What to wear with wide-leg trousers: 7 outfit ideas that will take you from office to occasion

Wondering what to wear with wide-leg trousers? Whether you're styling them for the office or dressing them up for a special occasion, we've rounded up seven outfit ideas to show you just how versatile this wardrobe staple can be.

With their leg-lengthening shape and elegant feel, wide-leg trousers have become a wardrobe go-to for many. When it comes to what to wear with wide-leg trousers, it's all about balancing proportions to make them work for every age group and shape. If you're already an owner of the best wide-leg jeans, you're off to a good start. When working out what to wear with wide-leg trousers, you're looking to balance out the wider hemline by keeping your top half more form-fitted and tailored. This will ensure you're adding less bulk to your frame, as well as creating a longer silhouette. The eye is drawn down your body to the widest part of your outfit, instantly lengthening the rest of your silhouette.

It works equally well for all body types. A high-waisted wide-leg trouser is flattering on apple body shapes, sculpting a midriff and taking the eye away from your middle. For pear shapes, the statement hem length will help to balance fuller hips, while for the hourglass body type, the full hem width helps to highlight and narrow your middle and balance a fuller bust. Although wide-leg trousers might seem daunting for petites, a pair created by a brand for that category will take proportions into account so that the wide-leg is balanced with your smaller stature, as with all body types in this guide. As a general rule, keep your top half form-fitted to balance the look.

What to wear with wide-leg trousers

Proportion is key to making wide-leg trousers outfits a success and works similarly to styling barrel leg jeans or flared trouser styles. While the bottom half of your outfit should feel relaxed, even when tailored, the top half of a wide-leg trouser outfit should aim to balance the expanse of trousers fabric.

Here are 7 outfit ideas showing you what to wear with wide-leg trousers.

1. What to wear with wide-leg trousers for casual occasions

Throughout this feature, we will look at different ideas for what to wear with wide-leg trousers, but the one key rule that will remain, no matter the occasion or style, is that proportion and balancing your shape is key to making this trend work. To that end, anyone can wear wide-leg trousers - but thinking about how you will highlight your frame, rather than just overwhelming it with fabric, is what will make your outfit shine.

For casual occasions, look to simple T-shirts to seal the deal. A fitted design, such as a cotton jersey, will help to balance out a wide-leg pant and tucking your tee in at the waist will help to reclaim your curves. For a more relaxed feel, try a French or half-tuck, this gives a glimpse of your waist, creating an hourglass silhouette, but will also help to loosely skim a midriff.

If you want to add a jacket or cardigan to your ensemble, tuck in your top underneath and utilise the narrow centre created by the jacket to skim your frame. Creating an illusion panel at the front of your body, you'll be instantly elongated.

2. What to wear with wide-leg trousers for work

While the same rules about proportions apply, for the office, you can get slightly more adventurous with layering. Thanks to the width of the trouser hem, you'll want to bring an element of tailoring to your upper torso. This helps to balance the volume of fabric, flattering your frame in the process. A cotton shirt will do the trick, and you'll be pleased to know that oversized or relaxed styles can still work with wide-leg trousers. Tall, rectangular body shapes can easily wear their shirt untucked, covering the waistband of the trousers. Otherwise, we'd recommend tucking your shirt in, or half-tucking into high-waisted, wide-leg trousers to reclaim your shape. Team with on-trend loafers or a pair of slim-heeled courts for a polished look.

Adding a sleek blazer to wide-leg trousers would also work, tailoring and contouring your upper torso. Make sure to ignore the current oversized trend here and opt for a slim-fit design, as this will give you an elongated torso and a more streamlined finish.

3. What to wear with wide-leg trousers for a wedding or occasion

If you're not a fan of dresses and prefer a two-piece outfit over one of the best jumpsuits, then wide-leg trousers could be your occasionwear go-to look. A strong replacement for skirts and dresses. A wide-leg trouser ensemble still offers a floaty, relaxed and feminine feel, but for dedicated trousers wearers, they're often more comfortable too. Dressy wide-leg trousers are ideal for evening events, and in the summer, the breezy silhouette will keep you cool.

For evening wear, wide-leg trousers, look for softer fabrics that offer a beautiful drape and a little bit of lustre to seal the deal. Or go bold in brights for a statement outfit. If you do want to go for a top with more volume, make sure to either choose a sheer fabric, such as a chiffon blouse, or look for off-the-shoulder detailing to still highlight a narrower part of your frame.

4. What to wear with wide-leg trousers for smart-casual

Ah, smart casual outfits, the dress code that leaves many scratching their heads, and one that is easily solved by wide-leg trousers. Although often tailored, a wide-leg trouser also has a relaxed leg silhouette, making them feel instantly more casual than a staunchly pressed, straight-leg design. However, because wide-leg trousers often have higher waists (balancing those proportions we keep talking about) they also feel smart too, allowing them to straddle both categories and be dressed up or down, depending on life's demands.

To keep in the relaxed lane, look for soft-handle, wide-leg trousers and a tonal fitted top, or chic Breton stripe to create a stylish base layer. This means you can then dress up your trousers with a blazer, or keep it more casual in a cardigan or sweater - the choice is yours.

5. What to wear with wide-leg trousers on holiday

Wide-leg trousers are great for when it comes to holiday outfit ideas. Look for breathable linen materials if you're travelling to warmer climates. And in terms of styling, look for versatile and lightweight blouses or button-up shirts. Embroidered or textured styles are in fashion this season, and they also double up as a dressier top for evenings.

As these are for the holiday, you're looking for a more laid-back feel, so opt for comfy drawstring and elasticated waist designs. An easy-on look, you might want to consider them for what to wear on the plane, too.

6. What to wear with black wide-leg trousers

A versatile buy, black trousers of any cut are always a wardrobe essential. An ideal building block in your capsule wardrobe, when it comes to what to wear with wide-leg black trousers, the answer is... everything. Whether you opt for wide-leg denim or go for a more relaxed jersey fabric, black wide-leg trousers can be easily teamed with pops of colour or everyday neutrals.

To welcome in the spring/summer fashion trends of 2025, why not try a ruffled blouse in a dark black or a bold jewel tone? The feminine, boho design is a perfect staple for dressier occasions.

7. What to wear with printed wide-leg trousers

Printed wide-leg trousers can be a fun way to wear the trend, offering brightness and adding interest to your outfit. While we still use the guidelines of proportion balancing, when it comes to what to wear with printed wide-leg trousers, you also need to think about colour and pattern balance.

As a general rule of thumb, stick to one print per look. That means if you've gone for printed trousers, keep your top half a block or neutral colour to allow the trousers to shine and avoid a look that feels overwhelming. There is leniency with this rule if you're talking about a printed wide-leg pant as part of a patterned co-ord, as together, they would offer a maxi dress-like appearance.

FAQs

What are the best tops to wear with wide-leg trousers?

The best tops to wear with wide-leg trousers will fit the hem of the trousers. That means that your chosen top will balance out the fullness of the fabric, and as a general rule of thumb, you'll want a fitted silhouette on your top half. This is because if you have two items of clothing that are very full in terms of fabric, you could easily look swamped and add bulk to your frame.

While wide-leg trousers come in several iterations, a high-waisted pair will always be most flattering on all body types, sculpting your midriff and highlighting curves. To lean into this look, you should wear tops that can be fully or at least partially tucked into the waistband.

Prefer a relaxed, slouchy fit top? Why not try an off-the-shoulder style that you can French tuck into your trousers? The reason this works is that the shoulders and collarbones tend to be a slender part of the torso, and this again balances out the fullness of a loose-fitting top or the width of the trousers hem.

What are the best shoes to wear with wide-leg trousers?

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to what shoes work best with wide-leg trousers, regardless of your height. While fashion rules of the past dictated that wide-leg trousers must be worn with high heels, in 2025, that is no longer the case.

To make your wide-leg trousers suitable for work, you will want to opt for either a smart and polished loafer or a simple kitten heel. To give wide-leg trousers a casual, 'dressed down' spin, try a pair of your most comfortable trainers.

Finally, for glammed up evenings, while you're welcome to opt for heels, they do offer instant leg lengthening capabilities. if you want a more laidback approach, try a platform sandal or wedge heels to lean into the dressed up feel without the achy feet.