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Capsule Wardrobe Essentials: Black Pants

July 9, 2013 By: Nada Manleycomment

So what are you going to wear with a wardrobe of t-shirts and tank tops? Pants, of course, and no color is more flattering, functional or chic than black.* While white can be impractical and khaki can, if not worn properly, be boring, black is faultless. The right pair of black pants depends on your lifestyle, but in general, I recommend two pairs for every woman:

1. A pair of black ponte knit pants for casual wear. These can be skinnies, if you choose, or a shape that is most flattering to your body type. (See below!)

2. A pair of black dress pants in a seasonless crepe fabric, in a shape that is flattering to your body type.

Don’t know your body type? Click here to read more about them, or make it official with a body type and color analysis, done by me. The black pants shown here are only a sampling of the styles featured in my regularly updated Essentials Catalog. so bookmark it and check back often for the best essential finds for your wardrobe.

*If black isn’t your fave, or isn’t flattering to your coloring, navy, chocolate brown and charcoal work equally well.

The Skinnies

These truly suit every body type. The trick is to choose a top that hits at a flattering spot on your body. You don’t want to draw a line across your hips if you’re trying to downplay them, for example.

Stretch ponte skinny pants, Everlane, $78.

Ponte Skinny Pants, HALOGEN®, $34.49–$69.00

Ab-Solution Skinny Ponte Pants, WIT & WISDOM, $68

Style Dial #1: The Bootcut

This proportional body type looks best in bootcut or skinny pants, like the ones shown here.

COTTON BI-STRETCH BARELY BOOT PANTS, Talbots, $119.00 – $139.00

Style Dial #2: The Straight Leg

Skinnies work for all body types, including the curvy-hipped Style Dial #2, but the best shape for a dress pant is a straight leg.

WONDER STRETCH PANT, Nic & Zoe, $128

Style Dial #3: The Graduated Flare

If your body lacks definition in the waist, and your hips and shoulders are proportional, then look for a graduated flare (best) or a bootcut. A skinny will also work (on all body types), provided the other details are flattering.

Flare Leg Suit Pants, ANNE KLEIN, $79.00

I hope you find your next favorite pair right here. You can also check out the other Capsule Wardrobe Essentials posts here: Dress, T-Shirt, and Tank.

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