As I’ve discussed previously, harem pants can be difficult to wear well. During a recent closet clean-out, I unearthed this khaki version and decided to debut them at the Jeff Koons Retrospective at the Whitney Museum. Trust me, no one was looking at my outfit there — they were looking at this. (Warning: that link goes to some sexually explicit, NSFW content.)
Unlike my last harem pants purchase, these are vintage — and I suspect they’re technically not harem pants at all. (More like a khaki version of “mom jeans.”) Here’s a better view:
This outfit is not traditionally flattering, elegant or crowd-pleasing: I still think it works. Harem pants are a classic example of what the French call jolie-laide — or “ugly-but-pretty.” The style may not immediately please the eye, but it hints at a risk-taking mentality that I tend to admire in other women.
Because harem pants have an international flavor, they also project a certain worldliness, which I referenced with the D’Orsay flats that remind me of the babouches for sale in the Marrakech souks. (I found the Jenni Kayne versions for less than $100 at Tokio 7 — and they are WAY more comfortable than these $138 J. Crew knock-offs.)
So, you tell me: Are harem pants so bad they’re great? Or are they a fashionista’s version of insider baseball?
