There is hardly a trouser trend that divides opinions as much as balloon trousers. The wide, voluminous and deliberately impractical trousers were last in vogue in the late eighties and nineties and are perhaps better known as \u201chammer trousers\u201d. They have come back into fashion. The style has flooded fashion week runways and been the defining silhouette in the spring\/summer collections of Chlo\u00e9, Armani, Ala\u00efa and others.<\/p>\n
But even though designers have embraced exaggerated proportions, many buyers remain hesitant \u2014 unsure whether balloon pants are chic or just a step away from clown costume. According to stylists, the difference lies entirely in the details. Here’s how to find the right balance when styling balloon pants this season.<\/p>\n
The biggest mistake people make with balloon pants is assuming that the large amount of fabric can hide the figure and therefore choosing the perfect size is not crucial. But in reality the silhouette requires precision. \u201cThe first rule [is] Make sure the fit is right,\u201d says stylist Deborah Sheridan Taylor. "Length is key, the hem should reach to the ankle or just above. Consider styles with a proper ankle cuff instead of an elastic ruched hem, which can take the look dangerously close to Aladdin territory."<\/p>\n
Since balloon pants overemphasize the lower half of the body, the upper body needs to be held back. \u201cBalloon pants are more difficult to style than wide-leg or straight-leg pants because of their unusual proportions,\u201d says Sheridan-Taylor. "To balance the exaggerated balloon silhouette, layering close-to-the-body knits like a cashmere tank or fitted tops with a cropped blazer will help contrast the flowy style." For a more relaxed approach, she suggests leaning into shape rather than stiffness. "For a simpler, casual approach, tuck a shirt into the waistband, but be sure to undo a few extra buttons to elongate your torso and create a flattering inverted V shape."<\/p>\n
Shoes can either turn balloon pants on their head or completely mess up the proportions. "In winter, structured shoes work best with balloon pants. Chunky loafers, leather ankle boots with a solid sole [\u2026] or even a narrow Chelsea boot all work great.\u201d Contrary to popular belief, stylist Oriona Robb warns to \u201cgenerally avoid very delicate footwear such as thin ballet flats or stilettos, as they can make the proportions look inappropriate and slightly outdated.\u201d However, pointed shoes can perfectly complement the relaxed silhouette. \u201cThe visual line of a pointed heel immediately appears sharper [\u2026] Ankle boots are also a good choice because they hit the boot in exactly the right place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not all balloon pants behave the same – and the choice of fabric determines whether the shape appears cool and architectural or chaotic and unruly. \u201cSatin and silky fabrics \u2013 and even velvet \u2013 add a lustrous finish to eveningwear,\u201d says Sheridan-Taylor, \u201cpaired with a silky peplum top and heels for elegant fluidity through the relaxed silhouette.\u201d Whether during the day or in winter, the structure is important. "More structured fabrics make the balloon shape more pronounced, such as cotton twill or gabardine, and can be a more wearable option." Robb says the fabric depends a lot on the weather. "Fabric choice makes all the difference. In the British climate, I love wool blends, brushed cotton twills, heavy poplins and soft, structured tailoring fabrics." She warns against anything that is too light, especially outside of the summer season. "Avoid anything that’s too thin, as it can look sloppy very quickly."<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Introduction to Balloon Trousers There is hardly a trouser trend that divides opinions as much as balloon trousers. The wide, voluminous and deliberately impractical trousers were last in vogue in the late eighties and nineties and are perhaps better known as \u201chammer trousers\u201d. They have come back into fashion. The style has flooded fashion week<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28737,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[21192,5571,7265,1145,20017,15723,10752,15845,3433,8074,6562,21190,2067,411,3143,3274,13820,17197,21191,1166,690,21193,683,8613,11984,3446,2465,669,20366,4878,685],"class_list":{"0":"post-28736","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fashion","8":"tag-aladdin","9":"tag-armani","10":"tag-azzedine-alaia","11":"tag-ballet-flat","12":"tag-balloon","13":"tag-cashmere-wool","14":"tag-casual-wear","15":"tag-chelsea-boot","16":"tag-chic","17":"tag-cotton","18":"tag-crop-top","19":"tag-curiosity-ep","20":"tag-dont-forget-demi-lovato-song","21":"tag-fashion","22":"tag-fashion-show","23":"tag-fashion-week","24":"tag-footwear","25":"tag-gabardine","26":"tag-gather-knitting","27":"tag-heel","28":"tag-leather","29":"tag-peplos","30":"tag-silhouette","31":"tag-sleeveless-shirt","32":"tag-slip-on-shoe","33":"tag-textile","34":"tag-top-clothing","35":"tag-trousers","36":"tag-twill","37":"tag-vogue-magazine","38":"tag-wool"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanamedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanamedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanamedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanamedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanamedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28736"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nanamedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28736\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28738,"href":"https:\/\/nanamedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28736\/revisions\/28738"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanamedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanamedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanamedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanamedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}