All your pants are gonna wanna go low rise

So how you gonna wear them?

If walking up and down the strip contained between the borders of Carnegie and Lenox Hills have alerted me to any overwhelming trend, it is the boyish pants sitting low rise on the young ladies who traverse the same strip.

There are loads of rodeo buckles out there too (no doubt thanks to Khaite and Celine’s spring belts — and an overarching stylistic return to the old west, which has been well in motion since last summer). But low rise pants (bottoms, really, bc skirts and shorts, esp those that read cargo are not excluded) have had a longer, more subtle lead time on their quest towards the apex they’re approaching now.

Thistles sunglasses (they are so good), Mango bodysuit (this one from Ref is v similar, but truly, a black bathing suit is fine here — or even a stretchy tube top). I do still really like this one from Alaia tho), All Three silk pants rolled over to a pristine low rise, Chanel sandals (these are p similar, or some other strong ones from: Jude, Herbert Levine, Courreges; you’ll see these further below and they work here too), The Veil bag (also love this from Gabriela Hearst; here is a gorgeous Etsy alt, then this is Rixo, and have you seen Calvin Klein’s chain mail finger loop thing!?). Here’s the pearl necklace.

They reflect a mood more than a specific trend — away from sexless clothes, towards something messier, a little more…nasty.

The Row silk shirt, Chan Luu halter top (on back order, but she’s cute. And this is more for the navel gazing among us, but I like the Ibiza energy). Aflalo ‘basketball’ shorts, Rue de Verneuil tote, Le Monde Beryl sandals (here in black). Here are some good wire frame sunglasses

Which maybe is not so literal — like the “nasty” outfit may not be overt (could be mistaken for elegant or utilitarian or whatever —),

Heirlome top (length is more like this one), Aflalo genie pants (long live Lolana!), The Row slippers; dm to order the LMC cuffs!!!

Tom Ford sunglasses, Puerta Negra top, Alex Mill cargos (recommend these in their place, or…Auralee sneakily launched on Net-a-Porter recently (flip flops!!!!!) and these are avail in a full range of sizes but prob not for long. But I have good luck with canvas pants from H&M, so dropping them in as a last alt too. For a more festive alt/the second order in command? These from Jaded), black flat thong sandals with ankle strap here.

because the concept of clothes that are full of sex as opposed to deprived of it is more about bringing to light what often remains in the dark intimacy of our secret lives. And the material contained here is going to look different person to person, style tendency to tendency.

Piece de resistance on this baby are the beaded sandals from Ancient Greek Sandals. La Veste red silk shirt, Sea cotton vest, All Three tank and pants. Necklace is from Marisa Klass

But now that we’ve been teased with the first salty sweat beads to drip down the city’s spine into its exposed butt crack, the question is how to wear these pants?

If we’re assuming the shape and material of pant is slouchy and low rise respectively, the best answer for how to wear is with a top that flutes out, like something baby doll, a little bit femme.

Bernadette top (when she comes like a dress, she looks like this), Still Here cargo shorts, Rixo sandals

Streets Ahead belt (might like this one more)

Doen top (I love the sleeve on her), Aflalo surf pants, Little Liffner black basket bag (totally different vibe, but I love the shape of this from the same brand; a perfect shove-under-your-armpit-and-look-elegant throw on for the dog days ahead of us)

Ancient Greek Sandals. These! For the more playful among us! And these for the elegant.

Or maybe there are two answers — some kind of tight-to-the-body tube or suit or even a baby tee are great too. The bodysuits in particular are good because they keep you held in. Then you can add a shirt unbuttoned over like a jacket if you want more security —

Sezane zebra stripe shirt and snake belt (I love Horacio and Moana too; Ondine packs a nice punch!), Zara metallic one-piece, Ali Grace jeans, Thistles sunglasses

In either instance, I’ll often add a belt to bring some weight to the overall look.

We Wore What babydoll stop, Still Here ‘sport’ jeans, Ralph Lauren concho belt (try this or this one), dropping in the Thistles sunglasses one more time in place of these 6-year old wayfarers from The Row x OP, Etro wedge thongs (these in their place, no q about it!)

If low rise pants aren’t for you but you still want in

If you don’t have (or want to have) low rise pants but want to attempt no-stakes participation in this hip-hugging trend, you can:

a) roll over a pair of elastic waist pants, as seen in a few instances above —

La Veste red shirt, Sea New York utility vest, All Three tank and pants, Marisa Klass obsidian necklace (kinda nuts about the double too), Ancient Greek Sandals sandals (they come raw too)

The Row silk shirt, Chan Luu button halter (here is another inspired alternative while she is on backorder), Aflalo shorts (and racquet string bracelet!; can order with or without hanging string)

Re: top, she is in my cart. What is happening to me! And dropping in the Ref suit one more time. The rest of this caption is for jewelry: Lara Somnez gold ear cuff, here are two good, inspired collars, you know where to get the pearl necklace and then these (1, 2, 3, 4, 4b) can help you cultivate a nice stack for your wrist. Alternatively, a jumbo chain link bracelet could be the thing. Meanwhile, these Alaia sandals are a pretty similar shape to mine.

b) belt a shirt in a low-rise spot

Liberowe fringe tweed jacket (here is houndstooth), Khaite silk camisole (v similar to this; another alt here), 6397 cargo shorts, Ancient Greek Sandals homage to Rocket Dogs (these perhaps even more so, but the satin version has me); belt is All Three

If low rise is not for you but you like the vibe

Try a pair of straight leg, slouchy mid rise pants — like these from Golovanoff or these from All Three.

LPA ruffle top (it seems we are stepping into our season of the ruffle cardi), All Three pink pants, The Row flatforms (36, 38.5 and 40 left @ 30% off!); I don’t have Phoebe Philo’s, or AGS’ clunky-but-still-flat leather thong here. something like these would work great here too. And! Another pair of wire frames for you clicking pleasure

All the same dressing rules apply.

In sum that’s: lightweight pants, often slouchy and straight, sometimes whimsically elasticated at the ankle, or scrunched in nylon like jobs…or denim, as paired with: halter tops of any stripe, bodysuits, a spandex tube (or tank), ye trusty baby tee or the simplest of a lightweight cotton thing.

The end! Any q’s, let me know. I’m here,

Leandra