As I slipped on my harem pants this morning it put me in mind the Paris couturier Paul Poiret. Self declared ‘King of Fashion ‘, Poiret freed us gals from the corset, pioneered draping over stiff Edwardian tailoring and had competition in the form of Coco Chanel. And…he gave us the Harem pant.
Now, this is a trend that may cause some of you to recoil in horror and grip your cigarettes ever more tightly, but I’m afraid it is still going strong and was spotted numerous times during Paris Fashion Week this year.
Do not fear though dear readers, I am aware that the ol’ pantaloon can be a little tricky to wear without looking like a circus performer. So I have taken the trouble of sharing my top pitfalls to avoid in rocking this Arabian aesthetic!
1. Avoid the MC Hammer look – the too-saggy crotch in soooo A/W ’08 darling.
2. Keep your harem sweat pants strictly for a trip to the cocktail bar, perhaps teemed with a leather jacket and booties. If you actually wear them for a jog around the park, you do risk ending up entangled in a ball of jersey fabric.
3. Wear the peg legged variety with a calf-slimming heel, not your favourite riding boots. The look you want is divine not equine.
4. Extreme Sports are a no-no. The sumptuous silk of your Ted Baker bustier jumpsuit will not stand up to the G-force.
5. And finally, go for something understated and tailored on top. You don’t want to look like you’ve just stepped out of a cartoon.
And that concludes my style advice for today.
Love, Amandine x
love, Amandine x 