The Hunt: The Best Wide-Leg Pants to Wear to Work
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Wide-leg pants have become a workwear staple — but with so many options out there right now, which ones are actually the best wide-leg pants to wear to work?
We’ve talked before about some of the trickier aspects of wearing wide-leg trousers, including what shoes to wear with them, what tops to pair with them, and how long your pants should be. Today, though, we’re focusing on the pants themselves: the styles that are polished enough for the office, comfortable enough for a long workday, and available in a range of prices, sizes, and inseams.
Readers, which are your favorite wide-leg pants to wear to work? What are your best tips on hemming them, and which shoes and tops do you pair them with?
The Best Wide-Leg Pants for Work: Quick Picks
- The Best Wide-Leg Pants: Aritzia, Favorite Daughter,
- Best Affordable Wide-Leg Pants: Abercrombie, Old Navy
- Best Splurge: Veronica Beard, M.M.LaFleur
- Best Wide-Legs for Plus, Petite, and Tall Sizes: Spanx, Abercrombie, Maeve, Talbots
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.
N.B. This post was originally written in 2022 and substantially updated in August 2026 by Kat Griffin.
What to Look For In Great Wide-Leg Trousers
I like them styled with sneakers or other flat shoes — getting a heel right with them can be a bit tricky, although I'd love to hear your tips! (Another possible issue to be on the lookout for: can you wear shoes without the pant leg getting caught and tucked in the strap, laces, or vamp of the shoe — kind of like in this picture below? (It's originally from En Saison @ Anthropologie.) Boots can be ideal for this reason.)
The main thing about full-length pants, though, is that you really do have to know which shoes you plan to wear them with when you get them hemmed — and then stick to that general height of shoe every time you wear the pants. (Here are our thoughts on the best shoes to wear with wide leg pants…)
I'm seeing wide-leg pants styled with a lot of crop tops — for the office I'd switch it to a work-acceptable bodysuit or other close-fitted top.
(Update: we just rounded up ideas for what tops to wear with wide leg pants.)
Just another note on fabrics: I feel like either a drapey fabric, or a heavy fabric like tweed or flannel is better for these kinds of pants because cotton or linen will wrinkle — in fact, if you're planning on wearing the wide-leg pants to work I'd avoid those fabrics.
{related: do check out our regularly updated list of wardrobe essentials for work!}
The Best Wide-Leg Pants to Wear to Work
The Cult Favorite: Aritzia / Effortless
Aritzia has some of the best wide-leg pants — both their wildly popular Effortless pant as well as their other popular Limitless pant are cut with loose, wide legs, and come in a variety of fabrics. Most of their pants are around $148, and are available in sizes 00-16, as well as petite and tall sizes.
Psst: check out our latest thoughts on the best trouser lengths for women!
Best Affordable Pick: Abercrombie & Fitch
Readers have given shoutouts to Abercrombie & Fitch Sloan pants as affordable, reliable wide leg pants — and they have a curvy option!
The pants are $95 at Abercrombie in sizes 23-38 in short, regular, and long sizes, but they’re frequently on sale. Three other budget-friendly options include Amazon's Tapata pants, Old Navy Taylor trousers, and Banana Republic Factory.
Fun Colors, Prints, and Fabrics: Anthropologie / Maeve
Several readers have sung the praises of these wide-leg flare pants from Maeve. (One even went so far as to describe them as the second coming of The Skirt, which is high praise if you’re an OG Corporette reader.)
I love the slightly stretchy “magic” fabric, which fits and flatters a wide range of body types. They also come in a great range of sizes, from standard to plus, petite to tall.
Note that most options have patch pockets on the front of the pant, which definitely gives them a more casual vibe… so know your office!
The pants are $130 at Anthropologie and come in sizes 23-34 (standard, petite, and tall), as well as 14W-26W.
Best for Polished Comfort: Spanx / Perfect Pants
As Elizabeth noted,
Spanx has come out with a shockingly fantastic pant collection in the last few years, but they’ve typically only been available in solids or subdued stripes. This plaid colorway is something of a departure, and I couldn’t be more excited.
I’ve found that they run pretty true to size, although a bit snug in the waist (by design).
The pants come in seasonal colorways as well as basics, and are available in regular, petite, plus, and plus-sized petite sizes at Spanx.com. The Perfect Pants tend to be solid colors, but if you're ok with a more casual vibe their AirEssentials pants (also at Nordstrom) are wonderful for business casual or travel days, and they even have a new suiting collection that includes wide-leg pants.
Another ponte option readers like: Talbots.
Best Fashion-Forward Pick: Favorite Daughter
These $218 Favorite Daughter pants look great, and are also available in a bunch of colors (and fabrics) at Nordstrom and FavoriteDaughter.com (ooh, and they have petites and talls). They're available in sizes 0-18.
Another fashion forward pick: Reformation.
Best for Travel/Commuting: Athleta Pinnacle
If you're in a casual office or have a casual day coming up, athleisure may be appropriate — readers have been loving the Athleta Pinnacle pants for a while now as great wide legs. (Old Navy's Taylor is similar.)
Another popular pick: Lululemon's Daydrift.
The Splurge: Veronica Beard Tonelli
Veronica Beard is a reader favorite, and our splurge pick. They have a lot of wide-legged pants (including corduroys!) but right now I think my pick would be these classic wide-leg pants. They're $528 and available in sizes 00-16. Another great VB pant: the Marbeau.
Another great pick for quality: M.M.LaFleur.
Readers, what are the best wide-leg pants to wear to work in 2026? What are your best tips on hemming them, and which shoes and tops do you pair them with?
Like this feature? Check out other recent installments!
Social media images via Deposit Photos / JANIFEST (woman leans against blue velvet chair, she wears wide-leg pants to wear to work in white).
Am hoping that non-pleat front pants come back sooner than later.
YES
Solidarity!
I’m still dealing with postpartum pooch and pleated pants make me look like I’m smuggling hedgehogs.
Would love some thoughts on this… I have a 401k which I max out and also a Roth IRA. I haven’t contributed to the Roth this year because I was in the process of buying a house but now that that is done, I’m trying to decide whether to contribute the 6k now all at once or space it out over the next 6 months or so up till the April 2023 deadline. So far it seems like experts are divided on what’s best. I’m 38 and have about 45k in the account. Thoughts? TIA!
My opinion: if you have the entire amount available, contribute & invest it in something besides cash now. Trying to time the market is not the way to go.
I guess my understanding is that spacing out the contributions is the opposite of trying to time the market because that way you spread out the risk more and have a better chance of hitting some lows? I am not very well educated on this. It’s only recently that I’ve been in a position to choose (ie had enough money that I had the option of one large contribution vs several small ones over time).
Personally, I don’t think $6k is enough to get in a mental pretzel about. What you’re describing is dollar-cost averaging. A quick search will give you enough to feel better educated on it. It’s definitely a sound investment practice, but it sounds like you otherwise have taken this approach assuming you have intervaled contributions to your 401k. Just put it in and be done.
This market is gonna crash. Some very smart people I work with thinks we have a solid 18 months (or more). Or it could be tomorrow. Just get that money to work now, and resume otherwise normal investing intervals.
It’s all about what you can stomach. If it’s easier for you to just plop all the money in now and not worry that you’re “missed the bottom” or something, then just do it and be happy. If you’re worried about market variability then you may feel better about adding $1000 monthly in an automated way. The main thing is: make the contribution! So you’re doing great!
I agree with the other posters. Just contribute now. It’s possible that markets will drop more, but you’re investing for the long term and time in market beats trying to time the market.
Applying the time value of money: space it out.
The current BR Factory bootcut pants are more of a wide-leg than true bootcut, IMHO. Just throwing another option out there if you like the look and want to try it in a work-friendly way. They are also looooong, so suitable for taller ‘rettes!
What are y’all wearing as shoes for these? Wide legs with flats/sneaks make me feel frumpy. I’ve been wearing my standard point toe heels. What are other options?
I wear low leather boots with an almond toe.
I love wide-leg trousers with a block heeled loafer pump for the office. It’s a 90s throwback look (and was a 70s throwback in the 90s), but it totally works.
+1
I like the “look,” but I’d have to have a style without front pleats. They are not my friend.
I can’t do the pleats. Just doesn’t look right on me. I’ve always loved wide leg pants! That’s basically all I wear these days. I have pants for heels and pants for flats. For the office, I love classic pointy toed stiletto pumps with the toes just peeking out in front and the heels hidden with a floor grazing hem. Heels are seen only when walking or sitting. Fashionable and sexy. For tops, can’t go wrong with a thong bodysuit. I have lots of them! No VPL and super comfy!
Would love for retailers to list the actual rise measurement in their online catalogs so I can screen pants before heading out to try them on. Saying the pants fit “below the natural waist” is useless. Everyone’s measurement from crotch to natural waist is different. If the rise is not long enough, the pants cannot be altered, so there is no point in investing. I was excited to see high waisted pants and love the wider ones, though no pleats for me. I may have to go back to custom tailoring after wasting time visiting stores with nothing suitable.
I’m surprised Aritzia effortless pants didn’t make this list! Many color options, lengths, and usually some seasonal fabrics (though some more popular colors sell out and are slow to restock).
(moved to coffee break)
If it helps, this internet stranger agrees with you 100% and thinks they’re being huge jerks. The only ones it will hurt are them when they don’t have a relationship with the grandkids.
I vote for let him put his foot in it, tell your mom to knock it off, and offer your support to your nephew and his wife.
Thank you for moving this!
reassurance or advice please for possible bedbugs, I live in a apartment building:
Just put my sheets, carry on bag and couch covers in the laundry and had already washed clothes from my trip this morning.
context:
I flew home from visiting relatives yesterday and was gone for 4 days. I didn’t think much of the bug i wiped off the couch cushion last night while relaxing. Today, I have small raised bumps in a few spots on my ankle, knee and lower arms, they dont itch and I noticed the bumps on my knee before bed last night. A google image tells me it could have been a bed bug. the color and shape was similar from what I remember.
I have a simple metal bed frame and a covered matress and I dont see any critters so far. I haven’t seen anything after stripping the couch down either.
Is it a be vigilant, but wait and see game? Should I give the apartment building office a headsup?
Vacuum thoroughly. Wipe down your bedframe with rubbing alcohol. Heat cycle of your dryer is your friend here. Wash and dry everything possible. Eggs look like small poppy seeds so can be so small and an infestation can get out of hand quickly. As for letting the building know, I would wait to see if you see another one and keep it in tape in a ziploc bag so pest control can identify it and treat appropriately.
This is a great reason to have a vacuum cleaner either a bag- you can throw them out. If yours is bagless, clean it out and take the trash out.