Fall Favorites: Skinny Cargo pants

Confession: I have been mulling over and quietly collecting skinny cargo pants throughout the summer. (All of a sudden I am up to three pairs in different colors!) But when the trend first reared its head back in the Spring, I recoiled a bit. Bringing cargo pants back felt like a trip down memory lane--one that I wasn't particularly interested in visiting.

So the hype didn't really grab me the first time around. What did was a well-dressed regular girl at the mall. I stopped and stared. I had to ask her--"What pants are you wearing?!" And then I realized twhat they were: the oh-so-trendy skinny cargo pant. Somehow the slim leg and fitted shape of this new utilitarian chic interpretation read sexy instead of butch. Converted, I went out and bought myself a pair that same week...and now I just can't get enough.

After poring over my stack of September issues, I think that the skinny cargo is here to stay through fall. Justine does an awesome overview here on Fetching Fashions, and the pair she chose looks awesome on her! I keep finding more options to choose from, and I couldn't resist sharing my obsession with the rest of you.

My picks, broken down into three different price segments, from top dollar to the look for less.

The Holy Grail

J Brand Houlihan skinny cargo, $230.

Somehow they haven't made their way onto the blog, but my Houlihans have been my favorite purchase this summer. Now these babies are totally worth the hype. The stretch twill is almost magic how it smooths and slims your lower half, and the strategically engineered seams make your legs look extra long. My favorite colors are vintage olive (as seen on all your fave starlets) and vintage black (because grey is always in).

For those of you who are loyal to a different denim brand, fear not. J Brand works for me and my body shape, but your favorite denim house makes a great alternative too! AG, Joe's, 7FAMK, Current/Elliott, and Hudson all have gorgeous options.

Mid-priced Options 

If you're looking for a similar fit, but don't want to drop $150+ on a pair of skinny cargos, these are great options.

From left to right:

1. Level 99 World Over Cargos, $98. Available at Anthropologie. I own this style and while the fit is similar to the Houlihan, the material is much softer. It looks like a hard twill, but it actually feels like you're wearing flannel pajama pants. Super comfortable, but be careful with sizing. They run big--I suggest sizing 1-2 sizes down.
2. Cargo Skinny Pant, $59.90. Available at Express. Before the designer denim boom, Express was my only stop for my denim needs. Needless to say, the designers know how to cut a pair of pants. This style comes in very enticing colors, and they have a really tempting "Buy 1 get 1 50% off" promo happening right now.
3. Flight Skinny Cargo Pant, $79.50. Available from Lucky Brand. I tried on this Lucky pair when we received them at the store I work for, and they are A+ awesome. If I hadn't purchased my J Brands that same week, I would have added these to the collection.
 

The Look for Less

While I usually get antsy when a trend trickles down to mass retailers, I can't help but embrace these fashion forward options for so much less!

1. Brynn Skinny Cargo pant, $49.50. Available at dELiA's. A great option for the more petite ladies out there! These are juniors sized and come in a cropped 29 inch inseam. The back view looks amazing for a fraction of the price of the J Brands.
2. Silence & Noise Skinny Cargo pant, $58. Available from Urban Outfitters. I love this eggplant tinged grey pair! At this price, you can throw those rad platform oxfords in your cart too.
3. Route 66 Skinny Leg Cargo pants, on promo for $16.24. Available at Kmart. Have you guys seen the magazine ads for these?! The insert in all of my current magazines is absolutely droolworthy. I think I will trek out to the 'burbs to test this pair out, and maybe try to grab that fab military coat in the same campaign.

I convinced my girlfriends of the greatness of the skinny cargo by parading around in my Houlihans a few times. Maybe my next post will convince you too...