What are Harem Pants?
Harem pants are commonly referred to as “parachute pants” that were worn in the 80s and made famous by MC Hammer. They are qualified by being baggy at the thighs, and tapered at the ankles. They are normally made in a lightweight material and sit high on the waist. They were brought in as a trend during the spring season, but will definitely carry through into summer because of it’s lightweight material and comfort.
How to Wear Harem Pants:
Harem pants may be a little bit tricky to pair off because of their baggy nature and structure. This may be a reason why not a lot of people have incorporated this style into their wardrobe. Here are a few tips on the ways to wear them:
- With harem pants, you want to make sure to tuck your shirt in.
- Try rolling up the bottoms of the pants giving them a cropped appearance. This makes them perfect for summer while looking polished.
- Because the pants are baggy, you might be interested in wearing a tighter fitting top as a contrast. This will prevent you from looking like a big melon walking around.
- If you have a slim body figure, you may be able to pull off wearing a baggier top, such as one with butterfly sleeves, tucked into the pants. This is because your waistline is generally small, so if it is accented and cinched with a belt, you will still look slim.
- Any sort of shoes would look great with harem pants. The only restriction would be tucking them into long boots. This is because it loses the effect of the tapered pant, and gives it the look of sweatpants tucked into boots… not very appealing.
- These pants can be dressed up or dressed down. You can wear them casually with a plain top, or pair it with a blazer.
- AVOID wearing a hoodie (zip up, or pullover) with harem pants. Yes, they can be worn casually, but they are definitely not as casual as jeans, and will look extremely awkward with a hoodie. Because they require a little bit of thought when wearing them, it is not a good idea to treat them as sweatpants, especially because they convey a more polished look.
- My only warning, based on experience, is to avoid ones made of linen. They crease easily which makes it lose its put-together look.
My Outfit of the Day Featuring Harem Pants:
I’m wearing a tight-fitting v-neck sweater in navy, paired off with pinstriped harem pants in oatmeal that are rolled up at the bottom. I cinched my waist with a brown belt, and wore lace-up flats. My favourite colour combination for this summer is navy and beige/oatmeal. They compliment each other in a way that is unexpected yet easy on the eyes. Harem pants are probably one of my favourite types on pants to wear excluding denim. They look dressy and polished, while still giving me the comfort of skinnies because of the tapered ankle.
On a Final Note:
Harem pants can be found at stores such as Artizia, H&M, American Apparel, and Forever 21. They can sometimes be pricey but, in my opinion, are worth it because of its multipurpose quality and the look it conveys. They may take a little while to get used to. I mean, who could imagine wearing parachute pants? However, these are not as poofy as parachute pants once were, so they are easily accepted. Since they are normally made in a lightweight material, it’s a great trend to try out this summer!
