I've been a huge fan of harem pants for years. Harem pants are one of those wardrobe items that I've found people either love or hate. There isn't much in the way of ambivalence in how folks respond to whether they'll wear them, in my experience. I've seen them be panned by stylists as a fashion fail and glorified as the best thing since sliced bread.

I put them firmly in the best thing since slight bread category for a number of reasons:

• Most. Comfortable. Pants. Ever
• Figure forgiving. Wearing this type of pant isn't about being conventionally figure flattering, imho. It's about making a statement that I am comfortable in my own skin wearing whatever I like.
• Best pants for hot weather climates. If you want leg coverage when the temps reach over 100 degrees and don't feel like wearing a dress or sweating like the dickens in regular pants these are the way to go (I have a couple of pairs of harem pants that I wore constantly in the spring and summer months when I lived in Vegas. I'd be cool enough when I was outside in the hot temps because of the fluid fabric and cut but warm enough when I was inside in the overly chilled AC that is everywhere in Vegas in the summer.

The most important thing about styling harem pants, imho, is attitude. Wear the pants. Don't let the pants wear you.

This weekend I did something I very, very rarely do. I bought two brand new pairs of premium denim jeans. The R13 harem jeans and R13 X-Over jeans. I'm guessing right now a few of you may be doing some math, going, wait...what?! Aren't those jeans like an obscene amount of money?

Yeah, they sort of are (at least in my book). But I pulled the trigger anyway. Here's my reasoning:

• OMG, harem pants in ultra soft japanese denim! I love jeans and wear them more than any other type of clothing item. So to get both harem and denim combined is nirvana in my book.
• Both styles are not basic jeans. They are a very unique style that other brands aren't copying. You won't find me rushing out to buy $500 jeans that look like my trusty but true Levi's skinnies but have a price tag that is 10x what I pay for my "regular" jeans. I looked at the R13 skinny jeans while I was in the store. They don't look or feel any different than the other pairs of good quality skinny jeans I own so I'm not interested in paying $300 for them when I can get the same quality and look for less after-market and/or pre-owned (I think it's perfectly fine that folks do this for themselves. I'm not judging others, whatsoever. If you've got the money and want to spend it on premium denim then bless you and have at it! I refer specifically to my own preferences when it comes to purchasing jeans).
• 99% of my jeans (and most of my clothing in general) I buy after-market or pre-owned. So on average I end up paying about $25-$40 for those J Brand and Adriano Goldschmied jeans that retail at over $200. But if I find I really like something like these unique R13 styles then I don't have a problem actually buying them new and paying the premium price.
• This is the most important criteria: I have the cash in the bank to do so without it being any kind of a hit to my budget. Just because I don't usually buy my things new/full retail doesn't mean I can't. I just don't. (This isn't meant to sound snobbish, it's meant to illustrate that you won't find me paying the equivalent of rent on a bag or clothing item if it means I won't be able to pay my rent that month or I have to put it on a credit card to afford it). I don't use credit cards. If I don't have the cash to pay for something, then, in my book, I can't afford it. This holds true for luxury purchases or cars. It is, again, just my own personal philosophy for shopping, applicable only to myself, not others.

So I bought the harem jeans and the x-overs and I'm quite glad I did. More often than not I'll likely end up wearing the harem jeans uber casual with flip flops and tanks. For their "inaugural" spin, though, I decided to go more Edgy RATE with an Attitude -- and pair them with boots, shrunken fit leather moto and leopard cabbie hat. Again...wear the pants. Don't let the pants wear you.

I'll actually be bringing these to my seamstress to have them taken in a bit in the waist and slimmed ever so slightly at the top hip area --they are a squidge too big so right now I couldn't wear them without a belt. I want the option to wear them belt-less, so I think just a little nip/tuck will make them perfect.

So there you have it. Who else here is in the love it versus hate it camp when it comes to harem pants? And how do you feel about the style reinterpreted in denim?

Bonus photos I added are of another pair of harem pants that I bought in Barcelona Spain at a flea market about 6 years ago. This was before the harem trend became big in the US. I got them in black and taupe. I LOVE these harems and they are very much a weekend wear essential for me, especially for running errands like hitting the dry cleaners or getting a pedicure. This was Sunday's running errands outfit. Super casual, no-makeup, getting stuff done attire!

Leopard cabbie hat: no brand name (via ebay)
V-neck t-shirt: Aeropostale
R13 Harem jeans: The Parliament at Fred Segal
Striped scarf: thrifted
Belt: vintage (thrifted)
Shrunken-fit leather moto: vintage - this is actually a boy's vintage jacket worn as a shrunken fit. (via ebay)
Ankle boots: Rachel Comey Mars boots (via ebay)
Bag: DVF Stephanie (via Nordie's)
Sterling fox head hoop earrings: NYC Art Gallery years a go (I've forgotten the jewelry designer's name)
Sterling cigar band ring: vintage (via ebay)
Sterling bracelet: Vintage "Bone" series cuff bracelet by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany (via estate buyout back when I was in the biz)