How to Wear Soft Pants in Summer

Earlier this week, I posted about summer pants — lightweight, relaxed, full length or cropped. And several of you asked for tips on how to style them. The universal fear seemed to be that a pair of lightweight drawstring pants would wind up looking like pajamas. Fair. Let’s address that concern.

Trousers // These pants are from LL Bean. They’s soft, comfortable, and lightweight. I own these similar chambray pants from Chico’s (thanks for the gift, Chico’s), and I love them. My favorite thing is that they feel like sweatpants and look like jeans. Both styles come in plus, the LL Bean pants also come in petite and “medium tall.”

Brunch // When I think about preventing a drawstring pant from looking like pajamas, I think about mixing textures and patterns to prevent the same-same look of a pajama set. And for this outfit, I finally found a reason to use this absolutely charming Boden sweater with embroidered details. I f**king love it. Looking for something less expensive? Amazon has this very pretty olive cardigan with a small embroidered print.

I layered the cardigan over a smooth cotton tank from LL Bean. I wanted something smooth and not ribbed, but silk or satin felt like it might get too hot. It’s v-neck, it’s loose and it breathes well.

For the shoes, I wanted to contrast the blue. Orange does that beautifully. These woven Birdies flats are phenomenal. For a softer contrast, try these coral woven flats.

I finished look off with these diamond huggie hoops from Monica Vinader. They’re so tiny and delicate. They’re also on sale. I keep looking at the MV Summer Sale and adding items to my cart. It’s gonna get dangerous.

Office // How cute and fun and pretty is this red floral print top? Red and light blue is one of my favorite color combinations. I own a dress in this combination and it’s one of my favorites. So this J.Crew top is on (ON!) my wishlist now.

I paired this top with a red cardigan, also from J.Crew, so you have a light layer to keep yourself warm in the AC. The shoes I chose were closed toe for work, but open heel for summer. The shape of these Jack Rogers mules are so fun.

To finish the look, I really wanted to choose a piece of jewelry with a white blue tone. These sale-priced earrings from Anthro are fab. I also like the look of this Mini Nugget stone necklace from MV. It’s such a great layering piece.

At Home // For home, I am wearing a parka in my office. It’s cold. So cold. My office could double as a cooler for aging beef. So I just need a light shirt to layer under my fur coat. And three blankets. While sitting on a heating pad. I’m too old to be this cold.

Anyway, continuing the prints, I chose this top from Tuckernuck. So easy, pretty for any occasion, and very light for summer.

Because the top and pants are so light, they needed some grounding elements — heavier, chunkier, with more presence. So these sandals from Margaux are a revelation. I didn’t think they were for me, but then I saw an influencer wearing them, and I was like, nope, they’re the perfect alternative to Birkenstocks. Comfortable, weighty, still elegant. I’ll still be wearing them in five years or ten, if I find a better cobbler. Need an under-$100 option? These Seychelles are close, not exact, but same vibe.

Lastly, the MV Heritage bracelet gives that same weight. Layered or on its own, the alternating textures are fabulous. I need to avoid the MV site until this sale is over. It’s too much. This brand is like my dream life in a jewelry line.

So how would you wear the lightweight pants? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

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