How to Style Ponte Pants for Work
When I bought my first pair of ponte pants (the since-discontinued J.Crew Pixie pants) a few years ago, I don’t think I realized just how much I would end up wearing them. They were a solid part of my uniform in grad school, so I figured they would work seamlessly into my work wardrobe.
Well, I became acutely aware of how they may be perceived at work because they look pretty similar to leggings, even though they’re just as snug on me as skinny jeans. I maintained that they’re fine to wear to work since there’s a seam down the leg and they’re not thin like leggings, but I didn’t want to get in trouble for wearing something “inappropriate” at work. (I wasn’t told a specific dress code when I was hired. We are just expected to use our discretion and dress appropriately. My office leans on the casual side of business casual, and I still wear the vast majority of my wardrobe except for shorts, mini skirts, and dresses that hit above my knees.)
How to make ponte pants work appropriate
I decided that the best way to wear my ponte pants was with tops and sweaters (or tunics/short dresses) that are long enough to cover my crotch and butt as seen here. Because of that, I wear them so much less than I used to, sadly…but I feel much better about this decision! I recently added this new-to-me Madewell flannel shirt to my closet via Poshmark, and in a size up, it’s the perfect length for my ponte pants! I originally purchased it in my usual Madewell size XS, but decided to buy a size up for length, longer sleeves, and more room in the shoulders. Now it’s time to find more long tops and sweaters!
OUTFIT DETAILS
Madewell shirt / exact
J.Crew pants / old; new version
Earth boots c/o / exact (also available from Nordstrom or Zappos) (last seen here)
Madewell earrings / old; similar by Banana Republic
Le Specs sunglasses / exact style
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in rosé / exact
SHOP PONTE PANTS
This post was last updated in November 2020.