Ask Kim France: I’m Really Confused About Pants!

These are nothing short of slouchy perfection. I was just writing the other day about Vogue’s Virginia Smith and how she dresses so well for her (long and lean) body, a body that wears clothes really well. And these, from Theory, actually allow me to enter that wheelhouse — credibly, even.

I know people who swear by these cotton-modal pants for travel, and I can see why: They’re so easy to wear, comfortable, and flattering, and they keep their shape. And you can wash them in your hotel room’s bathroom sink.

For lounging about or going on a morning dog walk or even — if you are another kind of person — heading out to dinner, you can’t beat a pair of old-school Adidas.

Reformation might be known for Gen-Z “going out” dresses, but then it surprises you with something like these super-crisp poplin pants.

Really nicely sophisticated — the crepe material makes them drape so well—and they come in a whole slew of shades other than black.

Red outerwear always used to read pretty Nancy Reagan to me, but on the right silhouette, it can be quite modern, as it is with this entirely un-fusty jacket. As with lipstick, when red works, it really works.

Reminder: A color does not have to be all that bright or saturated to qualify as a color. This barn jacket gets the job done super-subtly.

Mustard yellow is a really rich and versatile shade, and I love how luxe it comes off on this elegant double-breasted coat.

This will take up no room at all in your suitcase and comes in a multitude of good shades (though I’m partial to this blue).

Many are the days when the only real color I’ve got going (aside, maybe, from blue denim) is this excellent slouchy bag. For a green that isn’t even close to neutral, you’d be surprised by how much it works with.

A pop of safety orange is always fun, and you don’t have to worry about the fact that it’s a pretty uniformly unflattering shade, because the khaki collar is what’s closest to your face. (That’s a rule, BTW: You can always wear an unflattering shade as long as the shade closest to your face is flattering.)

Crinkled patent leather and a pointy square toe are two things that always look cool, and even almost superhumanly cool when in combination with each other.

Okay, the heel here is actually just over two inches, but I love the interestingly sculptural (but not in a too-much way) shape of the heels themselves.

You could buy these in the black, sure, but this toffee suede will be just as versatile and worlds more sophisticated. From a brand that puts comfort first, the insoles here are designed to absorb impact, which is important if your goal in wearing these shoes is, indeed, actually walking in them.

This is maybe more of a cone heel than a block heel, but I’m allowing it because it looks so retroish and sharp, and is sturdy enough to hold up to some serious walking.

A really low heel like this always looks more refined with a pointy toe, don’t you think? I’d wear these with cropped or cuffed jeans.

Again, the mary jane shape just comes off more elegantly with a pointy toe, and snakeskin works astonishingly well with pretty much everything.

For serious slogging, I’d go for this conveniently very low heel.