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Everyday · Fall / Winter 3 weeks ago
I’d have to say just about every pair of pants (except for these pleated pants) I own hits at the ankle. From jeans to leggings to cargo pants and trousers and even sweatpants, I like them to all hit right at, you guessed it, my ankle. It’s a personal preference, but I find ankle-length pants to always be a great choice no matter the occasion. And hell, if they don’t come at the right length, I cut them!
Given my petite frame, it didn’t take long for me to realize that full-length jeans that scrunch up at the bottom because they are too long or wearing really anything that wasn’t cropped pants really wasn’t suited for my short frame. When it hits the ankle, it just looks better and makes me appear longer. I know it sounds weird, but it works for me.
How To WearAnklePants
While it most certainly may seem pretty simple to figure out how to wear and style ankle pants, there are a few rules I like to follow. But please, these are just general guidelines. By all means, do what you like! To be honest, in my outfit photos in this post I’m most certainly breaking my own rules. But that’s the fun part of fashion trends. You can read the guidelines but really, it’s all about your own personal taste and comfort.
AnklePantStyles
As I mentioned before, I own a few different styles of ankle pants. You can have denim, joggers, track pants, leggings, cargo pants, twill, and even wide-leg ankle pants. You can shop a bunch of different styles that I love here:
Choose The Right Shoes
Now, here’s where it can get a bit tricky for some. You really need to think hard about your shoe choice when wearing ankle pants. Really, when you’re wearing fitted ankle pants (think slim trousers or leggings) you really can do just about any style of shoe. But when you get into wider-leg ankle pants, you need to keep the shoe pretty slim.
For example, I semi-broke the rules with the ankle pants I’m wearing in today’s look. These navy joggers are a bit wider, but not so wide I couldn’t pull off a sneaker with them. It helped balance out the oversized knit I was wearing. But I would never do a big boot or anything with this look. Still, want to keep the shoe slim.
How To Make The Outfit Flattering
Whenever you get dressed, no matter what, it’s all about balance. There isn’t really a top that’s off-limits with a pair of ankle pants – sweaters, blouses, sleeveless tops – as long as you keep balance in mind. So if you’re wearing an oversized top, you want to wear more fitted pants. If you’re doing wide-leg ankle pants, keep the top slim. It’s all about the perfect pairing. As I said, I sort of broke that rule with my look today, but these pants weren’t SO wide that I couldn’t do the bigger sweater if that makes sense.
If you do go for wide-ankle pants, I’d certainly say try a higher heel. And if you go for tight pants, go for a flat, sneaker, or ankle boot. And for me, being short, I always like to tuck in my top slightly so my legs appear longer. That’s always the goal – look tall! Ha!
Make Sure They Hit At The Right Spot
Ankle pants should, as you might have guessed, hit right at or above your ankle. Too long and you’re no longer wearing ankle pants. Too short and you’re in high waters territory. Pending your height and what store you’re shopping, you may even try to look at croppedpants or heck, even regular ones if you’re on the taller side. Make sure you try them on so you can see exactly where they hit and note if you’ll need to hem them to be the perfect ankle length.
How To DressAnklePantsUp
One of the easiest ways to dress up ankle pants is with a great pair of heels. I love the look ofstrappy sandals. If you’re going to wear a pair with an ankle strap, just make sure there’s adequate space between the bottom of your pants and the shoe strap. Another option for dressing up is a classicpointed-toe pump. But really, whatever you want. Just keep in mind that you don’t want a really clunky heel with your dressed-up look. Keep the heel slim and simple.
How To DressAnklePantsDown
Pretty sure my outfit today is the definition of how to dress down ankle pants. It was freaking FREEZING when I took these photos, so wearing all the layers and knits was a must. Sneakers are always a casual option to wear with ankle pants. This look would have even been cute, but still dressed down, with adenim jacketand baseball cap.
PHOTOS BYHANNAHLOZANO PHOTOGRAPHY
AnklePantsOutfits
So you want a few anklepant outfit ideas that you can recreate at home? There are seriously so many different ways to rock this trend, but here are a few of my favorite looks from the Poor Little It Girl archives that you can draw inspiration from with pieces in your own closet.
Navy Joggers
Here are two other ways I styled these elastic waist navy joggers. One is with sandals and an oversized ruffled off-the-shoulder top that I love for summer. Then you have one with heels and a crossbody bag that’s a bit more dressed up. Both outfits are great for me when attending an event or heading to a work meeting. And for the record, you can mix navy with black and white!
Wide Leg Ankle Pants
Who says short girls can’t wear wide-leg ankle pants?! Whether you’re into floral prints or leopard prints – these high-waist silk pants are so fun to style during the spring, summer, and fall. You can style them with sweaters or tanks – always tucked in so that there’s a balance to my look.
Skinny Caro Pants
When people think cargo pants, I’m sure some not-good images come to mind of very, VERY bad fashion. Both of these pairs of skinny cargo pants are slim fit and stop right at the ankle. It’s a great alternative when you’renot in the mood for jeans because sometimes, jeans just won’t do.
Classic Dark Wash Jeans
But for when you DO want denim, classic ankle-length jeans are a must-have in any woman’s closet. For both looks, I love to pair dark-wash denim with my favorite black ballet flats. One look reads a bit more elevated with the cozy knit, while the other is kept casual with a denim jacket and tank.
Pink Elastic Waist Pants
I couldn’t say no to a pair of pink elastic waist pull-on trousers now, could I? A great ankle-length option for the office with a sweater and heels. But for those cold fall and winter days, love taking dressier pants like these and wearing them with a sweatshirt, sneakers, and a wool coat.
Black Trousers
The one pair of pants, besides jeans, I’m sure everyone owns is their go-to black ankle trousers. I owned these Gap black ankle pants for years. For real I think almost 10 years before I got pregnant with Miles and they no longer fit my postpartum body (which is totally fine…bodies change!). Black pants are the best and go with just about anything.
