I have written earlier about designers' efforts to promote new trends in women's pants. The general theme is that fashion houses want to get girls out of tight jeans and into something -- anything -- different.
Accordingly, this year's spring/summer releases include many light, very wide, loose pants, now called palazzo pants, often in colorful prints.
It's an audacious idea, coming at a moment when career women spend their weekends and stay-at-home moms their weekdays in yoga pants from Lululemon or the Athleta catalog. Those fitted pants look good on women who visit the gym several times a week; why would they want to wear shapeless clothes?
Just this week, the New York Times fashion section ran a photo array of colorful palazzo pants; the copy advised pairing the pants with form-fitting tops and short leather jackets for outings in the city.
Maybe I travel in the wrong neighborhoods, but I have not seen many palazzo-clad women in Manhattan or in the suburbs.
In fact, jeans and other pants are getting a little wider. Just not palazzo-wide.
I think I know why.
Here is a photograph of a young woman in a possibly fashionable but unfortunate outfit. My bet is that she weighs at least 20 pounds less than her attire would suggest. Who needs that?
Here are several examples of palazzo pants that I would not buy under any circumstances.
Maybe we will see different, more appealing styles in the fall.
Looks for Girls
Another tell is that young fashionistas do not seem particularly interested in wide, patterned pants. Remember, these are the women who have been happy to don maxi skirts and blue lipstick.
My impression is that the big summer look for girls -- defined by me as anyone under the age of 30 -- is short, flowy, flowered dresses.
They do look great.
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