If you’re on the shorter side then you might be adverse about how to wear wide leg cropped pants. I know that this style wasn’t on either Lesley’s or Charlotte’s list of things to try.
But I am always inspired to show something new that we may not consider at first. PLUS, seeing the same thing styled on 3 different women is my favorite concept.
Quote of the day: “The most dangerous phrase in the language is, “We’ve always done it this way!” Grace Hopper
Now if that quote doesn’t stop you dead in your tracks, I don’t know what will. I think this applies to what we wear to a huge degree. If you think you “can’t” wear a certain style because that’s not “your style”, then you are falling into the same trap.
It’s truly a case of giving it a go and trying it. You might be pleasantly surprised.
How to wear wide leg cropped pants
1-This pair of Old Navy pants
2-Tuck in your top
3-Find a short top
4-Wear a longer top

I saw these pants at Old Navy, and thought it would be fun for all three of us to style them. It’s not the first time that we have talked about how Old Navy is a wonderful option for us older gals. Just because all of their models are young, doesn’t mean older women can’t wear the items.
This post is not all about a review of these pants, because I’m sure they will be sold out soon, but I will include our thoughts about them.
What I really wanted to showcase are the unique ideas of how to wear wide leg cropped pants, and I love how we all did it so differently.
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This Pair of Wide Leg Cropped Pants From Old Navy
One of the reasons I chose this pair of pants for the idea of how to style wide leg cropped pants is because they are cotton. The funny thing is the material sure looks like linen with its wrinkled vibe, but the fact they are all cotton will be just as cool as linen in the hot temperatures.
I was also over the moon by the fact that these pants came in petite length (and for those of you who aren’t vertically challenged, they come in tall too)
BTW, all three of us our under 5’3″ which makes us Petites. And if you think petite means only tiny sizes, many petite items come in larger sizing. Petite usually means shorter length but it can include other aspects too. For instance with pants, a shorter rise is also part of it (so your crotch seam doesn’t hang between your thighs).
This silhouette of the wide leg cropped pants is something that is trending as a pendulum swings from the skinny silhouettes that have been popular in the last 10 years.
You may think it’s not flattering, but let’s give that flattering thing a rest. Sometimes, it’s even more important to look contemporary.
Insider Point: Have you ever analyzed why looking thinner or taller is a goal? I think we would be better humans to concentrate on being kinder.
Besides, when you live with temperatures over 90 degrees every day in the summer, you want something that isn’t tight and constricting.
Lesley-Tuck in Your Top
The “rule” that you will hear with how to wear wide leg cropped pants is to wear something more fitted on the top half. What I love is how all three of us didn’t do that. None of our tops are tight to our bodies.
What Lesley did do is tuck in her top. And for those of you who think your body shape won’t allow that, then think again. Lesley will tell you she is a zucchini shape, yet this outfit looks fabulous as she styled it.

One of the secrets of tucking in a top like this is to then pull it out so it’s not so tight. Then you aren’t emphasizing the waist shape as much as creating a demarcation between the two pieces. You’re basically creating a crop top with your longer top.
What’s the difference between this and leaving it untucked?? Proportions! When your top hangs to the same spot as your crotch, you inevitably cut your body in half.
Related post: Making an outfit better with proportion body dressing
What I hear from many women is they don’t like to tuck in tops, but there are many other options to shorten the tops.
That’s why we discussed the half tuck and ways to create a faux half tuck in the past.
This is also a great example of how to keep your floral shirts fresh if you worry about them seeming “mumsy”. Make sure to combine them with something trendy and modern, and you have a recipe for success.


Lesley’s Review of the Old Navy Pants
“I liked these pants so much I went to the local Old Navy store and purchased additional pairs in different colors. I also tried out different sizes because these ran big.
This original red pair was purchased online so I ordered the XL reg (not petite) because the Petites stopped at the Large size. What I tried on in the store was an L petite but it was too tight in the tush, so I ended up with an L reg.
I think they are a tad baggy, so I plan to alter them a bit in the legs. Even though they are shown as cropped on the models on the site, they come to ankle length for me.
The material is soft and very comfortable for the summer.”



Other Aspects of How to Wear Wide Leg Cropped Pants
Sometimes wearing a new silhouette of pants can feel strange and hard to embrace. You don’t feel the same as you do in your previous silhouette.
One way to counteract that strangeness is to try to change the focus of the look. And I always think that accessories are the best way to do that.
For instance, a hat definitely draws the eyes up to the face.
And adding in a different color with your jewelry is fun. In actuality, Lesley’s yellow pieces are mirrored in her shirt. Yet if you look at her shirt from afar, you really don’t see the yellow.
But I love how the yellow purse contrasts so beautifully against the red pants.
What Shoes to Wear with Wide Leg Cropped Pants?
No matter how cropped your pants are, the best part is how you are going to be showcasing your footwear. For Lesley’s example, she is matching her sandals to the color of the pants.
This works with sandals, sneakers, flats, or even boots. There is no limit to the possibilities.

Jodie-Find a Short Top
This idea gives you the same proportion as Lesley’s outfit where the pants are 2/3 of the outfit and the top is 1/3.

Of course, my top isn’t really a top at all. It’s actually a mini tulle skirt that I wore here over a dress. It’s one of those pieces you would never think to buy until you see how cute it is on someone else. I was inspired to buy one when I saw a woman wearing one in all kinds of ways on Instagram earlier this year.
The “top” has a white elastic band at the top, so I covered it with one of my Gibby’s scarves held in place by my Maggie’s Snaps magnets (one at each end of the scarf).
Why did I add the scarf? I think the top almost matched my skin too much otherwise, and I basically looked naked, haha.
So if you don’t like the idea of tucking in a top, you need to find one that is an ideal length for your body. For most of us, that’s midway between your crotch and belly button. And when you are petite in height, that could mean the crop tops are the right length.
Remember, you can have your tops altered to a good length if they are too long. Either that or try these 10 no-sew options.
Insider tip: Remember, don’t go by the description of the item, go by its measurements.


Jodie’s Review of these Old Navy Pants
I am easy to please with new clothing purchases, and I loved these pants as soon as I put them on. The only thing I noticed is that they are somewhat see-through. You don’t notice it in these photos because they are baggy, among the fact I am wearing nude undies. But you can see the front pockets through the material slightly.
Neither mom nor Lesley mentioned this, so I think it’s fact of the white pants only. In all reality, if they were tighter, I might have sent them back, but they work just fine being a tad bigger.
I bought the XS Petite and you can see that they are still longer than shown on their site. I would say it’s about 2-3 inches above my ankle instead of my mid-calf.
Just so you know, I did wash these (and put them in the dryer) with no obvious shrinkage. I was worried considering they are 100% cotton, but luckily they are the same.



How to Accessorize the Wide Leg Pants
My overall outfit is monochromatic with white pants and an ivory and gold top. I decided to go with more gold for my jewelry by wearing these long gold ball earrings. The large gold bracelet was made by my mother years ago. It’s actually a ton of gold buttons paperclipped on elastic.
You can see I even decorated my fingers with some gold rings too. The biggest ring is my favorite from Leo Daniels (code Jodie20) who I worked with last month.
I also wore neutral sandals. These are very interesting sandals from Modzori. The straps are reversible so they can be all tan or tan and metallic or black and metallic. I wouldn’t say they are “my style” which is exactly why I was excited to try them. The company did give me a discount code if you’re interested, 10Jodie for 10% off.
It’s the message of the quote above that I think is super important.
BTW, the sandals were very comfortable for the walking tour around the art museum. They may seem like high heels, but the platform makes the incline not as steep. They also have other sandals that are lower.
Even though I kept most aspects of the outfit monochromatic, there is some color in the scarf around the top and my purse.

Charlotte-Wear a Longer Top
Now all of the rules would tell you that Charlotte’s outfit shouldn’t work. Yet I think it’s a fabulous example of how sometimes the best route is to break the rules.
Not only is my mom looking stylish, but also very modern.

How did Charlotte break the rules? She’s wearing a longer top with cropped pants and a flowy top with a wide-leg silhouette. Yet the overall vibe is very aesthetic. Let’s think about why.
The gold-colored top is asymmetrical and I think that is helpful for any outfit. It makes your eye move around and is more interesting than a horizontal line.
In fact, my mom has worn this same top with wide leg culottes in the past.
Not only is the front of the top interesting with the angled hem, but there is a cut-out in the back. Ooh la la!!
Insider tip: Just as many people see you from the back, so make it worth their while.


Charlotte’s Review of the Old Navy Pants
My mom likes the color of these pants and she ordered an M Petite. She really likes the fact that they have a high waistband that is elasticized. While they might be a tad big overall, I think it’s nice to have a variety of silhouettes in our closets, and she wasn’t concerned about this in the sizing.
The one thing my mom commented on is that she thinks the length is awkward for her and she thought she might shorten them. Of course, I’ve asked her to leave them as is for now. I actually think they are a good length for her as they show off her shapely ankles.
Insider tip: If you think your ankles are too thick then wearing wide leg pants will definitely make them seem smaller. It’s the comparison of the two that changes the perception.



Turquoise as a Fabulous Accessories Color
Charlotte was channeling autumn colors with this look and added turquoise accessories to pop against the gold and rust. The turquoise really pops and adds a playful vibe to the overall outfit. Even if you only have a turquoise necklace and no other accessories, the necklace becomes the star of the show.
My mom matched her shoes to her top. I love how all three of us took a different approach with the shoes. Lesley matched her shoes to the pants. And I chose a nude shoe.
The other cool aspect of my mom’s outfit is her purse. This mauve purse was inside a bigger tote bag that she purchased. Lesley has used this trick before too, and the secret?? Keep the little purse separate so you remember to use it by itself.



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