How to Style Print Pants for Day and Night

If you feel like maybe you’re in a style rut, it might be time to shake things up a bit.

Nothing too drastic, but putting your toe outside your style comfort zone can kick start your enthusiasm for the new season and open your eyes to even more fashion possibilities.

Plus, I bet you get a ton of compliments, and that never hurts:)

You’ll notice that we occasionally feature outfits designed to help you incorporate a new trend or jazz up your basics to show you how to add the “twist” in the classic-with-a-twist style we love around here, all while still showing off your personal style.

We do that by featuring new items while mixing them with other popular items recently featured on the blog, so you can get the most out of your purchases. 

How to Style Print Pants

Pants, $79.50 

Print bottoms, a.k.a patterned pants, have been around forever. What makes them a trend, and can therefore date them, is the pattern. To keep them leaning classic choose a subtle print. Vertical stripes, for example, are a lot harder to pull off than floral printed or even a small polka dots pant style. (Of course, if you love a big, bold print, go for it! They may just be limited in how long you’ll want to wear them.)

For this post, I’m using these Ann Taylor crop pants, which are similar to lovely floral pants, in what they are calling an animal print. It’s more of an abstract version of one, using neutral colors, which I like more than a traditional print. The base color is called “Night Sky.”

The pants are available in a range of sizes, from 00 – 18, in regular and petite with a curvy cut option. 

Below, I’m showing two ways to wear them, one for day, one for night, using some of our past reader favorites for the season. 

Sporty Daytime 

Sweater, $80 | Crossbody Bag, $129 | Earrings, $45 | Slip-On Sneaker, $95  

Anytime you work with a pattern, the easiest way to make it work in an outfit is to pull out one color and work with it. Here, because the weather is warming up, I’m using white. It instantly makes the look feel fresh. 

Banana Republic makes a fantastic solid-colored knit, like this crewneck lightweight sweater, available in XXS – XXL in regular and petite. 

To keep it sporty, I used white slip-on sneakers from Allbirds. These are great, everyday sneakers for under $100. You can walk all day in them, run errands, travel, visit the grandkids, etc. There are many color options; I prefer the white, grey, and beige. 

Then, since we’re wearing this on a busy day, I used this tan crossbody from Nordstrom. I featured it in our What to Buy at Nordstrom post last month and have received so many notes from readers who are enjoying it. I have three kids and a non-stop schedule, so a stylish crossbody is one of my go-to’s this time of year. 

Finally, I discovered Gorjana, a fantastic affordable jewelry brand, last year. If you want a few jewelry pieces that look different but still fall under the classic category, give them a try. I picked these under $50 earrings for this look because they are small enough for a casual day but mimic the pants’ print, tying everything together.

Night Out 

Earrings, $32 | White Blazer, $128 |Camisole, $68 |Woven Clutch, $58 | Heels, $65 

Oh, how I love heels and blazers!F

For a night out-inspired way to wear printed pants, I used the white blazer we featured from Express from another post and layered it over this camisole by Spanx (also featured in our What to Buy at Nordstrom post).

Then I used these neutral-colored strappy heels by Via Spiga (on sale over on Amazon) and this woven clutch which is my new favorite find from Bloomingdales.

Lastly, these gorgeous earrings are only $32 at Lilly Pulitzer. 

Our Style Content is Inspired by Our Readers

Our readership inspires all of our posts and is not sponsored or paid for by brands or retailers. 

Recommendations are based on my experience as a personal stylist and wardrobe consultant for over a decade. I worked with busy, down-to-earth women who wanted to look chic and feel confident but were often confused by so much of retail. 

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