Time for high waist pants
Triwik Kurniasari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun,
01/09/2011 2:12 PM | Lifestyle
Want to refresh your appearance with this year’s
latest fashion trend? Why don’t you try high
waist pants which are expected to rule the fashion
scene as the hottest trousers of 2011?
Previously once only menswear, pants or
trousers have become favorite items for many
women around the globe.
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was one of the first
French fashion designers who introduced
menswear into women ’s attire sometime in the
1920s, replacing heavy full skirts and corsets with
casual outfits like suits and trousers. Chanel
herself also loved wearing them.
Trousers gained more popularity when classy
actresses of that time, like Marlene Dietrich and
Katharine Hepburn, were often spotted wearing
trousers on a number of occasions.
As time went by, pants developed in various
shapes and styles. There was the time when
Capri pants became favorites for stylish women
during the 1950s.
Meantime, in the period between 1960s and
1970s rose the hippie generation. It was marked
with the new trend of flared textured pants like
bell bottoms, wide leg pants called culottes and
hot pants.
In the 1980s, when disco fever plagued the
world, baggy trousers as well as leggings were
seen almost everywhere in colorful hues.
In the past few years, straight-leg pants and
skinny design trousers became the main highlight
on the fashion scene. So, what ’s in and out in
2011?
Jodhpurs, which were often seen on runways,
will not be a popular choice among fashionistas.
“ Many designers brought in jodhpurs in their
collections, but as a matter of fact, people were
not into those pants because they were not
practical for daily use, ” fashion designer Era
Soekamto told The Jakarta Post.
Only last year, many women in the country were
crazy about leggings jeans, popularly known as
jeggings. They are tight and stretchy just like
cotton leggings, so they fit the legs like a second
skin, but looks like denim.
The invention of jeggings is inspired by the return
of skinny jeans and leggings in the past few
years.
They are considered as are more comfy than
skinny jeans and are usually worn with oversized
T-shirts or blouses with simple ballet shoes. But
do these pants still rule in the new year?
“The jeggings trend will still continue in 2011.
They are practical to wear and available in any
sizes. The key is how you match them. In 2011,
they will appear in more varied choices of
materials, ” said Era.
A chic combination for jeggings is loose or
flowing tops, worn with or without belts. “If you
want to hide your stomach, never tuck your
shirts in. It ’s a no no. But you can if you have a
slim figure.”
Another hot trend that is expected to make a
highlight in 2011 is the high-waisted trouser.
“They are basically pants, which sit above the
natural waist line. They are more like baggy
pants, but they are high-waisted, bulkier in the
waist, ” Era said.
“This design used to be popular at the end of the
1980s, along with suits and blazers. The high-
waisted pants now appear in a more fashionable,
modern style. ”
The bottom part of high-waist trousers can either
be flared or cropped with a pencil cut.
Noted international designers and fashion houses
such as Calvin Klein, Chloé and Emilio Pucci, also
embraced this new trend in their collections.
Klein, for instance, teamed an ivory crepe and
long-sleeve blouse with a matching high-waisted,
cropped pant for his Fall/Winter 2010 ready-to-
wear collection.
Chloé matched a long-sleeved silk beige blouse
and high-waisted flared trousers. Pucci chose a
rock-and-roll style by pairing black high-rise
pants with a violet shirt and black jacket.
High-waisted trousers are well suited for those
who have slender and long silhouettes. Women
with hourglass figures and flat tummies will look
great in the pants as these will show off their
curves.
Even though these pants will make your legs look
longer and elongate the body line, they don ’t go
well with those who have short waists because
they will make the torso look shorter.
So, will Indonesian women, who typically have
short waists, suit these pants?
“If you want to be stylish and keep up-to-date
with fashion, you surely still can wear these kind
of pants. Your torso will look longer if you match
the pants with right tops. It ’s about the way you
style it,” said Era.
“The high-waisted pants can be combined with
bodysuits, fitted tops or skin tight T-shirts. You
can also combine them with other items like
scarves and belts, depending on your style, ” she
added.
Era suggested women with short waists avoid
bulky pocket detail to elongate their figure.
Another way is to pair pants with high heels or
wedges to make the legs look longer