Alternative Title #1 – Why We Finally Started a Fashion Blog

Alternate Title #2 – Why We Consider Ourselves Fashion Soul Sisters

A few months ago, Jennifer and I were texting about recent purchases and she sent me a pic of the Banana Republic Avery Side Stripe Tailored Ankle Pant

I was immediately enamored of the entire look, but as much as Jennifer and I can “twin” with a lot of our outfits and purchases, I did not want to copy her and – somewhat uncharacteristically – resisted the urge to add to cart.

Flash forward to a few weeks later when I receive an email announcing BR’s latest sale. Since I was still dreaming of those pants (and the red heels the model is wearing with them, but that it a story for another day), the 40% off made them too hard to resist, so in the cart they went.

Shortly thereafter, Jennifer and I were planning the blog’s editorial calendar and I mentioned to her that I finally broke down and bought the BR navy trousers. She got very excited and exclaimed, “I love those pants! Did you know that I recently bought them too?! How funny!”, completely forgetting that she is the one that planted this sartorial seed.

You can see how Jennifer styled them for her everyday life here. I think she described them best when she said, “One-part track pant and one-part tuxedo trouser, these pants are a workhorse that pulls double duty from work to play.”

My OOTD photos show how I styled them, as well as the subtle changes I made to get through a day that included work, back to back meetings, and a board lunch before schlepping to soccer practice and giving my teenager a driving lesson. The day ended with meeting friends for drinks, which, given the driving lesson was a really, really good idea.

I felt comfortable and put together all day. These trousers worked for all scenarios with just minimal tweaks. I only changed my blazer to a jean jacket and my heels to sneakers and even kept the same tee shirt. I was able to close my blazer when in more professional settings where even a sliver of belly would not be appropriate. On a related note, they fit perfectly in the morning but clearly stretched out as the day went on, so I would size down on the Banana Republic Avery pant. I bought my usual size 8 for reference. 

Pants like this are a great addition to any wardrobe as they can be dressed up or down depending upon your lifestyle. They add style and personality, but are still appropriate for work or play. I thought trousers with these fun tux or track pant details were going to be a fad when they first started showing up on fashion blogs, but it looks like they are here to stay and I for one am glad.

The same pants in grey? Yes, please. And they are on sale!

This fun pair are made out of nylon material and are also on sale (and they just arrived today!)

This pair come in an awesome color, have a satin side stripe and is part of a suit!