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How to Style Wide-Leg Pants
Featuring the pants everyone can pull off—plus a dozen outfit ideas to show you how.
Myth: Wide-leg pants make you look wider.
Fact: Wide-leg pants create an elongating effect.
Myth: Wide-leg pants overwhelm shorter frames.
Fact: Wide-leg pants complement tall and petite heights alike.
Myth: Wide-leg pants look sloppy.
Fact: Wide-leg pants are effortlessly stylish.
I’m not going to mince words: If you don’t wear wide-leg pants, your wardrobe isn’t living up to its full potential. Singularly chic, universally flattering, and consistently comfortable, wide-leg pants are one item everyone ought to own. At M.M., we hold this belief so strongly that we’ve named the wide-leg Milo jean one of our Quintessentials—a selection of 12 foundational, must-have wardrobe essentials that are polished, versatile, and beloved by thousands.
I know many of you have heard all about the Milo jeans’ fabulous features, including their ingenious adjustable hems and beloved Better Than Denim fabric, which provides the perfect mix of stretch and structure. But in my opinion, their greatest attribute is that of the finest wide-leg pants: the ability to inject any outfit with effortless put-togetherness.
In case you’re curious to try wide-leg trousers but aren’t sure where to begin, I put together some styling inspiration. Scroll to see 12 outfit ideas featuring the Milo jeans—plus general guidelines for how you can wear them to fit with your personal style.
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How to Style Wide-Leg Pants
Tip #1: Rely on the 4:1 Rule
The brainchild of our co-founder & Chief Creative Officer, Miyako Nakamura, the 4:1 proportion is an easy way to look chic. The basic idea: Pair pieces that contrast in length, width, or volume—like wide-leg jeans with a more fitted top. The result will be an aesthetically pleasing silhouette that sets you apart from the crowd.
Tip #2: Find Your Ideal Length
If the hem of your wide-leg pants hits you in the wrong spot, you can kiss their leg-lengthening effect goodbye. To land on an ideal length, all you have to do is ensure the hem hits the top of your shoe. Go longer if you want to; just make sure it doesn’t touch the ground—no one wants a dirty hem!
Remember: The Milo jeans feature an adjustable hem, so you won’t need to get them tailored if they’re a couple of inches too long.
Tip #3: Dress Them Up and Down
Another wonder of wide-leg pants is their ability to fit into a broad range of dress codes, since their dramatic silhouette gives them a distinctly dapper quality. Heading to the office? Pair them with a boyfriend blazer for a classic Power Casual combination. Running to get coffee on Saturday morning? Pop them on along with your favorite band tee for a cool off-duty ensemble.
12 Wide-Leg Pants Outfits
Outfit #1
With a Fitted Knit Top
If you’re new to more oversized styles, a fitted top is going to be your best friend. When paired with your wide-leg pants, a stretchy knit style like the Montean creates a sleek silhouette—serving as insurance against appearing sloppy. To tie this particular look together, add the multi-colored Tia earrings and the cognac Rowan flats.
Outfit #2
With a Cropped Jacket
If you really want to maximize your Milo’s elongating effect, top them off with a cropped jacket like the Nicky. Nothing gives you legs for days like a high-waisted pant paired with a layer that hits just above your hip. For added dimension, wear the cowl-neck Nora top underneath, and bookend your two-tone palette with the black Zelda boots and pavé-set earrings.
Outfit #3
With a Silk Blouse
A floaty shirt is a reliable way you can balance out wide, structured pants. Made from our washable silk charmeuse, the Tatum top is lightweight, and its subtle sheen adds varied texture to your look along with accessories like croc-embossed pumps and gold jewelry.
Outfit #4
With a Tailored Blazer
With the companionship of a tailored blazer, your Milo jeans become a Power Casual office essential. Try the Yiyan blazer, which features covert stretch—just like your pants—as well as classic tailoring and a subtle, menswear-inspired pattern. Complete your easy weekday look with the lightweight Lagarde shirt and low-heeled slingbacks. If you like denim jackets, try swapping your blazer for the Anna jacket on the weekend.
Outfit #5
With a Double-Breasted Blazer
For an even more fashion-forward office outfit, pair your wide-leg pants with the Gaia jacket, a double-breasted blazer with bold lapels and a cinched waist that adds ’40s-esque drama to your silhouette. Build out the rest of this look with the washable silk-jersey Elizabeth turtleneck, and animal-print flats.
Outfit #6
With a Tweed-Like Jacket
Meticulously crafted in Japan, our Interweave jackets are sophistication in clothing form. In other words, slip one on and you’ll instantly play up the trouser-like quality of your Milo jeans. To keep the focus on this power pairing, style your Porter jacket as a top by buttoning it up all the way and layering the Delphine tank underneath if you want extra coverage.
Outfit #7
With a Classic Button-Down
I love mixing workwear essentials—e.g. button-downs—with relaxed pieces like my Milo jeans. Made from crisp cotton poplin and featuring a subtle stripe, our Mila shirt is as crisp and classic as it gets. Try tucking it in, leaving it loose, or layering it over a fitted tank. For a coordinating pop, wear the sky-colored Irene slingbacks, which create a tonal palette with your ink pants and your shirt’s blue stripe.
Outfit #8
With a Belted Jardigan
Much like the Milo jean, the Merritt jardigan (jacket-cardigan) strikes a beautiful balance of structured and stretchy. For a match made in heaven, wear these Quintessentials together, and round out your elegant-casual ensemble with the Axam turtleneck, a contrasting belt, polished sneakers, and statement earrings.
Outfit #9
With a Statement Jacket
Dinner plans? Instead of reaching for your usual black-on-black, try a less-expected combination, like your white Milos and the Nicky jacket in Bengal jacquard. This eye-catching pattern may be bold, but it’s surprisingly easy to pair, thanks to the burgundy base and spots composed of multiple muted hues, including pale yellow and sky blue. The sharp Lana boots and costume-jewelry-inspired earrings make this into an evening-ready ensemble.
Outfit #10
With a Cropped Turtleneck
Considering the fact that I own four Arbus sweaters, this one is a personal favorite of mine. The Arbus’s slightly cropped cut means it’s not bulky at all and hits right around the top of high-waisted pants—like the Milos—creating an especially leggy silhouette. Finish the look with printed flats and go-to gold hoops.
Outfit #11
With a Chunky Sweater
Not a turtleneck person? You can achieve a similarly snuggly vibe with the William sweater, a chunky yet sleek zip-up featuring a splayed collar. For a streamlined base, pair the navy Paige tank with your near-matching ink Milo jeans, and zhush it up with iridescent flats and earrings.
Outfit #12
With an Oversized Cardigan
Already an expert in styling oversized silhouettes? Take things to the next level by pairing your Milo jeans with the slouchy Cookie cardigan for a chic winter-white look that would feel right at home in The Holiday. Fill it out with the mock-neck Shani top, leather sneakers, and the sunburst Indira earrings.
For more pant-styling stories, check out our pieces about how to style plaid pants, how to style leather pants, and what shoes to wear with pants.
