Paperbag pants 3 ways

I feel really bad when I buy clothes that don’t feel versatile, so much so that I usually return them. Hence a wardrobe of no statement pieces. But also a wardrobe that makes it easy to get dressed fast. So when I bought this pair of paperbag pants on impulse I thought I better put them to the versatility test…

Here are the pants in question:

I bought them because they’re linen (perfect for work when it’s hot out), the paperbag waist seemed like a trendier way to wear dress pants (and I’m always sort of looking for ways to keep my work wear looking young), and Kiera Knightley’s character in Begin Again wore them all the time and it was #goals.

So with that, I asked instagram how to style them, and here were some suggestions…

For transitional weather: People suggested boots. I have also seen many styling tips about balancing the volume on these pants with a fitted shirt, so I chose this navy one (also this is the best t shirt ever, it’s sturdy and not see through but still flattering!).

To keep it normcore/classic/whatever we’re calling this style now: Obviously one choice here is a white button down. I loved this but wanted it to be a bit more fun so I added sneakers (these are a close match, I found mine at Nordstrom Rack).

For warmer temps: This short sleeve sweater is light enough that I’ve just decided to keep it out of storage–mine is older, here’s a similar option. I tried warmer-toned shoes to tie this together.

Also, it is hilarious to me that these pants are from Abercrombie, but their attempts to appeal to millenials are really working on me. Another paperbag waist pair of pants I’ve been eyeing is this pair, from Madewell. Or this pair. I can’t decide!

And then I realized…this is only three outfits. But, once I started brainstorming, I thought of many more, and now I can’t wait to wear these pants with tan block heels, a white tank top, and a denim jacket, or with a red sweater and white tank… Anyway. They pass the test. I’m excited to have a good teaching staple for warmer weather! How else would you style these pants??