Over the years, I’ve been paid a few compliments about my style, including “master of color,” “thrift queen,” and, most importantly, “cool-pants collector.” My collection includes checkered pants, pants with swirls, tie-dye pants, pants with indescribable prints, and pants in beautiful hues and fabrics. When I first spotted the gingham Urban Outfitters pants in an Instagram ad, I knew they’d be the perfect addition to my collection. I made a deal with myself: If I remembered the pants at the end of a two-week deliberation period, I could buy them. And remember them I did. By the end of the two weeks, my desire was no longer a want but a need. I added the pants to my cart.
When the pants arrived and I first tried them on, I danced for a good five minutes in my hallway mirror, a telltale sign that a garment is meant to be. They paired well with virtually any shirt, hit perfectly at the talus of my five-foot-three frame, and, unlike other wide-leg pants I own, they had an everyday air about them. Since then, they’ve become a cornerstone of my wardrobe, with my frequency of wear being at least twice a week. From dog-sitting (a responsibility that requires two walks per day) and lunch dates in the park to sitting at my desk and brainstorming how to write about cargo pants, they’ve stylishly covered all the bases for any activities that require me to be comfortable and/or seen by others.
Made from a breathable cotton, the pants are easy and relaxed but not slipshod like other cargos I’ve tried. Their lightweight fabric makes them ideal for the underground saunas known as the subway. And the gingham pattern mixes and matches well with other pieces in my wardrobe, from a graphic T-shirt to equally gutsy patterned tops. When the pants went on sale last month, I purchased an additional two pairs in cream and indigo, budget be damned! (But at $30, my budget didn’t hurt too much, either.)
The public response to the pants was the initial inspiration for this ode. I’ve been asked about them in every color I own in nearly every space imaginable: in the comments sections of my Instagram (standard), in the line at Trader Joe’s (equally typical), and on a subway platform as the train and inquirer were departing the station (atypical and brave). The prize for the best comment, though, came from a French chef who said they wanted a pair. The red gingham does give off a chef-pant vibe, but not a regular chef pant; it’s a cool chef pant.
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