Women's clothing options have changed over the years. Dresses were once the most common wardrobe option for women. Luckily, times change and today's women's fashions include pant styles for almost every occasion, from a morning jog to the evening cocktail hour. With all the choices available, more and more women prefer the comfort and tailored sophistication of pants. Overstock.com offers a selection of slacks to match any occasion; this women's pants buying guide includes some basic information to help you wade through the options.
Basic women's dress pants, also called career pants, are an essential part of any woman's clothing. Black trousers look great paired with a fitted shirt or a nice cashmere sweater. Don't limit yourself to black, though; women's dress pants in pinstripe, greys, and light colors expand your style options. Skinny pants create a slender silhouette and designer pants from the top names in the industry keep you on the cutting edge of sophisticated fashion.
Be sure to stock your closet with plenty of women's casual pants, too. Khaki pants are a great choice for weekend casual wear. Other options include flirty Capri pants, cargo pants, cropped pants, and lounge pants. Casual pants are meant to be comfortable. Casual women's slacks have no need for elaborate tailoring, thus, many casual pants offer no-fuss pull-on styling with elastic, or feature drawstring waistbands.
Of course, you can't beat the classic 5-pocket jean for all-American appeal, and Overstock.com offers brand name jeans at a great discount. Jeans are comfortable, fashionable and the right pair makes you look great. Blue jeans were once the official uniform of weekend fun and lounging. Today, women's jeans are a fashion staple. Popular contemporary styles include women's boot-cut jeans, women's straight leg jeans, and women's low rise jeans. Today's fashion has redefined the slim-fit jean with the skinny jean. The wide-leg, high-wasited jean is also making itself more visible in the fashion market. When choosing a pair of jeans, also note that blue isn't the only option for denim these days; black, grey, and colored denim is right on trend.
Carefully consider fabric when choosing pants. Fabric and weave affect the style, formality, fit and care of your clothing. To assist your shopping, each clothing product description includes materials.
Cotton: A natural fiber that is most often used in making shirts, it is also popular for casual pants. Popular cotton fabrics for pants include twill and denim.
Knit: A fabric made from only one set of yarns that all run the same direction. Knit fabrics have a slightly bumpy texture. Knits are a good choice for casual clothing and career pants.
Linen: A natural fiber produced from the stem of the flax plant. Stronger, stiffer and more lustrous than cotton, it is resistant to deterioration. Linen cloth wrinkles easily, requiring more maintenance than cotton. Linen is the classic fabric of dressy summer pants.
Microfibers: A new class of synthetics spun thinner than silk, they approach the look and feel of natural fibers at much lower cost.
Nylon, Acrylic, Polyester, Rayon: Synthetic fibers, which are easier to clean, but without the durability or appearance of wool or cotton; they are often blended with natural fibers to take advantage of the best qualities in each. Synthetic fibers are often found in dress pants.
Silk: The finest natural fabric (spun on the looms of the gods, according to legend), nothing comes close in luster, warmth, strength or durability. Silk is also more expensive and more difficult to maintain than other materials. Silk makes the most luxurious of dress pants.
Spandex: A name for elastic textile fabrics made of polyurethane. Spandex is often used in fabric blends to provide a stretchy, forgiving fit such as in stretch jeans or yoga pants. "Lycra" is a copyrighted trade name for spandex manufactured by a specific company.
Wool: The hair of certain animals; it varies in grade from good to heavenly. Some wools are of such quality they are never just called wool--alpaca from the South American alpaca, angora from the Angora rabbit, camel hair from the Bactrian (two-hump) camel, cashmere from the Kashmir sheep and mohair from the Angora goat. Wool is the generally considered the best fabric for cool-weather dresses, suits and slacks.
Woven: Fabrics composed of two yarns, one for warp (horizontal fibers), the other for weft (vertical fibers). Woven fabrics are held together by interlacing warp and weft over and under each other.
Slacks or Trousers: Synonyms for pants; when applied to women's apparel, trousers usually refers to dressier pants with loose-fitting, ankle-length legs; slacks refer to more casual styles.
Boot-cut: Pants, especially jeans, with legs cut a little wider below the knee to fit over a pair of boots.
Capri: Casual pants with close-fitting legs that end just below the knee.
Cargo: Casual pants or uniform trousers with large pockets on the side at mid-thigh. The popularity of cargo pants has risen dramatically in recent years.
Cropped: Pants with legs ending at or just above the ankle.
Drawstring: A string set in the hem that closes the opening when pulled tight at one or both ends. In casual pants, drawstrings can be found in waistbands or leg openings.
Flare leg: Slacks that taper from the waist to knee, then widen from knee to ankle. When the flare is really wide, they become the bell-bottoms of the 1960s.
Khakis: A yellowish brown cotton twill fabric, or any pants made of that fabric (also called chinos). First used by the British Army in uniforms for their troops based in India, khaki cloth is now a popular choice for casual pants and business casual slacks.
Low-rise: Pants with the waist approximately two inches below the navel. This is a very popular cut for jeans.
Skinny: Slacks with narrow legs that emphasize the figure. Skinny jeans and pants look hot in the summer with a nice tank top and equally attractive in the winter with a nice sweater.
Straight Leg: Pants with slim legs that neither flare nor taper from hip to ankle. Straight leg pants minimize the curve of the hip.
Tapered: Pant legs that narrow from the hip to the ankle.
Will the pants fit?
The best way to insure a good fit is to know your measurements before you start shopping. For pants, measure the waist and the inseam. Have someone help you take these measurements at home, or have a seamstress or tailor assist you. Measure the waist at the point where your pants fit or two inches lower for low rise jeans. Measure the hips around the fullest part of body, at the top of the legs with your feet together. Be aware that the proportions for juniors, petites, and plus sizes differ from standard sizes. Take your inseam measurement from the highest point on the inside of the leg and down to the floor. Check the Overstock.com sizing charts to get the most accurate sizing information for you, and remember that every product description in our online clothing store links directly to our sizing guides for your convenience.
What are the care instructions?
Follow the care instructions on the manufacturer's label to keep your pants in good condition. These care instructions are tailored to the garment's fabric and design. Dress pants made of fine wool, wool blends and/or delicate fabrics should usually be professionally dry cleaned, unless the care label says otherwise. The added expense will pay off in the long run by prolonging the life of the clothing. Some people swear by washing their denim as few times as possible, in order to maintain the fabric's integrity and to keep the size true. Cottons, linens and synthetics are usually machine washable, some require no ironing. All Overstock.com product descriptions include care instructions so you'll be aware of your clothing's care needs before you make the purchase.
Variety is the spice of life
Expand your clothing options with a variety of pants. A basic wardrobe includes career and casual styles. A good pair of black dress pants is a clothing staple, appropriate for day or evening functions. Choose durable wool or wool blends if you want classic style and warmth; then get a lighter weight fabric for summer. Add grey, navy, tan and light colored options. Pair a crisp white shirt with khaki pants to form a classic look for casual Fridays. Of course, no casual clothing collection is complete without a great pair of women's jeans. But why limit yourself to one favorite pair? At Overstock.com prices, you can afford to fill your closet with great fitting, great looking jeans.
Shoes and accessories
Consider buying new women's shoes and women's accessories to complement your new pants. The perfect shoe makes any outfit look better. High heels look great with jeans and a blazer, while a nice ballet flat looks super cute with straight leg jeans. The color of the pant and shoe do not need to match, but a monochromatic scheme creates a longer, leaner leg. Use great belts and jewelry (available by the treasure chest full in our jewelry store) to change the tone of an outfit from serious, to dressy, to casual. Capri pants show off your ankles, so add a snazzy gold anklet to the mix. Chic designer belts and handbags enhance any style.
Build your basic wardrobe with Overstock.com's great deals on women's pants. Then browse Overstock.com's full range of fashion accessories and add-ons to customize a look that is all your own.