Slouchy pants - having a mini-meltdown - YouLookFab Forum

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Slouchy pants - having a mini-meltdown

catgirl

Veteran

I'm feeling a bit like Shannon was... I can't figure out if slouchy pants just don't photograph well or if I genuinely just look awful in them and should just give up. It's been such a long search - I mean I've been looking for the right slouchy work pants since joining YLF.

I just tried the AT slouchy orange pants, but the photos are so bad I don't even need feedback to know they need to go back. These photos are the pink pants that Parsley posted - she looked stunning in them - and they technically fit but I still feel like they look horrible. I've styled them idiotically in the first photo but could not for the life of me do better tonight.

Trying on bathing suits really crushed my self-esteem in general, and now I'm finding it hard to see anything outside of that filter. At the same time, I don't want people to say things just to be nice.

Bleh! Sorry to inflict this on you all...

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45 replies

Latest reply was from velvetychocolate

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I think they fit great and maybe it is a matter of styling. Have you tried to look for inspirational pictures online: I cannot suggest anything useful as this is still a vague concept for me(still searching...)

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Well, other than the chunky, flat maryjanes I think they're totally cute. If I looked like that in slouchy pants I'd totally wear them. FWIW. And you know I don't blow smoke up anyone's ass (pancake butt). Can we see it with a heel?

ETA - If I posted photos in slouchy pants you'd be making up pet names for my thighs, no joke, they look so bad on me you have no idea...Enjoy those narrow hips!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Una, I think these are awesome!! I'm serious. Agree with Jeneva; the shoes are not helping here. But even with them, I can see that these look great!

Women who have to try on bathing suits should get a free edit of that experiences. You know...just SNIP and it's gone from the memory. Bathing suit try-ons are the WORST.

catgirl

Veteran

Yeah, these are just my house slippers. Obviously I need to wear real shoes or my quitled booties. I'm just demoralized by the whole thing right now.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

And, I hope you are chuckling at my comment and not seething with rage...I meant to be funny, dammit, so just tell me bluntly if I've failed....

catgirl

Veteran

Jeneva, no worries - you TOTALLY cracked me up! If you knew me IRL you would know I'm hard to offend.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Well, I kind of figured, but it's hard to tell over the Internets. (-:

kellygirl

Veteran

I think they look great but I'm not sure about the length. I wish they were uncuffed and had a bit more scrunch at the bottom but it's hard to tell without proper shoes.

christieanne

Veteran

They really don't look bad and I LOVE the color.

Frankly, the fit is how they are supposed to be - this is why everyone switched to bootcut flat front pants. Honestly, it's the silhouette that we all wore in trousers at one point (late 80's??) and then decided it should be phased out.
It's not YOU - it's the pants. The slouchy part is going to emphasize the areas you may not want emphasized

Maybe the slouchy pant isn't for you? Or you just aren't adjusted to it yet?

Sorry - that's sort of tough love and I'm not saying a relaxed or pleated pant can't be an option (I am Team Option on pretty much everything) but each silhouette has it's pros and cons. So if you can play with the styling a bit more, you might be happier on a day you aren't bathing suit shopping. That's just too much bravery in one day perhaps?

Don't hate me for saying this please!

ManidipaM

Veteran

Una, I think the pants look great on you in terms of fit, though I agree with Kelly I might have liked a little ankle scrunch. BUT I don't think these look bad at all, in any way. The only thing I'm really uncertain of is the colour --- it seems a little too... sweet?... for you? Do they come in Rae-type sour colours?

As for styling, I think boots or serious shoes will do the trick, plus I suggest an untucked top (a comparatively short one), taking advantage of your narrow hips to draw the horizontal line lower on your body. OR emphasize the horizontal with a belt maybe. I feel like there's less top half and more bottom half to you in the current proportions, and while everyone likes a long leg line, I think this one can be better balanced (unless it's the camera playing silly tricks!).

AJ

Veteran

Maybe you are reacting to the semi high waistedness of the pants. Do you have a top that is more tonal to the pants? Then add your blush moto for the second layer.

AJ

Veteran

OK, I looked through some of your past outfits.

1) Remember this and how Angie said it was killer? The jacket and pants did not have a high contrast.

2) So how about this top...

3) with this jacket?

4) This top looks like it will go with the pants as well.

What do you think?

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rae

(website)

Veteran

Without reading the other comments, there's a reason why pleated pants went by the wayside for so long - they are tough! Even on models, it's rare to see a pair that I feel looks really awesome.

That said, I think these have potential - the drape looks super nice, which is half the battle, IMO. I think a good place to start would be a to try slim-fitting tops, possibly untucked - I loved Shannon's the best without her jacket, so maybe you will find the same. I'm picturing a simple gray sweater with these, if you have one. Heels will help, too, for sure.

I know how you feel about pants! That is why I have yards of fabric in my closet waiting for me to create a pant pattern... and I've given up on slouchy pants myself. I admire you for persevering! If you can't make these work, I wonder if your bespoke suit pants can maybe be a bit slouchy?

Anonymous

Seriously, if I have learned anything on YLF, it's not to post anything that's not completely styled. So much depends on how you would wear it, and you have a fierce footwear collection so let's see some options. The pants fit you just fine! Our eyes are just still adjusting to the slouchy pants. No beating up on that beautiful bod of yours!

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I love them with the red top! I could see them working with grey or coral or red or orange. The black and pink combo is too harsh and according to In Style, dated. Their April issue is about color. In the same issue, according to Marc Jacobs: grey is the new black.

cciele

Veteran

AJ, I love your piecing together of outfits I think the slouch pants fit you well Una. Like Manidipa, though, I'm wondering about the proportions you're seeing in the outfit and if that is throwing you off.

catgirl

Veteran

Ah, such great suggestions and AJ, you are just amazing. Those cut and paste thingies of yours are priceless!

These were actually ankle length on Parsley and didn't appear to have any scrunch on her. I like the cuff as it gives a little bulk; one problem with the AT pants was that the narrow tapered leg was too much of an ice-cream cone effect somehow, even with some scrunch.

Is wearing untucked tops with slouchy pants undermining the point of them by covering up the slouch? If not, that would be the obvious solution since I hate tucking!

I remember wearing pants like these in the 80s, but this time around I'd so like to get them right. The slouchy silhouette really calls to me as I'm really not into fitted looks - the perfect;y cut slouchy pants have been a lifelong quest. I thought bright color would work better for pants I could wear to work (per my MaryK moment!).

I'm off to my friend''s place out of town for the weekend, to help her daughter get ready for prom... a good way to take my mind off my slouchy misery for a while. Thank you for bearing with me on this thus-fruitless quest!

AJ

Veteran

I think if you just follow the same formula as you did in that killer outfit that I referred to earlier. The tucked in top shows the slouchiness but the jacket minimizes the high waist effect, but keep all the pieces low contrast.

Deborah

Veteran

Una I think the fit looks really good, but my question here is should the waist band actually sit lower. The pants are sitting very high in the photo and I recall Angie commenting that these pants look good kind of slung lower on the hips.

Mochi

Veteran

All sorts of disclaimers about not being up on slouchy pants theory, mechanics, and being a very beginning-level stylist in general. Okay, that said now, it seems to me that with all their inherent comPlications as well as the increased acreage they take up (use more fabric in other words--NOT a comment on a wearer) this is one style where avoiding a glaring color and toning down with something like grey, olive, etc would neutralize some of the trickiness of styling and wearing them. I really feel the pink is overwhelming, and can't even look past it. My two cents. I think there's a pair out there for you, absolutely.

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Una, I think the trousers are killer on you.

A couple of things I have learned from styling my slouchy trousers:
*I don't like to wear a tight top, I like a slightly looser top tucked to create a slight blouson. I think your high low UWP top will look amazing.
*I like my slouchy trousers with flats as much as heel so experiment with all of your footwear (your house slippers are way cooler than mine)

In your first photo the red of the top is throwing me, I think if it was an even cooler toned piece it would look insanely good.

As a side note...swimwear shopping paralyzes most women with fear. I always remember being at the beach and how, when there, I do not have the hottest bod but I'm not the worst either. I know you would be the same.

Jjsloane

Veteran

These look on you like I wish they would look on me. I think it's just getting used to the silhouette or it's just not for you. Great advice on styling to confirm.

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I think the fit is great on you - but I am really liking the slouchy trousers this season. I also like the bright color - oh to have narrow hips. *sigh*

I do think that having either a tucked top or a shorter top with this type of pant elongates the legline and improves the look.

I also like the idea of tonal dressing or even color blocking with another bright.

I think they look really good on you and honestly can't see why you don't. Very strange because it usually takes me until a trend is almost over to see its beauty.

Diana

Veteran

I think these actually fit you very well and the slouch factor is just about right. I personally prefer some more scrunch at the ankle.

This is also going to sound kind of counterintuitive (MORE volume???), but I actually like slouchy pants with a paperbag waist + belt rather than the flat, trouser-style front you have here. They have to be properly drapey and not stiff for this look though.
ETA: I'm wearing my slouchy clams today... just posted my WIW if you want to see what I mean.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I'm with christieann about the style and fit -- I think this is how they are supposed to look. I must confess I am having a very hard time getting past my poisoned eye for this style. I think we moved away from it years ago for good reason. It is very challenging to create a truly figure-flattering look with this style of pants on all but the slimmest women. As someone who usually counts figure flattery above trendiness, I guess I feel like I need to represent the minority of YLFers who cannot jump up and down in glee over this trend.

However, Una, i think your IT build makes you a great candidate for this look, and you pull it off as well as anyone. I'm with Mochi in that I'm not a big fan of the color, and I also suspect the waist is a bit high, as Deborah points out. But the fit looks right otherwise.

Sorry to be so ambivalent. I seem to be working out my personal feelings about this style while also trying to give you some honest feedback, so I'm sorry if I'm muddying the waters a bit.

Anonymous

Hi there!
I gotta say AJ is a genius!!! I love her collage thingies:)
Anyhow, after reading all comments, I think I'm on the Mochi school of thought, with inclusion of all of her disclaimers.

I am the same way, I would not give up on a style until I find something that works for me. I would start with trying this pant style in a dark color, then take it from there.

If you are sold in the color, I would keep it reeeeally simple on top. What about a fitted turtleneck, a blouse with a clean front ( no bow, pockets, etc) or a simple tee? I would avoid patterns too, do a solid top. You definitely need heels.

Jonesy

Veteran

I'm on Team These Look FAB On You! The fit is almost identical to the awesome gray ones you posted earlier (the ones AJ has posted within the thread), so I'm just not seeing the fit issues. The only thing is the hot pink--will you wear that color? I really liked Parsley's look with the white jacket and black top, but are you going to be able to come up with enough outfits that work with the pink pants to justify keeping them? (I say this because I know I would not be able to, in all likelihood.) Black, white, and gray are no-brainers, but other combos might be challenging. Just my two cents.

Meredith1953

Veteran

I can only echo the feeling the feeling that the pants fit you correctly but I see you in a more subdued color and more low slung around those narrow hips of yours. Or to go with a higher paperbag waist as Diana mentioned. It is a tough style to pull off but after seeing how you rock plaid pants I know there is a perfect pair waiting if you are PPP.

Aziraphale

Veteran

I haven't read through the other comments, but my immediate response would be, don't sweat it too much. Slouchy pants are tricky. I think of anybody, you probably have the bod for them, because I think they require narrow hips.

I don't think those pink pants look totally dreadful on you, and there is an element of "slouchy pants don't photograph well" there too, because they don't have a defined shape and they're bright pink so you can't really see the shadows that define where the fabric drapes. And the whole point of slouchy pants is that they should drape nicely. But they are still not my favourite. My opinion isn't totally to be trusted, mind you, because I might have a slight poison eye for the look -- I always prefer pants that are more fitted at the waistline.

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