May 3, 201208:54 PMGirl Next Door

British fashionista Charlotte Crowley tells you what to wear—and what NOT to wear.

Three Ways to Wear It: Coloured Pants

Style Delights

With the current economic climate, I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had to rethink my usual shopping habits. These days, instead of picking up anything and everything in H&M 'just because', I really have to think about choosing pieces that are going to last instead of pieces that seem great at that moment, but end up at the back of my wardrobe, with the tags looming guiltily, still attached. To ensure I always pick the best pieces, I play the “three ways game” for every item I consider buying- I have to find three different ways to remix the item (remixing: wearing the same item in different ways and with different things). This ensures that the item will fit easily into my wardrobe, and creates three new outfits straight away. Over the next few weeks, I'll be picking some of my favourite S/S2012 items and showing you three ways to wear them.

This week I've chosen a pair of coloured pants.

Republic $48

Like last week, I've decided to pick something that many people would shy away from for being a bit daunting and difficult to wear so I can both have a bit of a challenge, and also give you some new inspiration. Coloured pants have been around for a few seasons now and show no sign of going anywhere, but they are a scary prospect. Like a lot of women, I don't like to draw attention to my lower half, prefer to wearing dark denim and black opaque tights, but I have recently come to accept the world of coloured trousers that has been waiting for me. I now own 4 pairs! When I received my first pair, a mustard-yellow pair last fall, I had no idea what to do with them. They weren't vibrantly bright, but they were a little out of my comfort zone. Eventually, however, I really came to love them. They were such a small change to a simple jeans-and-tshirt outfit, and surprisingly, went with so many items in my wardrobe! The trick it not to overcomplicate them, and treat them as you would any other pair of trousers or jeans. Chose a style and a fit that is similar to you usual pants to ensure you feel comfortable in them, and pick a colour that works well with the rest of your wardrobe. Pastels denim is a huge trend at the moment, but if you want t0 play it safe, try darker colours such as maroon, dark purple and khaki.

Found your perfect pair? Now for my three ways to wear them:

1. Casual

   Coloured trousers are perfect for a casual look. Pair with a graphic tshirt (band tshirts are fab, as are black and white stripes), a casual jacket (such a denim jacket- ignore the whole double-denim rule, leather jacket or light hoodie or sweatshirt) and sneakers for the perfect weekend look.

2. A little dressy

   If you work in a more casual work environment, or fancy something a little smarter for a lunch date or meeting, try your coloured pants (for a more formal look, chose trousers over jeans) with a white shirt, ballet flats, scarf and blazer, a la Kate Middleton. This brings a spark of fun to what could be a boring outfit.

3. Night out

   For evening, wear your coloured pants with a leather jacket and heels, and chose a dressy top (neutral lace is gorgeous or a fancy blouse). One great way to try this is by choosing a blouse with a print that incorporates the colour of your pants,

Will you be trying coloured pants this season? How will you wear them?

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