Stop! Harem Time

Balmain

Harem pants are a trend that I've always observed with caution. On the wrong girl, they look like you escaped from an MC Hammer video, or worse, like you're wearing an oversize diaper. But on the right girl... tres chic! Especially when of the gray or beige sweatpant material being worn with reckless abandon these days. (I saw them on a girl at The Vault party, paired with black pumps and a black tank top. She looked absolutely divine.)

Having been a general hater of pants that are of the non-denim variety, I've begun incorporating more looks into my wardrobe. (Mostly because I had to. Banks do not look kindly on tellers in jeans and facial piercings.) So cotton slacks were bought for work, a pair of leggings for a dinner date. And- gasp! I liked them. They were easy and comfortable, but with a little more polish than my skinnies.

But these pants. These harem pants. Where do you wear them? HOW do you wear them? I think I've got the shoe part down (a high, high pump in a neutral color or an edgy bootie), but the top half of such a look perplexes me. Keep it structured, or loose? I absolutely adore this look from YSL, but am not quite sure how this would be worn in real life:


Gap has a pretty pair for cheap, that I'm thinking of picking up as a starter. A gateway pant, if you will. If I like how they come together, who knows what type of bottoms I'll come out with, next? Maybe I'll just go sans pants, a la Lady Gaga.

Or maybe not.