The Men’s Guide to Bold Printed Pants
Wearing printed pants isn’t as hard as most men think. You simply apply the same style rule to patterned trousers as you do to printed shirts.
Think: By now, you probably have a few printed shirts—maybe plaid, paisley, or even seersucker. When you wear printed shirts, you typically stick with solid colors for the rest of your outfit. When you’re styling printed pants, the same rule applies. Let your pants do the talking, and stick to solids and neutrals for the remainder of your outfit.
With that said, printed pants can be less forgiving than solid, neutral ones when you choose the wrong pair. Luckily, that can easily be avoided.
How to Avoid Clown Pants
When you buy pants in solid colors like black or navy, they are typically very forgiving. But, when you choose pants that are meant to stand out, you need to make sure you buy them in the perfect fit. After all, the pants are the star of the show, so little details will stand out, like an inseam that is slightly too long or a fit that may be a little loose. Here are the two golden rules for print pants:
- Avoid baggy-fitting pants and opt for a tailor-made fit.
- If you don’t know your measurements, grab some soft measuring tape. The two basic measurements you’ll need for perfectly fitting pants are your waist width and leg length.
Choose a Versatile Print
If you want to wear your printed pants for more than one occasion, it’s wise to stick with traditional prints like checkers and plaid. By choosing a more classic and enduring pattern, you’ll easily be able to transition your trousers from smart-casual to preppy and even dorn them for cocktail parties during the holiday season.
Keep the Rest Simple
More importantly, keep the rest of your styling simple. While there are ways to style print on top of print, it can be hard to accomplish. More than likely, you want to grab the pants, grab your shirt, your shoes, and go rather than spending a considerable amount of time trying to find a pattern that will work.
If you’ve already built up a solid wardrobe full of classic pieces, you’ll have no trouble putting together outfits with patterned pants. If you don’t, here are a few basic pieces to get you started:
- A classic blazer in a neutral color like black or gray.
- Basic T-shirts in white, black, and gray
- Polo shirts in white and black
- An Oxford button-up in white or light blue
- Basic cashmere sweaters in colors like beige and black
- Oxford shoes in brown or black
- Penny loafers in brown or black
- Any accessories that are trademarks of your personal style to make this look your own.
How to Style Printed Pants for Every Occasion
Every winter, it seems like men and women alike forget to wear color. But not you. As you walk outside and spot nothing but black, navy, and gray, you will remember that you were born to stand out.
These patterns feature holiday-friendly colors, too, so you can easily transform these print pants into party pants. Let’s get started.
Casual Looks
The easiest way to pull off printed pants is by swapping them for your usual khakis, chinos, or jeans. For a more casual look, choose a basic T-shirt. For darker patterns, choose a darker T-shirt in colors like black or dark navy. For lighter patterns, choose lighter T-shirts in colors like white or light gray. Add your penny loafers and go.
Smart-Casual
For a slightly dressier look, choose a plain polo instead of a T-shirt. Penny loafers also work well with this look.
Formal
For the most part, print trousers are not formal by nature. Still, there are plenty of ways to elevate your look. If you’re dressing for a more formal occasion, try pairing your print trousers with a plain, tucked Oxford button-up. White is a great choice for these red trousers, and black Oxford shoes give it an overall dressier look.
Get the Look at Berle
Printed pants make for a vibrant statement piece. But while many people strive to fit in, let these party pants remind you that sometimes, it’s better to stand out. As a quick recap, remember the following:
- Keep the rest of your outfit as simple as possible.
- Avoid the clown pants look and have your measurements taken to avoid baggy pants.
Now, all you need to do is find a pair of printed trousers you love. To find the perfect pair of classic print pants, shop the Berle Tailored Collection today.