Who’s Wearing the Trousers?

If your fail safe wardrobe item is a Little Black Dress then you might want to look away now, for what we are about to tell you may upset you.  The dress is over; in fashion terms anyway.

Dresses are fashion heaven. One key piece and your whole look is sorted.  Well we are sorry to say that those easy, breezy days are on the way out as two piece combos make a comeback. Leather t-shirts with skirts, ladylike blouses with trousers; it’s all about mixing and matching. But the key look for this AW is, without a doubt, the trouser.

Now, this may be a bit daunting for those of you who have been flitting about in dresses for the last few years, but here is MLS’s break down of the three key trouser shapes that will be guiding you through to SS13.

Skinny Trousers

The skinny trouser is the LBD of the trouser world. We are not talking ultra-skinny jeans, these are far more flattering; fitted, straight black trousers. They will work with a high neck blouse for those hardcore work meetings but can be swapped for a fashion-forward peplum top for a night out with the girls. The skinny black trouser will see you though those awkward months while you are still mourning the loss of your dresses.

Patterned Trousers

Loose, skinny fit, wide leg, peg leg, it doesn’t matter as long as you could spot them a mile away. Patterned trousers are the surprise hit of AW12, don’t dismiss too quickly; a bright floral print trouser can make even the gloomiest winter office feel brighter. The key to this look is to keep the rest of the colours muted and your top half streamlined. The look is all about the trousers; unless of course you are feeling really brave and want to attempt the AW12 print clash.

Relaxed Trousers

You would be forgiven for thinking these were tracksuit trousers. Loose around the top, tapering to a stretch cuff at the ankle, in light, loose fabric. Don’t let the relaxed nature of these trousers fool you into thinking this look is easy, it’s actually the trickiest to get right. The relaxed shape needs to be paired with sharp items for the effect to work. This is the bare make-up effect; carefully thought out pieces like a smart work shirt and a structured bag should be paired with an attitude of “I just threw this on.”

Whichever style you dip your toe into, remember it is worth investing a little bit more money. Badly cut trousers can be very unforgiving. But don’t fret about spending more, think of all the money you will save on leg waxes this year.

Samantha Vandersteen