Kayla Young
Palazzo pants are one of the hottest trends this year. They are versatile enough to take you from the beach to the boardroom to the yoga studio, and look good on just about everyone.
Palazzo pants are extremely wide-legged women’s trousers that flare out from the waist and they come in so many different colors and patterns and materials – from light chiffon to cotton fleece. They can be worn in so many ways and are much more versatile than most people think. The high waist and widening leg elongate the silhouette.
The issue with palazzo pants is that it’s a lot of material. Styling them with the wrong top can leave you looking like a circus tent. And for those with a short torso, the high waist can make you look like just boobs and legs.
Not to worry though, in this article, we are going to show you what tops to wear with palazzo pants, we’re going to show you how to style them out. And for those of you with a short torso, we’ve got you covered. You too can wear palazzo pants, but you just have to wear them a bit differently – and we’re going to show you how.
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What’s the difference between palazzo pants and wide-leg pants?
Wide-leg pants and palazzo pants are not the same thing, though the terms are often used interchangeably.
Wide-leg pants have wide legs that start at the hips and stay the same width from the top of the pant leg to the hem.
Palazzo pants on the other hand, are fitted at the hips and flare out in an A-line. They have a very wide circumference at the bottom. They are so wide that sometimes they are mistaken for skirts.
What Tops To Wear With Palazzo Pants
We are going to break it down into three groups – summer casual, work casual, and semi-formal.
And we have three looks for each, so you will have no trouble putting an outfit together with your palazzo pants, no matter what the occasion.
Casual/Summer Breeze
Look 1 – Summer Casual – Bold Floral Palazzo Pants & White Crop Top
A bold floral print is perfect for summer. The thing about palazzo pants is that it’s a lot of material, so if you go bold on the pants, keep the top simple and fitted.
A cute solid cropped T is the perfect way to balance out the big and busyness of the palazzo pants. Add a casual bag and flats with a little bit of chunk to them and you have yourself a perfectly balanced ensemble.
Here’s how to put this look together:
Look 2 – Ready For the Beach – White Palazzo Pants with Striped Tube Top
Tube tops are back in, baby, and there’s nothing that screams summer more than a tube top. This time we’re going simple white on the bottom paired with a boldly striped tube top. With matching flats and a crochet beach bag, you are all set.
Here’s how to put this look together:
Look 3 – Urban Casual – Printed Palazzo Pants with Wrapped Crop Top
That’s definitely cute, but we’re here to help you take your style up a notch. We’ve paired low-riding printed palazzo pants and a wrapped crop top with a plunging V-neckline.
A chunky heel and a matching leather bag make this the perfect urban chic casual outfit. It’s one thing to look like you’re going to yoga class, but another to pull it off as a stand-alone outfit.
A chunky heel and a matching leather bag make this the perfect urban chic casual outfit. It’s one thing to look like you’re going to yoga class, but another to pull it off as a stand-alone outfit.
Here’s how to put this look together, but better:
Just a few notes on casual styling with Palazzo pants…
Your top doesn’t have to be cropped. Anything fitted that you tuck into your pants will look good if you’re not a fan of showing off your midriff.
For those with a short torso, often crop tops don’t fit right. Instead of the crop top coming to just under your ribs, it’s ends up being more like at your waist/belly button and isn’t a crop top at all.
For those with a short torso, often crop tops don’t fit right. Instead of the crop top coming to just under your ribs, it ends up being more like at your waist/belly button and isn’t a crop top at all.
If this is the case for you, then skip the cropped tops and go for a T-shirt that comes down to your hips that you DO NOT tuck in.
Tucking anything into your palazzo pants with their usually high waistband will shorten your short torso even more, making your body look disproportionate to your legs.
While most palazzo pants are high-waisted, you can opt for lower-riding palazzo pants, like the ones in our suggested outfit above that sit at your hips. These are very cute for everyone but especially good for elongating a short torso.
Casual Office
Palazzo pants can work great as casual office wear. You just need to dress them up a bit. Rather than going for printed palazzo pants, stick with a solid color for the office.
We’ve put together three work-ready looks that will have you looking like you own the place.
Look 1 – Black & Beige Office Casual – Black Palazzo Pants with a Printed Blouse
Black is perfect for an office setting. It’s professional and it goes with everything, so it’s easy to match tops, shoes, nails, and accessories.
Beige is also a classic color. The two together make for a winning combination. We’ve coupled black palazzo pants with a black and beige blouse.
You can get away with a graphic print for the office if it’s tasteful and abstract. A Beige Office carry-all and black closed-toed shoes round out the look.
Here’s how you can put this look together:
If you wear a looser blouse, you need to tuck it in. Otherwise, it will look like you have no waist and are drowning in fabric. This is not a good look for those with a short torso, but we have one for you coming up.
Look 2 – Classic Office Casual – Beige Palazzo Pants & White Shirt
You cannot go wrong with pairing a crisp, white, fitted, button-down shirt with beige palazzo pants for a classic office casual look. A thick strapped, chunky heel (not platform!) with a matching office tote in brown leather is both chic and professional.
Here’s how you can put this look together:
Unlike our first office look with the looser blouse, a fitted shirt can either be tucked in or left untucked. Untucked is the perfect look for those with a short torso.
Look 3 – color Statement – Bold colored Palazzo Pants with Printed Shirt.
Just because you work in an office doesn’t mean you have to wear grey and beige and black. Bold mustard palazzo pants with a printed matching button-down shirt with long sleeves makes a statement.
A black, thick-strapped, chunky heel and black office tote complete this look.
When it comes to styling it out for the office, material is important. Palazzo pants come in different all sorts of different materials, some of which are not appropriate for an office setting. For example, crepe or thick cotton (like track pants) aren’t good choices.
Also the cut and style of your palazzo pants for the office should be more of a straight cut, rather than ruffled or with high leg slits.
Choose palazzo pants for the office that have a tailored look, rather than those that look like they were meant to do yoga in or be pajama pants.
Choose palazzo pants for the office that have a tailored look, rather than those that look like they were meant to do yoga in or be pajama pants.
You’ll also notice that we’ve paired all of our office outfits with thick strapped, chunky heels. With palazzo pants, thin strapped stilettos cannot compete with all that material, not to mention aren’t really appropriate in an office setting.
A chunky heel gives a lot more support which makes them also much more comfortable to wear through the day.
Semi-Formal Palazzo
Whether it’s a dinner date, an evening out, or a bridal shower, you can dress up palazzo pants to accommodate more formal occasions. We have three looks for you that will take you to a semi-formal occasion in style.
Look 1 – Semi Formal day events – white linen palazzo pants with floral high neck sleeveless blouse
For an occasion like a bridal or baby shower, garden party, or Sunday brunch, you need something just a little more formal than your everyday wear.
Pairing crisp, white palazzo pants with a pleated floral, high neck, sleeveless blouse is perfect for a summer, semi-formal day event.
Wedge Espadrilles work amazingly well with palazzo pants because they give you the height so your pants are not dragging and they have enough bulk that they don’t get lost in all the material.
Add a matching light grey clutch and you are perfectly styled for your next summer day event.
Here’s how you can put the look together:
Look 2 – A Night Out – Sheer Layered Palazzo Pants with Fitted Asymmetrical Top
Going for a special dinner date or a night out on the town? These sheer layered palazzo pants are perfect. Add to that a fitted, asymmetrical top, strappy sandals with a heel cup, and a super cute pouch clutch and you’re ready for anything.
Here’s how you can put this look together:
Look 3 – A More Formal Affair – Chiffon Palazzo Pants and Backless Gathered Halter
You can even take it up a formal notch by pairing black chiffon palazzo pants with a sexy backless, draped halter, peep toe stiletto dress pumps, and a black clutch.
Here’s how you can put this look together:
If the top has gathered material, like this halter, don’t tuck it in. Not only will it elongate the torso, but it pulls double duty of hiding the elastic waistband of these pants!
Take Away
Palazzo pants are very versatile and can be worn for different occasions. So now, not only do you know what tops to wear with palazzo pants, you also know how to style several outfits with them, no matter where you need to be.
