​Last Thursday we did tops.

Today we're doing pants.

And next week, dresses. (I'm working my way through your closet one category at a time 👀)

Here's why pants get their own email.

Pants are the foundation. Everything else is built on top of them.

If you've been with me for a while, you know I always start with the bottoms.

Your pants decide what tops can go with them. They decide what shoes make sense. Pants connect everything.

🏆 Get the pants right and the rest of the outfit almost builds itself.

❌ Get the pants wrong and no top on earth is going to fix it.

So today I'll show you exactly what to look at when shopping for pants. By the end of this email you'll be able to pick up any pair of pants, in any store, and have a decent idea of what works. (at least that's my hope)

Remember this:

A pair of pants makes one long vertical line down your body.

That's the job. One line, from your waist to your shoes.

When a pant looks wrong, something is cutting that line. When a pant looks right, nothing is.

So here's what to check. Four things. That's it. (🔎 remember you can use the search bar of any store to find the styles that work for your shape)

1️⃣ How high the waistband sits.

This is called the rise. Low rise, mid rise, high rise. It just means how far up your waist the pants come.

💡 Why it matters: your leg line starts at the waistband. The higher the waistband, the higher the line starts, the longer your legs look.

A low rise starts the line at your hip, which is the widest spot on a lot of us. So it cuts you right where you don't want to be cut.

High rise is my default. Has been for years.

2️⃣ The shape of the leg.

Straight. Wide. Tapered (narrower at the ankle). Barrel (curves out at the knee and back in at the ankle, like a barrel).

A wide or straight leg keeps the same width all the way down, so it goes right past your hips without pointing at them.

A tapered leg pulls in at the bottom, which is lovely if you want a slimmer, neater look.

3️⃣ Where the hem lands.

Same as tops. The hem is a line across your body, and your eye stops there.

A full length pant comes all the way down to your shoes, and the line keeps going right into it. That's why full length always elongates, as long as they're not so long that they bunch.

But this only works if you know what shoes you're wearing. A pant hemmed for flats is going to sit too short with heels. Same pant, different shoe, different look. So hem for the shoe you'll actually wear your pants with.

And a heel is its own trick: it adds length to your leg and it lets the pant fall a little longer, so a wide leg pant over a heel gives you one long uninterrupted line from waist to floor. Sharp every time.

What you don't want is a hem stopping at the widest part of your calf. That's where the eye lands, and that's where your leg looks like it ends.

4️⃣ The fabric.

Nobody talks about this one and it might matter the most.

Stiff fabric stands away from your body and adds width. Soft fabrics with drape (meaning they fall close to you instead of poking out) follow the line.

Ponte is a stretchy knit. Holds its shape, doesn't crease, smooths instead of clings.

Linen and cotton gauze breathe better than anything in heat.

Wool trousers have real weight, so they hang straight and hold that vertical line beautifully.

And one rule that ties it all together: balance.

Wide pants want a fitted top. Slim pants want a looser top.

That's the same rule from last week, just upside down 😉

Now, what to look for based on your shape:

⭐ If your hips are the fullest part of you: You want a leg that keeps going instead of narrowing in on you. Start with straight leg pants or wide leg pants. SPANX makes an easy flare pant that does the same job with a little more swing.

Keep the waistband above your hip bone, not on it.

⭐ If your tummy is the fullest part of you: You want structure without squeezing. Ponte pants are made for exactly this. Thick enough to hold a smooth line, stretchy enough that you can eat an entire plate of pasta and never think about your waistband once.

If you want a little more hold, SPANX makes wide leg pants that smooth and look 🔥

⭐ If you're pretty straight up and down: You get to build a waist, which is fun.

Two ways to do it. Let the waistband do it, with paper bag or belted trousers (paper bag just means the waist is gathered and sits high, like the top of a paper bag). Or let the leg do it, with a barrel shape like this utility barrel leg pant from Spanx. The curve of the leg creates the shape for you. (Talbots also carries stylish and more subtle barrel pants)

⭐ If your shoulders are wider than your hips: Add a little visual weight down low and everything evens out on its own. A printed wide leg pant does it fastest, because a print pulls the eye down. A plain wide leg from LOFT does it quietly.

⭐ If you're petite (I'm 5'4", hi)

Good news: a lot of the pants labeled "cropped" will hit you at the ankle. That's exactly what I do. Half of what I own is sold as cropped and lands at my ankle, which is where I want it.

The number to know is the inseam, which is the measurement from the crotch seam down to the hem. 26" is my sweet spot.

One thing nobody mentions: pants land differently depending on your hips. The more curves you have, the more fabric gets used up going over your hips, so the same pant can come out shorter on you than it does on someone straighter. I have wide hips, so I've learned to expect a little less length than the size chart promises.

So don't judge a pant by the word on the label. Judge it by the inseam number, and then give yourself a little margin if you're curvy.

​Cropped wide leg pants are a good place to start. The Brooklyn ankle pant from Athleta is another.

Okay but what do YOU wear, Aimara?

Fair question. I've been living out of one carry-on since 2021, so I don't own pants I feel lukewarm about. There's no room for lukewarm.

Two pairs that I have in multiple colors:

👖 The Ultra Stretch Ponte Cropped Wide Leg Pants (around $60). I have these in 5 colors. I'm 5'4" and I wear the 26" inseam. They look like proper trousers and feel like nothing. I've tested these on long travel days and endless days of exploring! Easy to dress up or down.

I mentioned above that Ponte is a great fabric if your tummy is your fullest part. And it is, but because these have front pockets they're not the style I would recommend. Look for something like this instead. (for every other body type, the ones I'm wearing would work)

👖 The tapered linen pants. Also have these in several colors, they are my warm weather workhorse. I also have the wide leg linen version if you want the same fabric with a little bit more movement.

I literally won't have to shop for summer pants for years! (I find the tapered style to be more flattering on me)

So next time you're standing there holding a pair of pants, don't guess.

Where does the waistband sit? Where does the hem land? Is the fabric following the line or fighting it?

Three questions. You'll know before you ever get to the mirror.

Now go find your dream pants 😘

XO,

Aimara

>>> PS: I'm going to be sending an email about the Nordstrom sale so you don't shop just because it's on sale 👀 I even put together a body shape guide that you can start using right now to find pieces that work for YOUR body. Here you have it.

Sale opens to the public on Saturday July 18th, but you can already start building your wishlist. So use the guide to get it right and focus on filling the gaps in your closet.