spring trends: sweater vest and wide leg pants
does this outfit look trendy? ‘cuz it is. can you guess what two spring trends i incorporated today? if you guessed, a sweater vest and wide-leg pants go to the head of the class. both trends are seen everywhere this spring. isn’t it funny how you can judiciously add a trend or even two into classic style? it’s so important to stay abreast of what’s current, modern, and fresh so that not only our outfits stay relevant, but we do too. life is ever-changing but what i love about fashion is that it continues to evolve while pushing us forward. trends come and go, then swing back around again. this outfit is proof.
if you have followed Style at a Certain Age for any length of time, you know the blog and social channels are dedicated to aging with grace, strength, and beauty. all three come into play if we want to live life to the fullest. of course, i have always loved clothes thanks to my mother’s influence. as a matter of fact, she was my first interaction with an influencer! we’re all influencers in one form or another. it doesn’t matter how big or small your sphere. clothes have a transformative power that helps us feel strong, confident, and ready to face the world. but underneath that armor, our bodies and minds need to be nourished. health and wellness are just as important to me as a killer outfit. and i know you feel the same way.
spring trends: sweater vest and wide-leg pants
speaking of my mother “in for a penny, in for a pound,” she always said. so today’s ootd is sporting not one but two trends – a sweater vest and wide-leg pants. it’s funny, but now that so many of us have come around to skinny jeans (which were once a trend) and slim-fitting pants, we’re loath to switch the channel to wide-legs. i can already hear the objections, “wide-legs make me look bigger, wider, fatter,” fill in the blank. if your main objective every day is to hide your figure flaws and look slimmer, then you will miss out on all the fashion fun. ’nuff said. technically, wide-legs help us look longer and leaner. i, for one, welcome a silhouette change. it’s refreshing! remember, we want to stay modern, fresh, and relevant with our outfit choices.
in reality, the wide-leg pants are dark rinse denim from Ralph Lauren. it has a flattering flat front and pintucks; for reference, i am wearing a size 8. i also spotted wide-leg sailor jeans at Talbots. both are adorable! spring has officially arrived in my book once J.Crew trots out colorful Liberty print blouses. this year i chose a white and navy blouse with a feminine ruffle neck that goes perfectly with a navy blue sweater vest also from J.Crew. since the wide-leg denim has a longer length, a pair of heels is a necessity. out came my gingham espadrilles (old, similar here) that give me height along with comfort. this channel-stitched jacket (size medium) from Banana Republic is back in action along with a white-satchel from Ralph Lauren. all-in-all, this outfit has one foot rooted in classic style while firmly moving forward with trends.
denim | blouse | sweater vest | jacket | handbag | similar shoes | bracelet | watchband
denim | blouse | sweater vest | jacket | handbag | similar shoes | bracelet | watchband
You nailed it!
thank you!
Love this easy & comfy but stylish look! I have a similar in size & style purse in a pale lime green leather, thinking to use this pop of color with navy & white, your thoughts?
i love green! and it looks fabulous with navy. try the handbag on for size. take a photo with your phone then you’ll know for sure
if it goes together.
Fabulous!!!
thanks so much for stopping by!
Hi
I took a leap of faith and ordered the Ralph Lauren jeans! I am short but I took your advice and will try them! ❤️ love your posts and look forward to them. Using the Coleen Rothschild cleansing balm.
is that not the best cleansing balm?! i take a few minutes and massage my face with it. sooooo good!
I could walk out my door in the seventies with this outfit on and look like I belonged. I love it.m
I actually love the new wide leg but I really have to be careful and make sure my top is skinny. I’m short so it does pose a problem for me.
proportions always count!
I LOVE this outfit!
i thought it was dang cute! i’m happy to hear you agree.
I love everything about this outfit .. you’re a long, lean column of blue from your shades to your shoes!
love these gingham espadrilles! they’re perfect all spring and summer.
I love these wide leg jeans. I have already bought a pair and ordered a similar ruffled shirt. Found a tiny floral print maxi skirt too that is perfect with light weight cotton cardigan. This post made my day. Maybe some wide leg chinos.
ruffles are another trend this spring along with fuller sleeves. have fun wearing your new clothes!
Sounds cute!
Love your style… effortless BUT chic & classy.
what a lovely compliment. thanks so much, liz!
You look beautiful as always. Hate wife legged pants. I’m not even 5 feet tall! I would look very frumpy in those types of pants.
You are gorgeous! Love your Blog
if you wear a wide leg with a form-fitting top it doesn’t matter how tall you are. it’s all about proportions and the ones
that fit your body.
Love your outfit! It was my Mom who taught me to love clothes too. She occasionally would keep me home from school so we could go shopping and out to lunch. Good memories! Is there a way for a short gal to wear the wider leg pants with flats? I can no longer wear heels thanks to old knees.
Beth, I must be channeling you, by sheer coincidence today I chose wide leg navy trousers with a pale blue vertical/horizontal stripe pattern and a navy roll neck sweater – what are the chances! Your post obviously resonated with me on a subconscious level even before I read it.
Ah, thanks for the memories. I wore the exact same jeans in Venice 48 (whew) years ago. Thanks for the memories.
Hi Beth, love your blog! What earrings are you wearing in today’s?
HI Beth!
I am loving the wide-leg pants! However, I am finding that the hemlines and the shoes are tricky. It seems that the wider the leg, the longer the length—almost touching the floor. Too short and you have the “high-water” look; too long, and you look shlumpy. And the shoes can ruin the whole look. And then there are the cropped wide-legs that have their own shoe issues! I’d love to have you address this at some point since it’s a look we probably will be embracing in the months to come—i think it’s flattering and forgiving when done right.
This outfit makes my heart sing and you look adorable in it. Retro AND classic! Put on a wig with waist-length brown hair and that could be me in college in the early 70s! Going to check my wardrobe for wide leg jeans and get a pair if I don’t have. I adore feminine blouses with prints but am especially partial to blue & white, tiny prints and ruffles. The espadrilles and purse are such cute touches. You just never miss the mark!
I love this outfit and think it looks great on you. I agree with you about the flared leg pants elongating the leg. I’m happy to see them return!
Outfit perfection once again Beth. My love for flailed jeans began in the 70’s and it remains true today. We’ve never broken up!
So unexpected but what a lovely surprise! I love it, but am hesitant with my short legs. I’ll have to ponder it for a bit… love the sunglasses, too!
“Everything Old Is New Again!”
We’re the same age:class of ’76.
I wore this exact outfit as I’m sure you did!
Sooo fun. Who’d have thought we’d be wearing it 45 years later.
Wait. What? 45 yrs? Oh my😆
how did that happens?!
Any suggestions on how to size the sweater vest so it IS a vest? It is sold as a shell, so to layer it how much does one need to size up?
i wore a size medium which is my regular size.
I love everything about this look Beth! I have several pairs of wide leg pants/jeans and love them. Since I carry extra weight in my hips and thighs, I don’t look like a sausage when I wear them.
Normally I bypass cashmere but I would buy this sweater vest if only it weren’t excluded from JCrew’s current promotion, 🙁
Love your outfit! Fabulous…I’ve been wanting a vest for a while since seeing some in the winter..I’m definitely getting one now…want to copy your look…so classic yet trendy…you nailed this one.😊one of my best friends just sent me an email with your blog attached..she is ready to update her look…can’t wait to tell her she has great taste and I’ve been following you for a while.