6 Reasons to Love Wide Crops

by Daphne Gordon April 14, 2021

Headline: Ankles are the new erogenous zone. Two pairs of pants are shown, each with two pairs of shoes that coordinate. Nic + Zoe Summer Day Denim Pants in light blue are shown with Olukai Espadrilles in ivory, and Olukai Pehuea Lī ‘Ili sneakers in white.

NEW PANT SILHOUETTE DRAWS ATTENTION DOWN

This season's cropped pants with wider legs are showing off our ankles in all their glory, and we find it rather exciting!

The wider legs we're seeing in store this season are part of a bigger trend in the fashion industry. Levi’s CEO Chip Bergh told CNBC recently that we're seeing early stages of a new denim cycle. The last one, led by skinny denim, lasted about 10 years.

“I don’t think skinny jeans are ever going to go away completely,” Bergh said. “But clearly right now we are seeing a very strong demand for these looser fits.” Pandemic living is driving the trend toward comfortable styles, he explained.

It's true that looser pants are ideal for working from home, but we think the wide-leg trend has roots that go back a bit farther than 2020. It actually started showing up on the runway in 2016.

As fashion commentator Robin Givhan noted in the Washington Post at the time, we were facing the possibility of the first female American president, and violence against women was a big part of the social conversation.

"We are reassessing definitions of gender, reconsidering ideal body shapes and asking ourselves what it means to be feminine," she wrote.

DON'T WORRY: SKINNY JEANS AREN'T OVER

We think Bergh is right about skinny jeans sticking around. Fitted styles down below provide balance when you're wearing a voluminous top, and slim pants are extremely practical in Canadian winters. Who wants wet cuffs and cold ankles? Nobody. So don't go giving away your slim styles just yet.

But in spring, wide and cropped pants —call them capris, culottes, flares, kickflares, shpants, whatever — are brilliant. We especially love how they allow us to show off our shoes. But there are many reasons we're welcoming wider pants!

SIX REASONS TO LOVE WIDE CROPPED PANTS

1) A wide-leg silhouette looks fresh and new. And a new fashion silhouette makes it feel like a new season. A new era even! Who doesn't need that right now?!

Miik wide leg pants have a black background and a small white floral print. Strappy Gabor sandals are made of white leather and a slightly raised heel.

Miik Keethai Wide Leg Capri, Gabor Ensign Sandals

2) Wide pants provide a cool summer alternative that lies somewhere between shorts and pants. They show a little bit of skin, but not too much, so they're still appropriate for work and other air-conditioned environments.

Nic + Zoe Summer Day Denim Pants in light blue come above the ankle and have a loose wide leg. They are shown with Olukai Pehuea Lī ‘Ili white sneakers

Nic + Zoe Summer Day Denim Pant, Olukai Pehuea Lī ‘Ili Sneakers

3) A cropped pant means you can work the wide leg trend, but without having to worry about dirty hems! Why not be prepared at all times to walk in the grass, do some gardening, ride a bike, or wade in the water?

Left: A woman wears flared white jeans. Right, a pair of black sneakers with a white sole. Text reads: Wear these as sneakers, or fold down the heel to wear as slip-ons.

Toad & Co Earthworks Kick Flare Pant, Olukai Ki‘ihele Slip On Sneakers

4) Wide pants feel good when you're sitting. We are so over the feeling of pants that bind around the lower leg and have to be actively pushed down over our calves every time we stand up.

Masai Panna Trousers have a wide waistband and a loose leg. They have charcoal and black vertical stripes and come to just above the ankle. They are shown with Gabor sneakers in metallic silver. The sneaks have a thick white rubber sole and a zipper detail on the outside of both feet.

Masai Panna Trousers, Gabor Side Zip Wide Lace Sneaker

5) Wide crops look great with flat shoes. Look for ways to wear no socks or minimal socks. This highlights the ankle and brings a bit of sexy to the flat-shoe look.

We have a good selection of Smartwool No Show Socks that are perfect for sneakers. They wick moisture away and therefore keep the insides of your shoes from getting soggy. And these socks fit so well they don't slide around or slip down. Highly recommended by Resonance staffers!

Lolë Flat Track Long One Piece is shown in black. The legs are wide, with a slight flare, and come above the ankle. They are shown with Gabor Poem Wedge sandals, in metallic silver and snakeskin leather with a wedge heel. The sole and heel are white.

Lolë Flat Track Long One Piece, Gabor Poem Wedge Sandals

6) Cropped pants are fit-flexible. On shorter women, a wide leg can look awesome hovering just above the ankle, so there's no need for alterations. Tall women can go extra wide, and it's fine if they're up around the mid or upper calf.

Sandwich Belted Ankle Pant in dusty blue has a fabric belt and comes above the ankle. It is shown with Gabor Nubuck Sneaker in dusty blue. The sneaker has dusty blue laces and has a white rubber sole.

Sandwich Belted Ankle Pant, Gabor Nubuck Sneaker

SHOES: TRUE TO SIZE

All footwear shown here is by Gabor and Olukai. We have a great selection at the moment! But we stock only one pair in each size, so don't hesitate if you find a shoe you love.

We know it's hard to buy shoes online. But we find that these two brands fit true to size. And we always allow refunds on online purchases, even for products that are on sale. (A few of the shoes shown in this blog post are reduced in price!)

FIND YOUR FAVE PANT + SHOE COMBO

We'll be asking for your feedback on these combos on social media this weekend. Get ready to interact!?

FIG Karjini pant is shown in a tan colour. It has a fabric belt and a wide, loose leg. It is shown with a Gabor Gabor Multicolour 3 Strap Sandal. It has a sporty look with a thick sole. Leather straps are tan, metallic gold and light beige.

Fig Karijini Linen Pant, Gabor Multicolour 3 Strap Sandal

In the meantime you can also browse our pants and footwear categories and make perfect matches of your own.

Did we miss any magic combos? Probably! Let us know on social.