Is it ever possible to have too many pairs of black pants? I can honestly say that I have almost 18 to 20 pairs, ranging from casual, everyday pants to dressy, tailored wool trousers with side zips. But what types are essential and what are unnecessary? — Michelle, Chicago
That’s a lot of black pants, no question. It’s a lot of pants, full stop.
At the same time, black pants are a wardrobe basic, like the white T-shirt, the white button-up and jeans: an item that goes with everything, always. And as with those other basics, it is possible to spend years chasing the perfect pair, which exists permanently twinkling in the distance, like a desert mirage just beyond reach.
The truth is there is no single style that answers every need, which is why we often end up with so many. Indeed, said Jamie Mizrahi, the stylist who put Adele into more than 50 long black dresses for her Las Vegas residency, “styles come in and out of favor so often that it’s good to have a collection of black pants in different cuts and materials and lengths that are flattering to your body.” (Ms. Mizrahi confessed to having “countless pairs myself.”)
Black pants are essentially the trouser equivalent of a canvas primer: You can put almost anything on top. That’s why Kate Lanphear, the women’s style director of T Magazine, said she did not believe it was possible to have too many black pants.
I would say, however, that you are asking the wrong question. It should not be “Do I have too many black pants?” but “Do I wear them all?”
If the answer is no, then — as with any wardrobe item that is simply taking up space, symbolizing the fruitless quest for some ideal garment, or just reminding you of wasted money — you should pare back on the black.
But if the answer is yes, if each pair has its own identity and purpose, you don’t have too many. Vogue once identified “five pairs of black pants every woman should own,” a quintet that included leggings, leather, tailored work pants, jeans and a black tie number, but that pronouncement is too prescriptive. What really matters is how your pants fit into your lifestyle.
For example, you may have black twill pants that go with a specific black suit and make you feel like a Hollywood power player and black leather pants that make you feel like a rock star. You may have black wool pants for winter and black silk pants for summer; skinny black pants and wide-leg black pants; sequined black pants for black tie events (or black tuxedo pants) and black denim for every day. Even black yoga pants and leggings.
Whatever black pants you are talking about (or long for), Ms. Lanphear suggested that the two most important considerations are “fit and fabrication. Does the fabric wear well, with limited pilling, and look as good at the end of the day as when it is first pressed in the morning? Does it travel well?” To that end, she gravitates to gaberdines and wool silks. She also suggests enlisting a tailor to ensure that the shape flatters your particular silhouette.
After all, Ms. Mizrahi said, “black pants will always be useful, so if you invest in the right ones, you’ll have them as an option forever.”
Your Style Questions, Answered
Every week on Open Thread, Vanessa will answer a reader’s fashion-related question, which you can send to her anytime via email or Twitter. Questions are edited and condensed.
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