The Hunt: Barrel Pants for Work

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Sure, we all know what wardrobe essentials for work professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.

Hunting for barrel pants for work? It's a very trendy shape, so I thought I'd round up a few options in work-appropriate fabrics. Readers, are you digging the barrel pant trend? What are your favorite ways to style them for work?

{related: The Ultimate Guide to Business Casual for Women}

The Best Barrel Pants for Work

Wit & Wisdom

Wit and Wisdom's work pants are among reader favorites, and these $88 barrel pants look like a great way to try the trend. I like the small crosshatch pattern on the pictured pants, which seem to only be available in petite sizes 0P-16P.

You can find other affordable options at Banana Republic Factory, Loft, and a TON at Abercrombie & Fitch (these $70 pull-on barrel pants are best sellers, but definitely on the more casual side). Looking for more wool blends? Try this sale pair from Reiss, available only in lucky sizes.

J.Crew

J.Crew's barrel pants are one of the more affordable options on our list — the cotton-blend pants are $96-$132, plus an extra 30% off sale styles. They're available in lucky sizes across four colors (the range of sizes is 23-37).

Ann Taylor has some around this price range as well ($109), available in sizes 00-16.

Banana Republic

Barrel pants feel like they're at their best in lightweight, breezy fabrics, so I especially like these tencel-linen barrel pants from Banana Republic. They're available in the blue, black, and beige for $74-$109 in regular and petite sizes (0-20 and 00P-10P); because they're on sale they may be down to lucky sizes in some colors.

Another good option in a lightweight fabric: these pull-on linen pants from Caslon, available in regular and plus sizes.

COS

COS's brown barrel pants feel like some of the most daring because the tapering and pleats are so pronounced — they're available in brown and navy, sizes 2-14, for $139. (While you're over there, do check out this amazing “croc effect” leather wrap skirt, down to extreme lucky sizes.)

Spanx

Spanx pants are another reader favorite, so it's nice to see that they have options in regular, petite, plus, and tall sizes (XS-3X, XSP-3XP, XST-3XT). They're $148 in a ponte fabric — do note that they are pull on pants.

Frame

For a more sophisticated option, look to Frame — these $378 barrel pants look perfect. Do note that they are a five-pocket style, which may or may not be appropriate for every office.

Other splurges for work include options from Lafayette 148 New York, Eileen Fisher, Partow, and Favorite Daughter.

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