Edith Young’s Hunt for a True ‘Everything’ Black Pant
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I recently formed a theory with a friend that a wardrobe feels destabilized when it doesn’t orbit a go-toblack pant— an “everything pant” — which means mine’s been limping along since the day I retired my matte-black cotton-blend Citizens of Humanity Avedon skinny jeans somewhere in the 2010s. Those were simpler times, the era of the going-out top, when a day-to-night transformation only entailed swapping out a flowy blouse for something sleeveless and a bit more severe. I have been in pursuit of my next die-hard wardrobe cornerstone ever since and decided to get serious about it this spring, perhaps in square opposition to what’s shaping up to be a pedal-pusher summer.
My criteria for my elusive black pants: They look good, feel good, and have a chameleonic quality that makes them just as at home at the office as they are at a Mets game, first date, or spontaneous late-night excursion to Bemelmans Bar. Otherwise, I’m pretty agnostic on style and shape. As for the flattery metric, I am five-foot-nine with thighs that would make it through at least one round of casting for a music video, what in the ’90s they’d call “childbearing hips,” and ankles I’d like to grant more airtime — all of which tends to posea proportional puzzle.
It seemed to me that I should start my exploration at the center of our current black-pant zeitgeist, in the sea of ponte pants now on the market. I went deep there, as ponte pants feel impossible to distinguish from one another based on e-commerce photos alone. I was not looking for a High Sport dupe, and some of the waistbands felt needlessly industrial strength, so I did not find my dream pants in this subset — but I learned a lot about the nuances of the genre and shared my findings below. Comfort comes in many forms, so I didn’t feel tethered to an elastic waistband and began imagining my ideal black jean: high-rise, true black, in soft denim with a little stretch, a straight leg that skews more wide than tapered but not too wide to make a scene, and a cropped ankle. These parameters yielded no fruit (my hope springs eternal). I then struck out in new directions, unearthing some great and unexpected fits.
All tested withthis J.Crew T-shirt.
My top picks
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A rare trouser that lives up to the hype. They’re wildly comfortable and, so far, wrinkle-resistant.
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Where leggings meet sweats meet pants, made from a thick yet ultrasoft stretch ponte.
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These have all the swishiness of a track pant with none of the sportiness. Great on hot days.
The Runners-up
The feel-good form-fitter
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They really know what they’re doing at Skims. Everything I’ve encountered from the brand feels well considered. I found these pants compressive in a soft-to-the-touch way, a rare sensory combo. Pintuck details run down the front. It’s worth noting that they zip up the side of the hip, which can be a little harrowing when the fit is snug and you’re trying not to catch yourself in the enrobing process.
The most comfortable pair
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These were the softest and roomiest of the bunch. I’d be just as inclined to wear them to work as I would on a hammock readingFamesick.Pintuck details run down the front, back and sides. I liked the silhouette here but found there was too much drape on my frame in the back. I’m personally not crazy about back welt pockets if the pants don’t have a button fastening and front pockets, but they’re there if you need them. If I were postpartum heading back into the corporate world, I’d ease the transition with these.
The curveball pair
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When I tried these on, I thought,If modern-day Marc Jacobs designed a ponte pant??The silhouette felt a little cartoonishly exaggerated compared with the rest, which was fun but didn’t register on my “essential” scale. The fabric runs quite thick and rigid, which I didn’t find comfortable. These sit right around the belly button and also have pintuck detailing. I’d be very down for this cut in a softer blend.
The leg-lengthener
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AYR The Hype
I love AYR’s jeans, so I was excited to dip a toe into the brand’s pants vertical. These ranked off the charts on desired silhouette, though I wished the waistband were significantly thinner and less robust. I’d choose these for a day walking around or working on a set rather than for a long day at a desk. The material itself, made in an Italian mill, runs thick and has a compressive quality. I like the no-frills simplicity about them with only the slightest suggestion of a pintuck line. These really came to life with a little lift from my 4.5-centimeter block-heeled boots.
The Winner’s Circle
The ones that live up to the hype
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I was very pleased with Aritzia’s Effortless Pant, a rare trouser that lives up to its hype. The drape had just the right bit of slouch, well-proportioned from the waist on. I tend to hover between sizes, so I sized up and went for the tall inseam, though I need to hem it a smidge. I found the trouser wildly comfortable and thus far true to its claims of wrinkle-resistance. This is a work pant for the ages, but I’d also wear it with a micro crop top to a birthday party with a disco ball. I don’t love to wear anything too easily identifiable, and despite the pant’s popularity, I think this style in black can slip under the radar. It was my favorite of the bunch.
My ponte pick
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Where leggings meet sweats meet pants. It feels like a feat of engineering to land at the center of this Venn diagram. These are reminiscent of those fold-over Solow pants that reigned supreme in the aughts and laid the foundation for the modern yoga pant. I just loved their feel: a little snug in a thick yet ultrasoft stretch ponte. As work pants, these might be more WSA than Seagram Building, but crazier things have happened in our lifetime.The waistband hits right below the waist, and the legs are ramrod straight (I would add a pinch of flare here).
A track pant for aesthetes
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I asked my friend, style writer Elizabeth Tamkin, for her black-pant recommendation as we caught up over coconut chicken at Mommy Pai’s. She led me to REYÈM, an Amsterdam-based brand that makes its clothes with high-quality recycled fabrics. I opted to test its best seller, a versatile wide-legged pant with a whisper of a waistband. The style has all the swishiness of a track pant with none of the sportiness. Styled with some cunning, the pant could create the illusion of a proper trouser. I wore mine to the office through a humid 80-degree commute and was blissfully unaware of them all day.
More black pants we like
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Our favorite affordable black work pants. They’re almost always on sale.
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The best for plus sizes. They’re available in sizes 12 to 32 with three inseam lengths.
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Not-too-basic, not-too-corporate under-$200 trousers.
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