Genie pants are the low stakes novelty item your wardrobe craves when the weather is better and your guard’s coming down and you can reflect on the winter that is newly behind you and recognize the growth that’s because of it.
This is the magic of spring in a place with 4 clearly defined seasons. You’re in a dark tunnel for months until you approach the light and with all this new perspective and gratitude for how you managed to survive the darkness, everything is bright — and light — again.
So your risk threshold gets higher and you want to celebrate. Want to look like you’re ready to celebrate. This makes a pair of genie pants an ideal outfit maker. Allow me to demonstrate the ways:
They make it easy to wear all black without looking at all boring.
Shoes turned lace up/leather/beige. These are their protege, I guess!
Meanwhile here’s what you’d wear out on a sticky city night — Mango bodysuit, Aflalo pants, Larroude wedges (love these with an outfit like this too); here are necklace (Row) and bracelet (Jujuvera) alts
These could work if you’re after a more classic trainer shape. So to close the loop here, I’ll reiterate what brought us in the first place: genie pants make wearing all black look and feel full of personality with basically no lift.
Call this the sequel, played out as a mini series, to last winter’s argument. Next:
They do something great under dresses and tunics —
Where is she going? Idk, in a gold tunic I bought second-hand during Covid — a bit different but I kind of love her. Otherwise, here’s one from Dries second-hand. Aflalo pants, Gucci sandals (the modern Valentino equiv is these; I’m into these too), another dramatic tassel clutch
Now she strolls, like steps out to get ice cream but comes home with an inhaler instead — Loulou de Saison crochet dress (she comes in black too), Massimo Dutti pants (these are a good, less sheer alt), The Row flats (these are a good option for the shape — a bit more refined tho; I’d pair with thongs like these too)
And here are somesilverbracelets for you. This from Bisonate is no doubt the best clutch comp (at $200), but Khaite’s ‘Lina’ is good too for a more relaxed vibe and then I love this one from Mansur Gavriel
If you’d prefer heels, might I suggest a third tunic option (I’d wear it with this if I had it! But here’s a more practical alt from Ref; I’d try this too) styled with waist belt (wherever you go, there Prada is), Manolo Blahnik sandals
The belt is St. Agni. Did you get my joke about Prada?
Regular pants will give a dress a defined dose of personality, but bubble hem pants take the articulation one step further — either enunciating the extent to which you are fun or cool or arty as hell.
The unbeatable simplicity of a button down and sandals
The pants could look wild with something as simple as a button down and sandals —
Indress pink metallic top, Massimo Dutti pants, Phoebe Philo heels (I maintain these from Etro are a good alt, but Le Monde Beryl’s style is the most realistic in more ways than one)
Or they could look …simple… with something as simple as button down and sandals —
An alt for the shirt (washed shantung silk) is here, Aflalo pants, Jamie Haller sandals and that is straight up an orange shoe lace wrapped around my neck. The sunglasses are Miu Miu
Or they could look a combination of wild and simple with something as simple as a button down (or two) and sandals because accessories will drive the pairing home —
I like the toe on these sandals to wear futurewise with tights, but these from Larroude really capture the overarching spirit
Here is a suede shirt alt; hopefully this one comes back too, and the inner shirt is awesome — perfectly lightweight and an ideal color and pattern pairing. It’s made from deadstock fabric, and if you’re going to go for it, I recommend sizing up 1 or 2x. The whole concept of Four Objects is pretty awesome, you should look at the site
When you’re dressing for different events
Set and setting, people! Wear them to (school) drop off —
The necklace is Anni Lu. The ring is one of my wild n crazy labbies
Or they’re fine for if you actually have to enter the school too —
Are they? This vibe is like, returns from spiritual retreat in time to collect children and let them know the family’s moving out west. With the Monoki jacket, All Three tank, the same Massimo pants (I’d try this look with these too) and Jamie Haller sandals
The scarf was a gift!!! From Mexico!!! The sunglasses are Miu Miu. These good too.
I don’t actually know what would classify as the appropriate event for the below outfit but the underlying message invites you to—
Or if you’re going to fitness and then other places from there, fashion yourself into something that can get you through the rest of the day —
By Malene Birger cape (this one’s closest in conceit, this is most practical as an alt and this is for the risk taker), Leset pointelle tank, Aflalo pants, Emme Parsons sandals. I have worked out in these pants, but maybe better to put shorts or leggings under
But that’s a bit of digression as far as where to wear. Let me close this out with footage that resulted in an outfit I wore to a dinner last week where my friend was getting an award. The evening’s dressing challenge was stimulating to me because I had dinner with my in-laws before —
My version of a “shopping break” tends to last a few weeks max (and indeed I just bought an EXCELLENT Cecilie Bahnsen dress via resale this morning..)
This is THE original man repeller clothing piece! Have me online looking for dupes right now…