Although dresses get a lot of attention in summer, for most women, pants carry the day.
"A good-looking pant is key when you figure it covers about 60 percent of the average body," says personal stylist Stacy Wallace-Albert. "That's a good reason to invest in a really well-made pair of pants in a good fabric and versatile color, like black, heather gray or taupe, that can be worn several times a week for several seasons."
She recommends a lightweight wool blend with a bit of stretch, or a virgin wool. Read the fabric content label and crush the fabric in your hand to make sure it doesn't wrinkle immediately. A good lightweight wool won't bunch or make noise when you walk and can be worn on all but the hottest summer days. A silky lining will ease the itch factor.
A few brands to check out:
$300 and up: Wallace-Albert's favorite pants brand is one also worn by First Lady Michelle Obama: Gunex (www.shopstyle.com). It offers different shapes and rises every season to fit curvy or straight bodies. She also likes Zanella and Bernard Zins (www.markshale.com). Piazza Sempione (www.neimanmarcus.com) is another high-end brand known for well-fitting pants in classic cuts.
$125-$250: Theory makes well-fitting pants in a number of blends (www.bloomingdales.com). Wallace-Albert likes J.Crew's high-quality Super 120 wools (www.jcrew.com).
$100 and less: Banana Republic (www.banana republic.com) and Liz Claiborne, designed by Isaac Mizrahi (www.carsons.com), are workhorses that start at less than $100. Lower-end pants are likely to be a synthetic blend, but they'll still be better-wearing than cotton, she says.
When trying on pants, go a size up if you see creasing across the crotch area; have the waist taken in if needed. Hippy women should pay special attention to pockets.
