darker mushroom tones with them like #1

Try a white top, taupe/olive/brown topper, and neutral patterned shoes like #2

More neutral options with white, cognac, and blue denim In #3

Throw in the colour in #4!

I'd wear ballet flats, loafers, or refined sneakers with them.

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Lisa

Veteran

Gorgeous pants, neutrals are a nice go to if you don’t think that colors are working. For me, the contrast is what I’d have on my mind when. I look at these pants. I’d want a soft contrast I’m thinking colors like pastels are lovely with lighter colored pants or soft neutrals for lower contrast.

Roberta

Veteran

They're really beautiful. I would try teal blue, fuchsia, black, navy, my usual suspects. You could go high/low with a silky top and sneakers.

Runcarla

Veteran

I’d just start with trying every top I had in my closet, before shopping for something new. Do you have a chunky oatmeal or heathered sweater for a ‘coastal g’ma’ look?

…and a couple of Pinterest inspo ideas…

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Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Yes to everyone's suggestions - no need to worry about pattern clashing, unnecessary to go monotone unless you want to, and most off all what Runcarla said above. Just try them with every top and see what you like and don't like (and post pictures if you want feedback).

Sal

Veteran

Initially I thought of black and white as good options. I think contrasting with a bright colour could work too - I could see red and green too.

I agree - try on some outfits and experiment.

Tones in neutrals can be hard - grey can be challenging as well with warm and cool greys.

BrieN

Veteran

I purchased a pair of shorts that are a bit similar to those, more silver though. I am planning to wear them with a kind of furry off-white sweater that I own. I like the idea of the furry texture of the sweater with the shine of the bottoms. I also have a mesh patterned top that I've wondered might work - and again I think its because I think of the mesh as a texture.

Rock

Thank you for all of your ideas. It is already helping me feel less stuck.

Jenni NZ - thanks for the advice on viewing these as a false plain.

Cat2 and Roberta - like the idea of turquoise and teal and will keep an eye out for something that works.

MsMaven, Sisi, kkards - I have plenty of black sweaters and blazers and will try them out. Would be great with a gold necklace.

Star, Angie, runcarla - I want to add a mushroom/mocha/heathered sweater to my wardrobe and feel like this would satisfy my longing for a monochromatic or tonal look.

Jules, Lisa - I’m going to try a light blue shirt, denim lady jacket, and light blue sneakers for a low contrast look.

Sal - a bright sweater might be great for spring. Will try an orange sweater I ordered when it arrives.

Val - so intrigued by edo komon. I spend a couple of weeks in Japan each year and can’t wait to go on the hunt for a tiny patterned scarf to wear with everything.

Will have a try on session and report back on the results!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

These are great pants and you've had fab styling suggestions -- can't wait to see what you decide on!

SarahD8

Veteran

Late to this but just wanted to underscore what Angie, Jaime, and Runcarla are suggesting re: a false plain and the idea that these pants might be surprisingly versatile. If I just take a high-level glance at them they look like chino pants to me -- albeit of course chinos with a twist. So I would start with anything you might throw at a pair of khaki pants and just see what happens.

I also am very intrigued by the Edo Komon history that Val mentioned.

Looking forward to the results of your try-on session!

Carol

(website)

Veteran

Very cute--I would keep it simple and do black, grey or white solid tops.