Pants are the first thing to become annoyingly uncomfortable to wear while pregnant. They’re too tight in the waist, they’re not flattering, they’re too saggy in the butt, the list goes on.
In the last few months, there are a few new pants trends that have really piqued my interest: harem pants, trouser pants and track pants. I’ve teamed up with Merrick to share with you 6 ways to style track pants. Click here to see how Merrick styled her pants.
What are track pants, you ask? It’s a sporty pant that skims the body, not tight, but not too loose. Sometimes they have a tuxedo stripe down the side, but usually they cuff at the bottom. Think sweatpants, but awesome.
Most track pants are out of a woven material with an elastic waist. Sometimes with a drawstring. The waist appeals to me on multiple levels: I have yet to sew a real zip fly on a pant and stretchy elastic is all I want around my growing waist these days.
The novelty of these pants is that you can dress them up for a little high-low contrast, or dress them down without being frumpy or trashy (*ahem* like those track pants you see with “juicy” along the butt. YIKES!).
I made this particular pair (there will be more to come) with a lightweight tie-dye jersey (here). The description says medium-lightweight, but this is a full-blown lightweight knit. If it weren’t in such a dark colorway, the fabric would likely be see-through. I liked the drape and the softness of the fabric, so I opted to use this for pants. It’s funny how similar the print and color are from my last pair of pants.
I self-drafted the pattern based off of the leggings block I made at Sewing Summit last year. I added a side seam and added 3.75 inches of ease to the pattern for a looser fit. I suspect that amount of ease will be perfect for a pair of woven pants as well. I didn’t do too much to the pattern beyond that, but I plan on drafting up pockets and possibly a tuxedo stripe in the future. The possibilities with this leggings block are endless!
The pattern was easy to sew, but the fabric was a little bit of a beast to work with. Cutting took forever and matching up the print on the seams was impossible. Big bummer, but they still turned out great. They’re my new favorite pants now!
With Utah weather being indecisive, I decided to show you three ways that I have styled these pants to accommodate the changing temperatures. Last week we spent time in 90º, 70º and 50º weather. Seriously, a huge swing! But I’m convinced these light-weight pants are the perfect transitional wardrobe item for PMS-ing spring weather.
So here’s my unsolicited, expert* advice on how to wear the track pant through spring:
Hot Spring Days
For hot spring days, I’ve added a lightweight woven tee, a sunhat and some strappy heels. Roll up the hem to show a little extra skin. This shirt isn’t as loose as it was when I first made it; but a loose or boxy top would work really well. If you’re afraid of looking shapeless, add a structured blazer. However, if you’re wearing a top in a light enough woven with lots of drape there’s no need to add any structure at all.
Outfit Details:
Warm Spring Days
When the weather is nice, but there’s just a little chill in the breeze, I add a light blazer. Here I paired it with a fitted v-neck tee, a boxy blazer and a chunky heel.
Rolling up the sleeves of the blazer gives it a springier feel and keeps the boxy blazer from taking over the frame. The heel balances out the baby bump up top.
Outfit Details:
Cool Spring Days
Is it just me or do cooler days warrant a flat? I rarely feel like wearing heels in the middle of the winter. Perhaps it’s because of the snow, but likely because most of my heels are open-toed. Either way, my cozy day go-to is flats. The t-strap flat is dressy while still being low-key. The patent really makes these particular shoes awesome, in my opinion. I’ve paired the pants with a chunky knit sweater (interestingly enough this fits me better now that I’m pregnant because of the longer front) and a denim jacket.
Wearing a monochrome palette has been one of my favorite things lately. Mixing texture and textiles in the same color family adds depth and dimension.
The other day, it was threatening to snow, so I sported my ankle booties with these pants. They worked, but I think a slightly lower boot shaft would have been ideal. A little bit of ankle peeking through is key with the pant, in my opinion.
Outfit details:
So, will you be hopping on the track pant trend any time soon? You won’t regret it. They’re crazy comfortable!
Check out Merrick’s Art for how she styled her track pants!
* I am no fashion expert. I’m sure in some circles I’m viewed as a total wannabe. But I’m happy to share my opinions about style all day long.
