When the temperature starts dipping, it is time to give your wardrobe a seasonal refresh for the winter. Wearing warm, cozy, and comfy outfits is indispensable when dressing up for the colder weather, but that doesn’t mean that you should sacrifice your sense of fashion and style.
Great winter outfits should start from the bottom up, meaning pants take center stage. When it is too awkward to wear tights under jeans and too chilly for our trusty dresses, only a high-quality pair of pants will do the trick.
Choosing the right pair of winter pants is all about versatility. You want a pair that will effortlessly take you from having drinks with friends in a stuffy, overheated club to wet, frigid commutes.
After months of Zoom shirts and uber-comfy sweatpants, people are heading back this winter to working from the office, creating some sort of a pants crunch. What style of pants to purchase? What goes with what? And which ones are really worth it?
From wool-blend pants that are ready-made for work to versatile leggings that you can wear everywhere and camo pants sure to help you blend with style, we have found five styles of pants poised to keep you warm and toasty all winter long.
1- Ready-for-Work Wool Pants
When it starts feeling chilly outside, take it as your cue to give your work dress pants a refresh for the winter season. To that end, consider trading your warm-weather crepe pants, khakis, dresses, and chinos for cold-weather wool pants.
Loose-fitting and wide-legged wool pants are the secret to dressing up comfortably and fashionably for the office this winter. They are incredibly smooth, buttery-soft, lightweight, and provide a bit of give, making for a fantastic wearing experience.
The choice is endless, as these work-ready pants come in speckled, herringbones, pleats, and even flannel wools. The whole day will zoom by, and you will hardly notice that you haven’t changed out of your work pants. You can get them in a rainbow of colors, too.
Wide-leg, slightly baggy wool pants are a versatile style that will effortlessly pair with your favorite blazers, dress shirts, and work footwear during the workday. Plus, you can rock the pants once again outside of the office.
For example, team a pair of beige wide-leg wool pants with a black pea coat for a strikingly sophisticated and stylish office look. A pair of black suede ankle boots adds a chic aesthetic to the work get-up.
On the weekend, you can trade the pea coat for a black wool biker jacket, creating an off-duty outfit that looks as chic as it is comfortable. You can also swap the ankle boots for black suede pumps if it isn’t freezing.
It can be easy to compromise on style during the cold months when everyone’s seeking functional clothing. However, wide-leg wool pants are an irrefutable testimony that you can look stylish and remain warm at the same time during the wintry months.
2- Cashmere Leggings-Style Pants
Now that the snow is piling and you’re battling icy commutes, your run-of-the-mill sporty leggings and loungewear won’t cut it for keeping you warm.
Enter cashmere leggings-style pants, the luxurious way to stay comfortable and warm while remaining stylish and chic this winter. While they can be pricey, you cannot really beat the feeling that comes with slipping the leggings over your freezing legs.
A solid pair of cashmere pants should be made from ethically-sourced fabric and just a touch of spandex for a bit of stretch and give. This will make your heart and conscience warm while helping you stay comfortable and cozy whether you’re dashing out for a grocery run, lounging around the house, or going out and about.
If you don’t mind splurging on your winter wardrobe, these pants are ideal for pairing with other cashmere pieces of clothing and accessories. Think cashmere socks, cashmere scarves, cashmere coats, and cashmere hats or beanies. For example, team a cashmere sweater with a pair of cashmere leggings for a matching set.
3- Camo Pants
Plaids, gingham, and fruit pastels are fun during summer and fall, but for winter, there’s camo. The combat-inspired print is evergreen and works like a charm with the rest of the winter wardrobe. That means you can wear camo pants from the first snowfall of the winter to the start of spring and beyond.
Styled properly and creatively, camo pants can be strikingly chic, stylish, and even office-ready, plus they can be dressed both down and up. You can wear them with a belt on or off — either way, the pants will look and feel amazing.
If you have been wearing leggings and sweatpants while working from home, transitioning to camo pants is seamless. They are a more playful, a little dressier, and a chicer version of the loungewear.
The real fun starts when it comes to styling camo pants for the cold season. Consider pairing the camo pants with a turtleneck and tucking them into a pair of knee-high boots for a conversation-starter holiday look.
Alternatively, layer the pants with an olive-green parka and oversized cardigan for a chilly weekend getaway, says Sanctuary Clothing. A pair of snow uggs, black sunglasses and wooly socks is the perfect addition to give your ensemble a smart and warm vibe.
4- Black Jean Pants
Let’s admit it already – jeans are one of those clothing styles that will stay fashionable forever. You can wear jeans to a birthday bash or totally rock a pair for work unless your office has imposed a strict dress code. The trick is to wear jeans in black, as the classic shade will make your pants look more professional yet stylish.
Opt for skinny jeans or straight-leg jeans. Wearing loose-fitting jeans to work is a no-no, as they will make you look unprofessional and awkward, if not clownish. Fortunately, you can pull off any casual outfit with jeans, including a work-casual look.
If you are a self-sworn jeans aficionado, styling them is a breeze. Team your black jeans with heeled knee-high boots, a crisp dress blouse, and a work-appropriate blazer for that extra touch of pizzazz.
Pair your black jeans with a gray shearling jacket for an easy-to-wear casual outfit. You’d be surprised at how quick and easy it is to put together this outfit. Introduce a gray suede tote bag, a pair of black velvet knee-high boots, and a black cowl-neck sweater to the mix— and you’re ready to look drop-dead gorgeous.
5- Corduroy Pants
Corduroy pants are another style that seems to stick around forever, and it is no surprise that they are hot and trendy this winter. When corduroy pants are en vogue (as they are now), they are superb for the cold weather.
The corduroy texture is prized for its ability to conceal snow and water stains, not to mention the pants can be super-warm and extra soft. Moreover, you can play around with colors without going overboard when styling corduroy pants.
For example, you can get away with pairing a pair of burgundy corduroy pants with a red knit oversized cardigan or sweater. The combo works on so many levels and fits any casual occasion. You can finish off the look by introducing black velvet sneakers to increase the glam factor of the outfit instantly.
