Short and Cropped Jackets to Wear With Wide-Leg Pants
Wide-leg pants are everywhere this fall, and the question we hear most in the shop is what jacket to wear with them. Cropped or long? Fitted or slouchy? The answer is that both work. You just need to know the trick for each.
Here are seven jackets we love with wide-leg pants and jeans right now, from short and cropped to long and cozy. Each one is styled as a full outfit you can copy, and every piece is under $130. All are on the racks in Brentwood and online ready to ship to your door. If we run out of a style or size, fear not! Our new styles come in hot every single week!
In this post:
The Quick Rule: Cropped vs. Long
Wide-leg pants have a lot of fabric at the hem, so the jacket's job is to give the outfit shape up top. There are two easy ways to do it.
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Go short. A jacket that ends at or just above the hip shows your waist and the full length of the leg. It looks best with high-rise pants.
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Go long. A jacket that hits mid-thigh or below creates one long line from shoulder to hem. Wear it open so the pants peek through.
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Skip the in-between. A jacket that stops right at the widest part of your hips cuts the outfit in half.
Short and Cropped Jackets to Wear With Wide-Leg Pants
1. Shearling Collared Button Down Suede
This cut is the easiest cropped jacket to wear. The shearling sits right at the hip, so it never fights with a full pant leg.
Get the look: The Shearing Collared Button Down Suede Jacket ($74) over a basic tee, corduroy chocolate pants or dark washed wide leg jeans and a simple bootie has this looking polished but casual.
Styling tip: You can wear a turtleneck, V-neck, scoop, light sweater, thermal or literally just about any top underneath with jacket!
2. The Suede-Look Jacket
Camel goes with every denim wash, from light to dark, which makes it the hardest-working color you can buy in a jacket.
Get the look: The Thread & Supply Rustic Pine Suede-Look Zip Jacket in Camel ($89) with a cream turtleneck, full-length wide-leg jeans, and black ankle boots.
Styling tip: Keep the top fitted. A slim turtleneck under a boxy jacket balances the volume of the pants.
3. The Leopard Puffer
Leopard works like a neutral, and it's the fastest way to make basics look fun. With black wide-legs, this jacket does all the talking.
Get the look: The Leopard Print Puffer Jacket ($48) with a cream turtleneck, black wide-leg trousers, and black boots.
Styling tip: Keep everything else solid. Black, cream, or denim lets the print stand out.
4. The Belted Jacket
This one sits a little longer than the others, and the belt is what makes it work. Tie it at your natural waist and wide-leg pants suddenly have shape.
Get the look: The Navy Belted Jacket with Contrast Collar ($89) with cream wide-leg pants and nude pointed heels.
Styling tip: Pointed shoes peeking out from a wide hem make your legs look longer, even when the pants cover most of the shoe.
Long Jackets and Coats to Wear With Wide-Leg Pants
5. The Long Sweater Jacket
A long sweater jacket feels like a cardigan and looks like a coat. It's soft enough for an afternoon at home and polished enough for dinner downtown.
Get the look: The Blythe Ultra Soft Long Sweater Jacket in Tan ($129) over a cream blouse, cream wide-leg pants, and nude heels, with a brown slouchy shoulder bag.
Styling tip: Dress in one color family. Tan over cream from neck to hem looks expensive and makes you look taller.
6. The Teddy Coat
A teddy coat is pure cozy, and burgundy makes it feel rich instead of sporty. The length covers the hips, so it's flattering over a full leg.
Get the look: The Mystree Double-Breasted Teddy Faux Fur Coat in Burgundy ($98) with dark wide-leg jeans and burgundy suede boots.
Styling tip: Match your boots to your coat. Repeating one color top and bottom pulls a bold coat into a finished outfit.
7. The Long Sweater Jacket Over a Dress
Not every day calls for pants. Thesame long-jacket rule works over a midi dress: let the hem of the dress show below the jacket and wear it open.
Get the look: The Blythe Ultra Soft Long Sweater Jacket in Oatmeal ($129) over a chocolate knit midi dress with nude heels and a soft gray shoulder bag. This is the one to grab for a cool evening at a winery. See more ideas in our wine tasting outfit guide.
Styling tip: Light over dark is the easiest color rule there is. An oatmeal jacket over a deep brown dress always looks pulled together.
How to Choose Your Jacket
A few quick checks will help you pick the right one in the dressing room.
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Match the length to your rise. Cropped jackets need high-rise pants. Long jackets work with any rise.
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Check the shoulders. The seam should sit right at your shoulder, or just past it for a relaxed fit.
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Try it over a sweater. If you can't move your arms comfortably with a knit underneath, size up.
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Own one of each. One short jacket and one long one will cover almost every day from October to March.
Still need the pants? Our wide-leg jeans style guide has seven outfits and the hemming trick that makes every pair look right. Or come try a few jackets on with us. We'll help you find the one you'll wear all season.
Wide-Leg Pants and Jackets FAQ
Should I wear a long or short jacket with wide-leg pants? Both work. A cropped jacket that ends at the hip shows your waist and looks best with high-rise pants. A long jacket that hits mid-thigh or lower creates one long line, especially when you wear it open.
What jacket goes best with wide-leg jeans? A cropped bomber, a camel suede-look jacket, or a long sweater jacket. All three balance the volume of a wide leg without adding bulk.
What shoes should I wear with wide-leg pants and a jacket? Pointed flats, heels, or ankle boots. Hem your pants for the shoe you wear most so the hem just grazes the floor.
What jacket is most flattering for women over 50 with wide-leg pants? A belted jacket or a long open coat. Both define your shape and create a long, clean line from shoulder to hem.
What jacket should I wear in 60-degree weather? A sweater jacket, a suede-look jacket, or a light puffer over a long-sleeve top. Save heavier coats for mornings in the 40s.
The Bottom Line
The best jacket to wear with wide-leg pants is either short enough to show your waist or long enough to make one clean line. Start with one of each, like a cropped bomber and a long sweater jacket, and you're set for fall.
Stop by ALLUV Place Boutique at 306 Oak Street in Brentwood, or shop our full coats, jackets and vests collection online. Free shipping on orders over $150, and new subscribers get 10% off their first purchase.
Alluv the Love,
Randi
