Everlane Work Pant Review

I’m probably not the only one who finds tracking down the perfect pair of work trousers to be a hard task. They’re either too big in the waist, too tight in the hips, or just hugely unflattering. I fell in love with the smart style ankle trousers from Uniqlo a couple of years back, but that was before we got a ragdoll cat…

Wearing Joseph sweater, Everlane work pant in navy, FRANKiE4 ‘Jackie’ sneakers, Stella McCartney coat (affordable option here), Mighty Purse cross body bag, Linjer watch

I’ve made a few efforts this year to try and seek out some other trouser styles, which are versatile enough to pass as both a work wear option, in addition to being comfortable enough to wear during my down time, and the Everlane work pant, seemed like the perfect solution.

QUICK FACTS

Price: $50USD
Available in five colours: Black, Navy, Surplus, Ochre and Slate Grey
Made in: Jiangmen, China
Fabric: 94% cotton and 6% elastane
Care: Machine wash cold and tumble dry low

SIZE & FIT

SIZE: Of all the things I’ve ever purchased from Everlane, I’ve generally found the sizing of their bottoms to be rather inconsistent (excluding their denim range, which is typically TTS). It probably doesn’t help that I’m in between sizes; I have a narrow waist, and wider hips, which can making find the perfect fit a challenge. But, after referring to the sizing chart, I deducted that a size US 2 would be the best option for me. For reference, I almost always wear a size 25 denim, and depending on the brand and cut, will wear a size AU 6 or AU 8 for skirts or trousers. Despite being 5’8” or 172cm tall, I find I carry slightly more of my height in my torso, so I opted for the ‘ankle’ length, to ensure that these had a slightly cropped look to them, as in my experience, the most flattering length for trousers (regardless of your body shape) is just above the ankle.

FIT: Designed to have a slim fit, the Everlane work pant hugs your silhouette. It’s a stretch cotton, so it should fit snug against your hip and waist, with a narrow straight cut through the leg. Thankfully, the US 2 was a perfect fit. These are fitted but not too tight at the waist, and have a slight bit of give at the hip. I like that the waistband is elasticated and it lays flat against the body. Perhaps the one thing I was most concerned with was how these would sit across the crotch given that they don’t have a zip up closure at the front (it’s located on the side). However, I needn’t have worried. They don’t bunch at the crotch at all, and I like how fitted they are at the back. They have a high rise, which is my preference as I find this sucks you in slightly, and is much more flattering when wearing something tucked. Perhaps the only thing worth really noting is that as they are tighter around the knees, the fabric can bunch up a little behind the leg when sitting down (so you’ll need to adjust them when you stand up).

QUALITY

FABRIC COMPOSITION: The Everlane work pant is made from a four-way stretch cotton; it’s 94% cotton and 6% elastane. This magic combination gives the trousers a structured look, while still fitting close to the body. Up close, there’s a slight textured feel to the fabric; it’s thick, with a bit of a woven in look to it. Due to the generous elastane content, they will give a bit when worn, however the stretch means that these are quite comfortable for wearing all day long.

DETAILS: The work pants come in two different lengths: regular and ankle. If you’re petite, or prefer a slightly cropped length trouser, then I’d recommend going for the ‘ankle’ length. The trouser sits high on the waist, with a thick elasticated panel that wraps around the body and sucks you in. There’s a side zip and button closure, and they have a seam down the centre back of the trousers (which Everlane claims has leg-lengthening properties).

STYLING TIPS

01 | with an oversized sweater
My personal style has relaxed a lot this year, and one of my favourite winter styling choices has been to wear everything with an oversized sweater. It’s the epitome of nonchalant dressing, and I figure if it’s good enough for the Scandinavians, then it’s good enough for me. I’ll usually do a little bit of a half tuck, slipping a little bit of the front of my sweater into the waist band of the Everlane work pant so that it lays flat.

02 | low heels or sneakers
One of my favourite things about these trousers is how easily they transition from the office to the weekend. While I’d wear the above outfit to work, I would usually opt to pair the look with a low heel (something like this is perfect!), but I think that it looks equally chic with a box fresh pair of white sneakers. These ones from FRANKiE4 have a navy panel at the back of the heel, which complements the colour of the trousers perfectly.

03 | silk blouses
If I’m not pairing these trousers with a big snuggly sweater, my second favourite styling option is a lightweight silk blouse (which I suspect will be a silk cami come summer time…). While the fabric on the work pant is quite thick, I find that it can show the seams of what you’re wearing underneath, so it looks best when wearing something in a finer fabric.

FINAL VERDICT

Some of my best wardrobe additions have been items that I haven’t really been all that sure about. While I think it’s well worth it to carefully consider what you’re adding to your wardrobe, I have a tendency to overthink things sometimes, which typically leads to the odd shopping mistake. Because I’ve had a bad track record purchasing trousers in the past, I approach each new pair with low expectations, and the Everlane work pant really surprised me.

In part, I think it’s because I wasn’t expecting them to be as flattering as they actually are. The fabric was thicker than I’d anticipated, and they didn’t bunch up at all around the crotch – something that admittedly was my biggest concern for this style. I like how fitted they are, and while I do wish that they had pockets (honestly, everything is better with pockets), I think that the lack of them is one of the things that actually makes the style flattering.

They’re not as fitted as a pair of ponte trousers, but they’re just as comfortable. The stretch cotton has a lot of give to it, making these a good option for wearing while sitting at a desk all day.

The only style detail that I wish the work pants included was a slightly tapered leg. I find that this is much more flattering at the ankle that something that is cut straight and has a wide opening, and is has a slimming effect, however the ankle length style cuts off a little above the ankle, showing off the narrowest part of your leg.

I’ve become a shrewd shopper as I’ve gotten older. Value for money is pretty important to me; I like my clothing to be hard-working, so it has to be a good investment. For $50USD, I don’t really think that you can go wrong with this style. Everlane tend to execute classic styles well, and this is a pretty good example of that – there aren’t any bells and whistles to the style, so it’s one that I know will age well.

For those who love this style but want to check out a few other alternatives, I’d recommend checking out this pair from COS which are a dead ringer, or this style from Uniqlo, which also looks (and feels) like a great dupe.

The fact that I’m considering trying the Everlane work pant in another colour (hello surplus…!) is a pretty good indicator that these are worth it. They’re easy to care for (anything machine washable is a winner in my books), and I love the fact that Winston’s cat hair doesn’t really cling to the fabric! x