It’s finally cold enough in the mornings here in Pittsburgh that I second-guess my usual boots and a skirt combo walking to work. Leggings and tights can only do so much to keep me warm when we’re in the low 40′s and the mercury is dropping every day.
Just in time, my friends at The Gap sent me a free batch of three of their new styles in black pants to test out:
The modern boot pant
Call me old-fashioned, or just a loyal fan of What Not to Wear, but I think it’s hard to go wrong with a dark bootcut pant. These are going to go in my work rotation since they are a nicer blended fabric- but still machine washable. Hooray! The pockets are just there for appearances, so they fit clean and smooth around the hips and back. Being sort of … ahem… flat on the back end, I thought the fit on me was perfect. No saggy extra fabric where I just don’t have it to give. They were nice and snug, but not tight around the waist and hips- very fitted. If you are fuller in that area, I might try their curvy style instead.
The boy fit pant
Another good work pant, but this one has a little more edge. In college, I loved the menswear look- and by that I mean, buying men’s pants at the thrift store. When you’re short like me and every muffin goes to the belly area, the more generous waist area is a blessing. And again, the lack of a backside… These are a much more forgiving fit in the waist area, true to menswear, but gently taper down to a more straight legged fit and a bit of slouch at the ankle. I can see putting them on with a fitted top (because a generous waist= no muffin top) and going out at night. The fabric is similar to the dressy boot cut style, so they will also work for the office.
The slim crop pant
The first time I wore these out of the house to walk to the store, an old guy shouted “You’re beautiful!” at me from across the street. (OK, he was drunk at 3 pm, but it’s a confidence boost, I suppose). These are slim, a very fitted cut, but not stretchy like the jean leggings. The fabric is a stiffer cotton, with just a little spandex. As a short woman, I love a cropped pant (which looks like a regular pant on five foot tall me). I threw them on with my new biker boots, a long T-shirt and a black jacket. They fit great under the boot, but I definitely wanted a longer top to cover up a little. I’m in my thirties after all, and not slender enough to wear skinny pants with a short top. But again, men shouted from across the street… so, take from that what you will. Definitely a weekend/ night-out pant for me.
They have seven styles rolling out now starting at $49.50. Thanks for the free trial, Gap!
