Find Your Fit: 10 Types of Pants For Women

Having a trusted pair of pants in your wardrobe is a must as they are comfortable and easy to wear on the go with no risk of riding up. You can simply throw on a t-shirt or shirt for a casual look or dress it up with a blouse or embellished jacket – the options are endless. However, you can’t just buy the first pair of basic pants you come across, right? Well, you can, but why not explore the different types and then make an informed decision? This will help you style them well and look and feel elegant.

Pants can be categorised into different types based on fit and silhouette. The first thing you need to look at is the waist rise, which is further categorised into three types – high, mid, and low. Pants are further classified depending on the cut and fit at the lower half. We share all of these details in this guide, so keep reading. We also dive into the latest pants trends and styling tips.

Types of Pants: By Rise

1. Aiming High

High-rise pants, which hit right at or above your belly button, suits most body types. They are ideal for tucking in your tops or sweaters or wearing with a bodysuit. Wearing fitted tops with high-rise jeans is a great hack to get the hourglass silhouette. These jeans are also known to be the most comfortable ones. Mom jeans, which are currently trending, are the perfect example of comfortable yet chic-looking high-waist jeans.

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2. In The Middle

Mid-rise pants are worn on the natural waistline – between the belly button and hips. They are ideal to wear with regular or cropped tops, allowing you to flaunt a peek of skin while keeping it casual. You can also style these with a half-tucked or French tuck shirt or a cardigan, and style them with dainty jewellery for a business casual look. If you want to dress it up, go for a corset top or bralette.

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3. Get Low

Low-rise pants usually sit right under your natural waistline. You can go for a bolder look with an extremely low waist to show off your midriff. For a casual vibe, wear them with racerbacks, bandeau, or even scarf tops. You can layer oversized shirts or jackets over these if you want to style them for winter. You can also dress up your low-rise pants with embellished tops for the ultimate disco-chic look.

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Types of Pants: By Silhouette

1. These Boot(cuts) Are Made For Walking

Don’t you just love how pants are basically named right after their functionality? Bootcut jeans were designed to be worn with, you guessed it, boots! You can also wear them with heels or even chunky sneakers – the key is getting some height. It’s not all about denim, you can also get trousers and workout pants in this style. They are fitted at the waist and thigh and flared below the knee. You can wear bootcut trousers or jeans with a flannel shirt and boots for the classic rugged look or go for a romantic top with puffed sleeves and heels.

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2. Flare It Up

A step ahead of the bootcut, flared pants have a more dramatic cut. As it looks elegant and classy, flared pants with lace or sheer fabrics will give ‘main character’ vibes. Pair it with a fitted top to get an effortless hourglass shape. Want to add some warmth? You can’t go wrong with a knit t-shirt, which is also Alia Bhatt-approved. However, flared pants can get dirty quickly at the hem, so take account of the same and wear footwear with height.

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3. Go Wide

In the third step of the how-loose-do-you-want-your-pants game, wide-legged pants are flared from waist to ankle. While comfort is the obvious benefit here, they are a great base to build your outfit and keep the focus on your torso. You can also turn them into a co-ord set with a matching oversized top or jacket. Remember that these pants tend to run long, so make sure to wear footwear that won’t make you trip over.

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4. Skinny Legends

Recent trends in fashion have been all about comfy and anti-fit silhouettes (thank god!). However, millennial girls are all too familiar with skinny jeans and skin-tight pants, which were the go-to look in the 2010s. They are fitted throughout the legs and are great if you want to flaunt your body. In their defence, skinny pants do look great with loose or oversized tops and t-shirts. If you want to channel the baddie or rockstar girlfriend aesthetic, ripped skinny jeans and leather moto jackets are a big yes. You can also add a desi touch and wear skinny jeans with short or knee-length kurtis.

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5. Baggy Bottoms

From good ol’ skinny to as-loose-as-can-be fits, it’s been a year of contrasting silhouettes in fashion. And this is why we couldn’t do this list without mentioning baggy bottoms, which include styles like cargos, joggers, and parachute pants. Great to show off your athleisure side, you can style baggy joggers with a bomber jacket and cap. For a brunch or airport outfit, you can also go for linen baggy pants and pair them with a complimentary shirt. While we’re on the topic, let’s not forget that Korean baggy pants are all the rage at the moment – a big thumbs up for business casual looks.

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6. Classy Culottes

Culotte pants resemble the silhouette of a skirt and are usually cut at the knee or calf length. They are perfect for formal looks when worn with satin shirts, lace tops, or turtlenecks and paired with high heels like pumps. You can also dress them up for dinner parties or a night out with lace-up heels and an embellished top.

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7. Straight Pants

Chinos, cigarette pants, straight-leg jeans and dress pants are ideal for a toned-down formal look. Wear them with a tucked-in shirt and blazer for the ultimate boss-girl vibes. For a casual vibe, tie your shirt at the waist instead of tucking it in. They can also be transformed easily for a day look when paired with a striped shirt, loafers, and sunglasses.

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