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| 'Fancy pants' ie. basically any trousers nicer than jeans. |
Every time I wear an outfit like this one, I experience some conflict. It's no secret that trousers worn with heels make one's legs appear miles long. But, usually, on the occasions when I wear pants, I'm striving for a pretty casual look- in fact I don't wear 'dress' pants very often at all. The particular pants I'm wearing here are cotton and have sailor style buttons at the waist so they are, arguably, fairly casual. And, being as they are so casual, I bristle a little at having to wear less than perfectly comfortable shoes with them. Especially when no one can see the aforementioned uncomfortable (yet adorable) shoes.
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| These are actually extremely comfortable wedges but still not as comfortable as flats. |
You see, I'd probably be willing to hobble for miles just to hear one person remark, "Cute shoes!" And I would almost certainly hear this several times if I wore these shoes with a skirt. No one noticed my shoes with the pants and my feet felt somewhat less than awesome after walking just the five blocks I needed to cover between the first available parking space and the cafe where I was meeting my friend for tea.
On the walk back to my car I'd decided to hem these pants so they could be worn with flat sandals, and to save the shiny wedges to wear with skirts where they'll garner the attention they deserve. Except that now I'm posting the photos I have to admit that my legs look all kinds of long and lean with this combination. Hence the conflict. Do I hem the pants and embrace casual comfort and comparatively short, stumpy legs? Or do I retain their (and my own) long legginess and just resign myself to circling the block looking for a closer parking spot in the future.
I don't believe discomfort is very chic. And I sure don't want to feel limited or encumbered by my clothes, but I do love getting compliments on my wardrobe, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't want thinner looking thighs. To hem, or not to hem? I know this shouldn't be one of life's most troubling questions but I want a wardrobe that works, you know. And by that I mean that I look my best and my feet don't hurt. I don't think this is asking too much and yet I don't seem to be able to make a decision on the length of my pants. I keep trying out this argument in my head: If I hem the pants to wear with flats I can park further away and comfortably walk the longer distance which will ultimately result in.... thinner thighs. Actually having thinner thighs trumps the appearance of thinner thighs, right?
I'm linking to Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style because, other than the sore tootsies in my might-as-well-have-been-invisible shoes I felt wonderfully visible in this.
Very pretty - and I vote for hemming the pants and wearing (awesome)flats. Be comfortable *and* stylish. I for one cannot look like the goddess I am when my feet hurt : >
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patti, for your compliment and your 'vote'. I realized shortly after posting this that I'll be much happier with these pants if I can just wear them and not have to worry if I can function in the shoes I need to wear to keep the hem off the ground. Also, I think I might have gotten a wee bit caught up in the current 'Fashion Editor style' advice around flared pants- that they must be worn with sky high shoes to give a long legged look. I have to agree that it does look great but it kind of takes all the practicality out of wearing pants.
DeleteOh, this is such a difficult dilemma! I hear you on this one. I think it all depends on YOUR needs. Most of my trousers are worn with a bit of a heel simply because, well, one day I bought slacks that were long and I was too damn lazy to hem them. So I wore them with heels. And then I chose my next pair of boots accordingly -- with heels. So my next pair of trousers, you guessed it, were chosen to go with heels. But I'm just about ready to make the switch to a shorter length, too, for all the reasons you've named. Nothing wrong with choosing what works for you and rolling with it until you change your mind!
ReplyDeleteAhhh. And now you've added the very important consideration of whether I will actually ever hem the pants should I decide that they sought to be shortened! I do already have a drawer full of clothing that I have at some point decided should be altered in some way
Deletebefore its next wearing and I only keep adding to the drawer and never removing stuff from the drawer and altering it. These pants might never be seen again if they go into that drawer.
I like the tunic length of the top. Personally, I would NOT hem these pants. I know that in basic colors like black, I have several pair at different lengths for this very reason. And of course, when you sit down and cross your legs, the lovely shoes are on display.
ReplyDeleteGood point. I do have another pair of black pants that are the right length for flats. However, they are much thicker and warmer- too warm for the weather right now- so it's not as if the pants are interchangeable but for the length. But this serves to remind me that by the end of May it will be too hot here for black pants of any weight so perhaps the hemming decision can be put off until the fall?
DeleteHm, the big question, to hem or not to hem. I would not hem the pants. I sometimes have done this: if I wear flats I fold the pant hem up and under. Usually the pant leg still falls fine - nobody knows. If there's trouble, then you could sew in tiny snaps. Pants should be multipurpose. I agree that sometimes it's fun to feel that long leg, even if it's fleeting.
ReplyDeleteMultipurpose? Interesting! Definitely something to consider.
DeleteWell, the pants (and shoes) sure look great on you. I face these shoe problems nearly every day. I sometimes think my mission in life is to find the perfect wedge/heel that I can wear comfortably all-day-long. I've struck gold on a few occasions and I'm still mining for more!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your decision. I think I like Melanie's suggestion.
Some fashion stylist say have the same pants in two lengths. I'm usually not that well financed that I can afford to do that. I like to wear the clog like shoes called 'Dansko' with my longer length pants. I can wear them comfortably and they give me the added height that I need. I do like the longer length pants with the longer length tunic top. I think the proportions are good together
ReplyDeleteI so understand this dilemma. I do this all the time--love the higher heel, but can only last a few city blocks in them, so usually resort to a flat shoe. But I love the look of a high heel! And I have to say your wedges are divine. I was just looking at some similar to this pair today. I love a metallic wedge! I wish I had a good answer on To Hem or Not To Hem. Let us know what you decide! Thanks for following my blog and I'm your newest follower. Nice to meet you! XO, Jill
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone who weighed in on the great hemming debate. I'm still on the fence, which I guess essentially means that I won't hem the pants. But I was embarrassingly reminded that I do have another pair of these pants in a pretty light blue color that I was going to hem for flats and I'd put them in the mending drawer and forgotten about them. So I'll hem those pants first (one day) and then decide. But please don't hold your breath for the hemmed blue pants post.
ReplyDeleteI have no real input but wanted to say that you look super svelte in this outfit.
ReplyDeleteSo very elegant!!! I have a basket of pants that i cant decide to hem or not. I am going to look for some hem tape or heck even duct tape maybe to see if it will hold so i dont have to make any permanent decisions!
ReplyDeleteI don't have any advice as I constantly struggle with the same decision. However, I do think you look amazing in this outfit!
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