Trend Spotlight: Paperbag Waist

Paperbag-waist bottoms: these pieces have been ruling both the business-casual and casual-casual scenes for the past couple of years, and they're not going anywhere anytime soon.

The term "paperbag waist" sounds like an insult akin to "muffin top." But it's DESCRIPTIVE, it tells you exactly what it looks like, which is a paper bag cinched around your waist with some sort of belt or tie. Today I'm covering paperbag bottoms of all sorts; pants, skirts, and shorts.

This trend was huge last spring/summer, and I was all about it. I got a pair of black paperbag pants at H&M and they quickly became a wardrobe staple for me. In fact, I'm wearing some to work today!

While I think this trend can be rocked year round, it's best styled in the warmer months due to the breezy cut. Something that's crucial to the versatility of a piece is the ability to dress it up or down, which is easily achieved with paperbag-style bottoms. They can be smart with a blazer and heels, or casual with a panama hat and sandals.

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With the exception of the denim pair, I'd wear any of these pants to work. I think they're great with a blouse, blazer, sweater/cardigan, and pretty much anything else that matches. I much prefer wearing a skirt or dress over pants, but if I'm wearing pants, I much prefer these over classic dress slacks. They're more fun in my opinion, and breezier and more comfortable than dress pants. These may or may not be work appropriate depending on your work environment, but I think the more neutral ones like the black and brown would be suitable for most offices.

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Shorts aren't office-friendly, but they're so fun for more casual occasions. I love them with a cute tank or with a blazer over top. You could even throw a pair on over a swimsuit for an on-the-go vacation look.

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Paperbag skirts are the "Goldilocks" pieces in the paperbag waist world. Great for work and play, depending on the length of course. I LOVE the burgundy and navy options for work, but they'd also be great dressed down for the weekend.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend in investing in a paperbag waist piece of some sort. I prefer the pants because they provide the most versatility for my lifestyle, but I love all of the styles! They're all so versatile and great for the warmer months ahead. Plus, they're topped with a bow; no one can argue with that.

xoxx, Laura