What do you wear with black trousers?

[PetiteMum]

I have bought a pair for work which I adore, but all my tops look cheap with them! Probably because they are colourful and I normally go for beige or brown trousers.... Hmmmmmmm. I am stuck!

Hmm, depends on the trousers, depends on the top, depends on the occasion. I have my regulation pair (side zip, so a smooth tummy, wide leg, gorgeous fabric) which works well for pretty much any 'OMG I don't know what to wear' moment. Teamed with a fab top from Coast and a pair of heels they've taken me to the theatre, and with a grey/white top they do funerals. They also do meals out with DH, shopping with DM, cocktails in Paris etc etc. No grown-up's wardrobe should be without a pair - but it has to be the right pair.

And another thing - what's wrong with Next?? (Or working in admin, for that matter?) Good quality, good fit, washable, reasonably priced - I have two of their suits that I wear for work. Got the lot, including two tops, for a shade over £100. Very clever of you to spot if someone's wearing one - if you have nothing better to do... Now, you'll have to excuse me as I have some admin to do.

Grey is the best colour with black for work. Grey trousers black top works better but black trousers and say gorgeous cashmere grey jumper good too.

oh Cointreau - you and me both. What on earth should we do???

:o

Wicketkeeper, I shall wear my Next black trousers with all the colours of the rainbow pride.

Stuff the lot of you!

Wow there are some snobs in here. (Nothing wrong with either being a waitress, or shopping in Next and working in admin, IMO)

Try the outfits, look in mirror and if you are pleased, great. If not, don't wear it. Have faith in your own taste and develop your own style.

Wow there are some snobs in here
Ya got that right! Heaven forbid one wouldn't 'see' how black clashes with every colour under the sun (oh except grey and white apparently ).
In the meantime, I wear my mid-price, slightly bootcut black trews whenever I feel like it (which actually isn't v often), and have been informed by people in the know that my ass looks good in them so they're not for the bin just yet, heinous polyester-mix monstrosities though they may be.... and no, I don't work in admin.

But just say I wanted to invest in a more 'upmarket' pair of black trews, what brand would anyone recommend?

I cannot recommend these from Banana Republic highly enough. thick black cotton with a bit of stretch, non shiny fabric, last forever and ever. Not high fashion but a really reliable pair of trews : )

i find black hard too.
feel waitressey.
i wear grey

agree with gill banana republic trouser reccy
u have sloan straight leg in a airforce blue/grey

THICK fabric that keeps shape - tiny hint of stretch in, nice DEEP wasitband and 33 inside leg

bananarepublic.gap.eu/browse/product.do?cid=57998&vid=1&pid=000850719&scid=000850719FAL11-471 crap styling here

Oh be serious it is not snobby to want to avoid the "next" look - their workwear is grim and it has little to do with price.

wicketkeeper "what is wrong with next" is summed up in your one word "washable". tailoring should never, ever, ever be washable. If you want washable wear a cotton skirt, or a wrap dress but washable tailoring is just wrong.

Banana Republic do lovely trousers as do Reiss and Ted baker, although it has to be said I haven't seen to many pairs this season. Go for high wool content, thick fabric and a wide waist band.

I have a pair of black wool classic cut trousers from Gap and I most often find myself wearing a long sleeved Breton tee with them. I agree that bright colours look naff with them and I don't think bootcuts do much for anyone.

Queen - the opposite being dry-cleanable? Hell no, give me washable every time, unless I'm only going to wear it once in a blue moon. Washable tailoring is just sensible (although even I wouldn't wash the jacket). And no, it isn't grim - it all depends on how you wear it... You need verve and panache. Take a chance!! Never say never!!

PS I also shop at Harvey Nicks, Debenhams, TK Maxx, Primark, the little boutique in the next village, and Vivienne Westwood, and anywhere else that takes my fancy.

PPS - cotton skirts crinkle horribly when you sit on them, and wrap dresses gape in the most awkward places. Now that's what I call grim.

although i agree with you queen i think you are being a bit of a ponce
lot of people have to wear smart clothes to work and cant afford or dont want to dry clean

hey ho

FFS Queen, I work in Admin!

I can't afford to have stuff dry-cleaned.

I would love to work somewhere where I could swan around in cashmere, killer heels and pussy bow blouses- where I could justify spending more than £20 on a pair of trousers- black or otherwise to get 'pulled' on a wooden desk or covered in White board marker.
grey duly noted though.

I am wearing black trousers today with a striped Breton, a black waistcoat and red ballet flats. I am channelling my inner mime artist.

Do I look cheap? Probably.
Do I care? Not a fig.
Have I been both comfortable and work appropriate? Hell yes AND dp said I looked nice - so there!

Queen - your washing comment is, frankly, both snobbish and ridiculous. I have tailoring from Vivienne Westwood which can go in the machine and certainly doesn't look either 'cheap' or 'wrong.' So there again!

Am seriously baffled by the suggestion that we should be wearing Dry Clean Only items to work, day in day out. When we have kids! And eat food! And live in a rainy climate!

I too dislike cheap shiny polyester black trousers but the idea that there is no middle ground between them and wool-mix DCO trousers is frankly bonkers

i generally wear black tops with black trousers... i hate the next workwear look that i seem to get when i try to wear anything but black on top with them.

QueenofDenial is right,

Folks who disagree with her might want to spend a little less time on this thread shouting 'I don't care what people think'. You obviously do care.

It depends on the trousers. Agree cheap poly not a good look.

Recently bought these from Reiss. Love them

mobile.reissonline.com/shop/womens/tailoring_formal/paris/black/

I have been wearing them with leopard print heals and this White top

mobile.reissonline.com/shop/womens/cottons/eve/white/ and scarf from ted baker. Or this top

mobile.reissonline.com/shop/womens/cottons/minna/khaki/

I ruined a pair of Gap trousers by washing them. They didn't look dry clean only. They looked like they were made of thick cotton, like jeans only woven differently. Bastarding things are now about a size 4, and three inches too short.

WHy would any human being want to wear something that was dry clean only?

White shirt and heels? I like blue with black can look good if you get it right.depends on the trousers though

Nothing.

Just let it all hang out.