I Tried on All the Fall Pants at Eileen Fisher
At the beginning of every summer, I put away all my pants in storage until the weather cools and wear only skirts, dresses, and shorts for the next three months. But this year, I broke my no-pants rule and found myself wearing these linen curved trousers from Eileen Fisher several times a week.
I had tried them on at a press preview in the spring and loved how flattering they were on my five-foot-two frame. With a pleated front and a slightly curved and tapered leg, they are lightweight and breezy and feel like nothing on. They have a zip fly but also an elastic waistband in the back, making them polished but comfortable — the best of both worlds. I mostly wore them with baby tees and red ballet flats, and the effect was cool, a little insouciant, a little bit French. They were just so easy.
But linen can only take you as far as Labor Day, and I wanted to find an equivalent for the fall. I was looking for something I could throw on, then not think about for the rest of the day. It had to be unfussy but still make me look put together. So I went to Eileen Fisher and tried on all the (non-jean) pants the brand offers. Its signature fabrics are the washable “Flex Ponte” and stretch crepe, both stretchy yet structured knits that wash well and feel as comfortable as athleisure but look office appropriate. Most of what I tried were made of one of these two fabrics. All told, I tested 16 pairs. Here’s what I thought.
A word about sizing: Eileen Fisher’s pieces are cut generously, so you’ll have to experiment with fit. I am usually a size small or a 4, and at Eileen Fisher, I am a size XXS across the board. I considered trying petite sizes, but based on the sizing-chart measurements, the XXS was smaller than the PP.
The ones that didn’t quite cut it
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These are made of an extra-fine ponte fabric and are extremely lightweight, sleek, and cooling. But the thinner material is too loungey for wearing outside of the house. While I like the sheen of the fabric, that paired with the wide leg makes them a little gaucholike. I could imagine wearing this on vacation and on the weekend but not necessarily to the office.
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These are the flared versions of the above. Again, the silhouette was nice and the fabric felt amazing, but ultimately they were too casual and revealing for me.
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I was looking forward to checking out the brand’s wool options. These pants are made of a super-fine 100 percent wool composition that the brand bills as “seasonless.” It’s drapier and on the thinner side, which may be why I found them to be too unstructured. The cut didn’t work for me, either: the wide leg was overwhelming and long, and I also didn’t like the way the waistband fit on my abdomen.
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I loved the idea of this regenerative wool jersey, but the pants just didn’t work on me. They were pull-on and a little frumpy — perhaps too large, even in the smallest size — and didn’t drape well. But the material was really nice.
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Same thing here: too big on me, though the wool was very nice.
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These are made in a brushed terry that is soft and cozy. Extremely cute and comfortable, but too casual.
The runners-up
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The washable Flex Ponte fabric is a double-knit Tencel-blend material that is extremely smooth, soft to the touch, stretchy, and comfortable. Visually, it reads almost like cotton and is a little flat and matte, and I generally found it to be a tad bit casual for my purposes. Here, though, the Flex Ponte fabric really worked for me. The material makes these wide-leg ankle pants feel more like soft pants or loungewear, but the cut was sophisticated, cool, and effortless. They draped well, and the zip fly lay flat against my stomach.
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These Flex Ponte trousers have a more traditional fly front with belt loops and fit well, but the combination of the cut and the fabric made them feel too casual for me.
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These pants have a subtle flare and are like the slim pants in their fit, though they’re full-length. They fit well and hug all the right places but might be a little too tight depending on your personal preference.
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I wanted to like these tapered trousers, but the fit was a little snugger through the hips and thighs, which I didn’t like. Perhaps I needed to size up. They do have nice details, like the flat-front hook and bar closure, which elevates them, plus pockets and a back seam.
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These are a slim pant in the Flex Ponte and are very comfortable. They’re fitted but not constricting and have a pull-on waistband, which makes them a little casual for my taste. Because they are stretchy and hugging, they are maybe a little too revealing as well.
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The stretch crepe counterpart to the pants above with fabric made of a viscose blend that has a nice texture and feels more sophisticated and high-end as a result. It’s not as smooth or soft to the touch as the Flex Ponte, but it has more structure with a stiffer formality that I like, making it visually interesting. The fabric just has more character.
These pants are like a very fancy legging. The coffee color elevates them even more. They have a slim leg and a slight crop and are more fitted through the hips, thigh, and seat than the above. Still, they are supportive and quite flattering but a tad too revealing. I would only be comfortable wearing these with a top that covered my butt.
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I like these. They have more structure thanks to pockets and a cuffed hem. They are longer on me than on the models on the site, but I think they still work.
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Even though they have a pull-on waistband, this pair looks polished. The pockets help, too. And the slightly barreled leg works nicely on me. These are very similar to the Flex Ponte Lantern Pants below but were a little too billowy.
The winners
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Overall I liked the stretch crepe fabric more than the Flex Ponte. These high-waist, wide-leg pants have a pintuck detail down the legs, which, dare I say, gives them a High Sport vibe. They’re extremely flattering and comfortable, and the stretch is forgiving while also being supportive in the seat and thighs. The wide-leg cut is just the right width, and I don’t get lost in it. I would wear these with an oversize sweater or button-up but might hesitate to pair them with a cropped tee because the waistband is a pull-on and therefore a little tighter than I would like, accentuating the FUPA. They’re the most stylish of the pants I tried on, too, and the pintucks elevate them.
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I wanted to check out these lantern pants because they are the most similar in shape to the linen trousers I love. Generally I don’t like a pull-on style for pants that are not for lounging or working out, but the waistband on these pants is wide and structured enough to not look slouchy — plus everything lays flat. It’s cut in a slightly curved silhouette with a subtle taper at the ankles. I like the roomy shape, which accommodates my hip and seat well without looking frumpy. The pants are extremely comfortable and soft, and I love wearing them while I work from home. I could easily run out in them for school drop-offs and pick-ups — and even to the office or a night out — without feeling like I was wearing home clothes.
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