Looking for the perfect pair!
When I began this blog, I described my body as a zucchini. I was surprised to find out Lesley from Jodie’s Touch of Style describes her body in the same way! Ordinarily, I’m probably more of a gourd…you know the ones with an hourglass shape. When I gain weight, those pesky pounds almost always appear around my middle. This go round is no different! So, buying pants and jeans can be a nightmare! At any weight, I carry the bulk of it in my butt and thighs and have always struggled with finding good pants or jeans. Today, I’m presenting wide legs!
Wide legs…
I love a good drapey wide leg pant! I like the swish factor as well as the comfort. I picked these up at Loft over the weekend. I bought them in a regular length so they’d actually be long pants on me. I am going to say it right now. I am not a fan of the cropped wide leg pant for me. When you’re vertically challenged as I am, the cropped wide leg cuts you off at a weird spot. This may just be in my head, but it’s my head writing this post and wearing these pants!
Wide legs…friend or foe?
I also know, when looking at these photos, the wide leg pants may not exactly be my friend. But, that could also be a matter of what I chose to wear with them. As I tried them on, my thoughts immediately went to my default styling…white tee with a denim jacket! I have a wide belt I’ll try in the future. Oh, now that I think of it, I also have a couple of nicer linen short sleeved sweaters that would work! Doggone it, I should have thought of that earlier! So, as I look at the photos again, I think the problem is definitely in my styling. By using the cardigan as a completer piece, I totally eliminated any type of waistline. And, yet, I really, really like the way this outfit came together! Maybe in a couple of months, I’ll like it even better!
A true score!
I had bought some new jeans at Loft a few weeks ago and had some Loft cash (is that what they call it…everyone seems to have their own version). Over the weekend, Loft also had 50% off everything! I made that Loft cash work. I do that with my clothes, too…read about it here. I picked up a cute cardigan, a sweater tank, and a pair of winter socks as well as my pants. Why the socks, you ask? I needed to spend just a few more dollars in order to use my $25 Loft cash! Now, there are times spending just a little more doesn’t make sense because you spend $10 to save $15. But, this was a case of spending $3.99 to save $25! Sometimes, you just have to give in to the thrill of the chase, right? And, all of that was less than $50!
The Lewk!
Today’s outfit features the wide leg pants from Loft as well as a twinset (sort of) from Talbots. While it doesn’t necessarily look like the traditional twinset, the embroidery on the cardigan mimics the print on the sleeveless sweater underneath. I wanted to pull out the blues in the print so I grabbed a pair of turquoise earrings, a mosaic turquoise bracelet (gifts from one of Nigel’s business trips to the Southwest) as well as a necklace made from chips of turquoise. This really old Brighton (did anyone else go through a Brighton stage…just me?…hmmm) bracelet has many of the colors of the cardigan and shell (yes, Jodie, I still use that word). The ring is tanzanite and maybe diamonds but could be white sapphires. It was a gift from Nigel years ago. The sandals are old Rockport Cobb Hill (similar). They zip up the back so none of that struggling to find the doggone hole!
A little change!
Just a reminder that Marsha in the Middle may use an affiliate link. Those links are usually italicized. If you click or make a purchase from an italicized link I provide, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support. As of right now, I do have an affiliate code for Kantha Bae! Use MarshaintheMiddle in the promo code box for $5 off any order (excluding Bestie restocks)! In case you didn’t know, bloggers must disclose the use of affiliate links. That’s why I include this in each post.
Wrap it up, Marsha!
Well, to make a short-ish post shorter, I’m still on the lookout for the perfect pair of pants. These aren’t quite it. I did receive some new jeans from Talbots. Maybe I’ll do a post with those before returning the losers ones I don’t like. What do you think? Are wide leg pants your friend or your foe? Do you like this outfit or would the denim jacket and tee work better? Please leave me a comment or two. I’d love to hear from you! And, thank you so much to all of my subscribers. I really do appreciate you!
Where you can find me:
Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, My Bijou LIfe, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, Being a Wordsmith, and Mummabstylish. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I’m also a co-host on the Weekend Traffic Jam (here).
I am a lover of a good wide-legged pant! I have very slender pins which I am forever trying to hide, so w/l pants are a winner for me! Long may they reign in the fashion kingdom! 🙂
Hahaha!!! It took me a minute to get the pins reference! Isn’t it funny you want to hide yours just as much as I want to hide my tree stumps? And, I’m hoping they reign for a good long time, too!
I think cropped wide leg pants do fit and feel weird to wear; unless they hit jut below the knee (which they never do). I had a pair I loved but I had sized up so they’d look regular length on me too and then they shrunk in the wash and hit just below my ankles and I felt like they looked like they had shrunk. I still am not much of a mixing prints kind of gal so I’d probably style these pants with a denim jacket and a white tee or button up… who am I kidding? I hardly own more than 1 patterned item to mix and match anyway!
That could be one of your steps, Joanne! Find a couple of patterns and mix them up! I bet you would be surprised what you’d create because you always look fabulous!
And, yes, cropped wide legs just don’t look good on me…I think they are wonderful on taller people, though!
These look great on you Marsha and I am glad you found them. I especially like the vertical stripe. I love a wide leg pant too as long as it’s not a paper bag waist – I carry my weight in the middle and with a short waist and large chest – well, it can be a big disaster!
xo,
Kellyann
Thanks, Kellyann! Oh, I didn’t think about the short waist thing. I do think I will chop the draw string off because it’s extra long. It’s functional so I don’t want to eliminate it completely. I was just glad they didn’t do a patch pocket with the stripes going horizontally! I really went in to try the gingham check pants…that was a huge no for me!!!
I look forward to your posts! You seem to be just a normal gal finding the right clothes to fit your body shape. I have a couple of wide leg pants and never know how to style them! I am 5’6″ and weigh around 170 (on a good day ha!)
I think I’d like the t-shirt look, a color which matches one of the stripes in the pants and a denim jacket. I also carry most of my weight in my stomach. I have often referred to myself as having a ‘humpty dumpty’ shape. HA.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks, Kathy! I am trying to figure it out…you’d think I’d know since I’ve only been wearing clothes for 64+ years! I’ll see what I can find in my closet and give your hints a try!
Humpty dumpty wouldn’t work for me because he had those little stick legs! Put him on a couple of tree stumps and that would be me!
I’m petite, and have been struggling with the middle-age belly weight too. I’m really liking full length wide leg pants that are made in a soft fabric, but wide leg jeans make me look 10lbs heavier. I agree that cropped wide leg pants are a definite no! I like the vertical stripes on your pants, LOFT had such a great sale, didn’t it?! XO Nipa
I know what you mean about the wide leg jeans. I have a couple of pairs and have relegated them to the staying at home, doing nothing category! Did you get good stuff at Loft?
Thanks for coming by!
I now like wide legged trousers I have 2 pair in lilac and purple that i wear a lot. But I never liked them before, only cropped ones. I do like the trousers on you, but….. think a tee and denim jacket with a scarf will look better.
I will definitely give the tee and denim jacket a try. I wanted to go past what I would usually do! Thanks, Nancy!
This outfit looks super comfy, but stylish. Since you didn’t button the cardigan, you waist is still visible. And I love the pattern mixing. Which brings me to my next question. I am starting a new challenge called Final Friday Pattern Mixing, and I’m looking for co-hosts (formal announcement in tomorrow’s post). Would you be interested?
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Oh, Michelle! Send me an email with the details! I’m very interested in co-hosting with you!
Thanks for that comment about the waist…I hadn’t thought of that! Sometimes, I just want something to work and try to convince myself it does!
I think you look super cute here in these wide-leg pants! That neutral stripe is so chic and will work all through summer!
I’m trying to “enjoy” the rollercoaster of seasons as spring and winter battle it out, haha- but will be happy when warmer weather is here to stay. 🙂
Hope you have a lovely weekend!
-Ashley
Thanks so much, Ashley! Oh, I know…this weather is crazy, but it’s always like this only a little more so (thanks, global warming). Nigel has mowed twice so spring is definitely closer no matter what the calendar says!
I do love these pants and am going to try some different things!
I have a love/hate relationship with wide leg pants: I have found just a few that I actually like and think look good on me so before I purchase them, I really try to look at them critically. I typically wear something more fitted on top but not always but it does sometimes take me a few tries to put together a look that I like. I really like the print mixing in your outfit.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Thanks, Mireille! I do think they may be trickier to style than a more slender silhouette. I’m going to try several different things, but, in the end, I do like these pants a lot!
I know exactly what you mean about the wide-leg pants and you might be shocked since I’m slim. But in reality, I think it’s just because it’s a different shape of pants for us that we aren’t used to. We’ve been in skinny jeans SO long. But really, they aren’t much different than skirts (which is how I grew to love the cropped pants too).
But Lesley will tell you she hates them.
Truthfully, I think we see ourselves through different lenses than others see us. We get so obsessed over looking bigger here or bigger there, and that’s not the point, right? But it’s a hard thing to change. I keep saying that it’s taken me 50+ years to start having fun with my clothes.
BTW, I LOVE everything about this look.
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com (and thanks for the shoutout)
Thanks, Jodie, for the vote of confidence (I think)! I love them and always have, but then I question whether or not they look good. But, I guess if I feel good in them, that’s good enough! I think it’s funny you’re featuring wide leg pants on your blog today, too! Great minds and all that!!
I love wide-leg trousers and yours are great. I am going to try some wide-legged jeans next week that I have my eye on. Beautiful polka dot cardigan 🙂
Thanks, Claire! I can’t wait to see your jeans! I’ve found the stiffer denim is not particularly a good look on me!
Hi Marsha!
Went to send you an email today, and I can’t for the life of me find your email address. (I looked under Contact Me, but no email address there….) So here’s the scoop. The Final Friday Print Matching Party will occur on the last Friday of the month, (April 29th this month) and the hosts – so far just you and I – will do an outfit that incorporates print matching. There will be a link up, and I will send you the code. Maybe we should send each other a pic of our outfits to put in our posts too? Anyway, if you could drop me a line at mybijoulife @ pm.me so I could get your email address, that would be awesome. ? Thank you for joining me on this little adventure!
Hmmm…I’ll check out my contact page. I did send an email to the above address. I’m definitely in for this!!!
Wide leg pants are so fun to wear and come in so many fun prints! I do hope you find your winning pair! Love your twinset!
Thanks, Laura! I do love the comfort of a wide leg pant. I’ve got my eye on a couple more at Loft!!
It’s a great outfit with lovely neutral colours. I really like your cardigan too, it looks so good. 🙂
♡ ☯ ☮ P&P style ☮ ☯ ♡
Thanks so much!!!
Wide leg pants are so comfortable! I really like the vertical stripes on your wide pants. Your shoes and accessories are attractive, too.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
Thanks, Carol! I was hoping the vertical stripes would help me make about a foot taller…hahaha!!!