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Say it isn't so..

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

I saw a Chicos commercial last night with their pants silhouettes for the season and stirrups were among them. I gasped in horror, lol. Is anyone seeing these in stores? Anyone else appalled with 90s nightmares...I wore them with Hightop tennis shoes back in the day,lol

General

41 replies

Latest reply was from puppycat

viva

Veteran

Oh no, really? I'm not going there. No, no, no.

Deborah

Veteran

So not going there again!

Word Lily

Veteran

I wouldn't be surprised, but I don't think I'll be buying stirrup pants.

Vildy

Veteran

I first saw this in high school in the 60's in an expensive Laguna Beach boutique. My friend bought some, I waited because of the expense.
It was the first stretch garment I ever saw outside of a knit top or sweater. People then said they were derived from ski pants. I didn't ski.
However, since I don't wear leggings and don't wear skinnies, I'd be willing to try them again for a sleek look. In fact, they'd been on my mind!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What's wrong with stirrup pants? '80s fabness, as long as the length was right.

Elly

Veteran

Nothing is wrong with them-- there are and have been some very nice ones-- however, I think there can be a negative visceral reaction to the IDEA of them because at least here in middle America people have continued to wear them, but only the worst kind in the worst ways!

Amy

(website)

Veteran

I like stirrup pants

Anonymous

I had those too! Actually they can be very useful in side tall boots to hold down your slim pants

shedev

Veteran

I wore these a lot in the 80s. I don't really have a problem with pants needing to be held down so I'll likely pass this time.

Anonymous

Stirrup pants were the leggings of their day, I suspect. Like leggings, they usually needed a long top unless a heavy (and more expensive) knit. I bought one pair that I wore once. The extra fabric in shoe or boot was not comfortable for me. As Elly says, in middle America they were abused.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Nope nope nope. Not for me. I remember that when I tried to wear them, the inseams were always too short, and the darn things woud ride down until the crotch of them was somewhere midway between my crotch and my knees. No thank you.

I do have a little set of stirrup type straps that I can connect the hems of my skinnies to that help hold them down while I pull on tall boots over the skinnies. I think that's good enough for me. I'm not much of a leggings person anyway.

Anonymous

This is what comes to my mind when I hear "stirrup pants." Maybe the updated ones have been de-uglified. Let's hope so!

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Janet

(website)

Veteran

LM, I actually audibly groaned when I opened that photo! LOL I'm sure there are more palatable examples, but that was priceless!

Anonymous

Janet, yes, it's bad. I hope it won't give you nightmares. But that's the image that's stuck in my brain!

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I had the same problem as Janet - never could find ones long enough so I was always tugging the waistband back up. I could probably buy a tall inseam pair this time around, that would be novel! I'm surprised with all these years of skinny jeans and jeggings, it's taken so long to get back to stirrups.

I had those clip doohickeys for a while, too - probably skiwear shops still sell them. They were handy for keeping your pants in your boots.

rachylou

Veteran

Oh no... *men's gymnastics.*

Anonymous

And they were made out of the worst not-really-stretchy poly blends. Worst things ever. But oh boy did I rock those babies. NEVER AGAIN.

Anonymous

I never thought they'd see the light of day again -- but apparently everything cycles back. Thanks for warning us, TraceyLiz!

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Veteran

Along with my confession that I did decide to try some white jeans after all (and long after my last pair, which I had in the 80s), I confess I had some of these too. In my defense, they were olive-green wool and fit into my former cold-weather East Coast work wardrobe of more classic items and had an equestrian vibe. I am less likely than ever to court classic style, though, and will not be doing stirrup pants again.

kerlyn

Veteran

Oh gosh! I had a pair too. In fact, I can remember the exact outfit. The stirrup pants were sort of mauve in color and actually looked a lot like modern jeggings, except for the stretchy stirrup! I used to wear them with a slightly oversized chambray shirt and some oxford-style shoes. Gosh, now that I say that it doesn't sound that outdated!

Thanks for the fun flashback, but I don't think I'll go there again. I seem to remember having to hike them up all day long!

Beth Ann

Veteran

I loved stirrup. At 5'6" with an average inseam, they worked pretty well for me. I liked the streamlined look on the calf, and usually wore them tucked into booties. I'd do that again in a heartbeat! Not sure I'd wear them with the puffy socks and keds though. That ship has sailed!

Banoffi

Veteran

I had a pair of black stirrup pants in the 90's. I loved them! Now that I'm thinking about them, however, I can't remember what shoes I wore with them.... I don't think I had any boots. I'm getting a bit worried.... lol

gryffin

Veteran

Loved stirrup pants. Didn't own one but they had a stirrup jumpsuit that was very similiar to the EF harem with a higher crotch. Wow coveted that one but didn't own it, too late to that party. But I'm a slim rectangle and these styles work brilliantly for me. Also anyone who rode english, often owned elastic stirrups for their jodphurs. Just used to them. So no worries - just more for me!!

Aida

Veteran

Hah! I like stirrup pants. Would likely wear again (I wore them a lot as a kid too, particularly skinny pairs with an oversized tunic sweater) in the right style. Quite fond of how they look paired with flats to showcase the stirrup, or underneath shorts/culottes in place of leggings

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Ha! Well, if they come roaring back into style, it's one more trending thing I can ignore! ;-D

Sal

Veteran

I had a royal purple pair that I wore with a matching cropped sweatshirt. I pinned on my badge collection and wore my handpainted slip on sneakers. I topped that off with pink streaks in my hair, and probably (I can't remember this part) the three stripes of eyeshadow.......

I suspect this is a trend I am happy to leave to others:)

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

As most of you know I am a petite height ... I have longer legs so don't wear petite bottoms and I have to laugh at the idea of me wearing those back in the late 80's early 90's... They always skooted down in the waste and created a long crotch... My mother always said Never say Never, but here I am saying Never Again.... Poison eye isn't going to budge on me for this one...

Sal

Veteran

With these trends though the early adopters wear them, many wonder why! Then slowly they catch on and they start to look very normal... As in brogues with short dresses, distressed jeans, short flares...

Maybe the forum will be all over them in a year!!

deb

Veteran

I saw that. Too funny!!!

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