
Certain, everyone knows what wardrobe necessities for work skilled ladies are speculated to have of their closets, however for those who’re shopping for one for the primary time or changing one you’ve worn into the bottom, it may be a ache to search out precisely the suitable incarnation in shops. In “The Hunt,” we search the shops for a primary merchandise that each girl ought to have.
This publish was final up to date in December 2022.
Whereas seasonless wool pants are heat sufficient, and velvet and corduroy pants are nice for extra informal days, I believed we’d go on a hunt for the perfect ladies’s winter costume pants for cozy however skilled work outfits.
Personally I’ve all the time beloved the softness and drape of wool flannel pants, and though the types change from 12 months to 12 months, I all the time really feel like that’s a sophisticated search for the workplace.
Wool mix pants are additionally nice, though they are often on the itchy aspect, significantly if unlined — it’s possible you’ll wish to try our final dialogue on what to put on beneath unlined pants, and I’ll drop a collage with hyperlinks to my high suggestion for what to put on beneath unlined pants — skinny lengthy johns.
(Notably for silk lengthy johns, however true of plenty of the opposite ones out proper now — they do an incredible job of blocking the wind if you’re exterior however not including an excessive amount of additional heat or bulk if you’re inside, so that they’re nice for ALL pants, however significantly as a layer between you and itchy wool pants.)
Girls, what are you sporting to work on the coldest days — are you on Crew Fleece Tights? Crew Wool Pants? Or have you ever discovered one other resolution for staying heat in your commute on the coldest days?
{associated: what to put on to work when it’s chilly exterior}
Pictured at high: purple velvet / inexperienced corduroy / black wool mix / lavender cashmere silk mix / olive wool flannel
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Admin notice: this publish was initially printed in 2019, however we’ve fully up to date our product picks for Dec. 2022 however saved the unique feedback on the publish.
My Prime Alternative for Girls’s Winter Gown Pants: Wool Flannel Pants
Flannel pants are, I believe, the holy grail for those who’re in search of heat winter pants. They don’t have the itch of wool or tweed, however they drape higher and really feel extra versatile than velvet or different choices. After all, the draw back is that you just typically find yourself paying quite a bit for them…

Loft is a surprisingly great place to verify for reasonably priced wool flannel pants — for a couple of years now they’ve had a pleasant choice. For 2022 it’s a pleated, cropped look — you possibly can put on it with loafers as pictured right here or ankle boots for extra protection.
Some dependable spots to verify for wool flannel pants (along with Loft) embody Brooks Brothers, Saks (which has choices from manufacturers like Concept and Vince) and Eileen Fisher. Should you’re in search of smooth, heat wool pants additionally hold an eye fixed out for Italian wool choices like these from J.Crew.
(Menswear weblog Die, Workwear has a very good comparability on flannel pants vs wool twill pants for those who’re — wool twill is a bit more durable to search out for girls, however it may be accomplished — M.M.LaFleur has a bunch as of 2022. For my cash I’d nonetheless want the softer choice (flannel), however that’s simply me.)
One other Nice Possibility for Girls’s Winter Gown Pants: Different Wool Pants and Wool Blends
I’m separating out wool flannel as a result of I believe it’s the softest, the warmest, and essentially the most versatile — however there are a zillion different wool blends and woolen materials, together with wool gabardine and wool blended with one thing for stretch. These could also be itchy, although — notice that silk lengthy johns are wonderful for this as a result of they’re smooth, block the wind, and don’t add bulk or an excessive amount of additional heat if you’re inside.
Word that seasonless wool (aka tropical wool and “light-weight wool,”) can also be nice for winter, however, as we’ve famous earlier than when advising on whether or not you possibly can put on a tropical wool swimsuit in winter, they could be a bit chilly on the windiest and coldest days. Tweeds could also be a wool or polyester — however for my $.02 I’ve all the time most well-liked tweeds as a skirt than a pant as a result of the interior thighs of pants could put on erratically and/or get nubbly.
Wool blends are quite a bit simpler to search out than flannel — however you actually should attempt the pant on to see how heat it truly is. Nordstrom has a ton of wool mix pants for work, together with some basic pants from Concept, Boss, and Lafayette 148 New York. And don’t overlook about Banana Republic’s trove of washable wool work garments, together with a ton of pants; M.M.LaFleur additionally has a number of nice washable wool types.
{associated: find out how to costume professionally on the coldest days}
Heat Winter Gown Pants, Lux Version: Cashmere
Cashmere pants are simpler to search out than ever, however a number of these (a LOT of them) are barely one step above athleisure and even lounge pants — so know your workplace. The extra structured cashmere pants are going to be extra acceptable for conservative workplaces.
You’ll find a ton of cashmere blends (often cashmere/silk, however typically cashmere/wool) from the very excessive finish manufacturers like Akris, Max Mara, Lafayette 148 New York, Loro Piana, and extra — accordingly, Nordstrom and better finish department shops are good spots to verify.
Velvet & Corduroy Pants for Work Outfits
I’m placing velvet and corduroy collectively as a result of they each can go both means, though corduroy is inherently extra informal and velvet is inherently extra dressy. However for those who see both material in a five-pocket model (like denim), the pants could solely be acceptable for a extra informal workplace usually (or, say, a weekend workday in a conservative workplace). (Know your workplace!)
On the flip aspect, for those who see reduce like trousers or different work pants, and even simply with out pockets (or solely welt pockets), then they’re much more acceptable to put on to conservative workplaces. Word that the swish-swish sound each pants make whereas strolling could be a drawback in an workplace with very quiet hallways — and that lint will also be an issue with each. (Should you’re having a lint emergency at work, a Fed Ex mailing pouch works in a pinch…)

Lately there was a TON of velvet denims — notice that these are usually not acceptable at each workplace, so know yours. You’ll find all kinds of colours and suits at Banana Republic, Loft, and Talbots, in addition to from manufacturers like Paige. Additionally of notice, some good trouser-styles of velvet pants at Nordstrom.
{associated: find out how to do enterprise informal in chilly climate}

A few of our all-time favourite cords (once more, largely for informal workplaces) embody the Kut from the Kloth ones at Nordstrom, obtainable in common, petite, and plus sizes. Should you want a tighter match, try corduroy from denim manufacturers like AG; for those who want a looser however nonetheless tailor-made look try NYDJ cords. Madewell additionally has a ton of nice cords proper now, and I’m drooling over all the colours of those cropped, flared cords from Tuckernuck.
BONUS Class for Heat Girls’s Gown Pants: Lengthy Johns and Silk Leggings
One last item value noting: lengthy johns could be lifesavers, whether or not you’re utilizing them to make an already heat pair of pants SUPER heat, to heat up a favourite pair of much less seasonal pants (equivalent to a washable pant for work in all probability in a cotton mix), or to make use of as a liner for an unlined swimsuit pants.
These are significantly nice when the issue is the wind (equivalent to in a metropolis like Chicago) greater than the temperature — particularly as a result of whereas a silk lengthy john will block the wind, it received’t overheat you when you get inside.
Readers, that are your favourite heat ladies’s costume pants for the workplace? Which materials are your favourite — which put on the longest — and the place have you ever purchased them not too long ago?
{associated: what to put on to work in winter}
Our Favourite Gown Pants for Work in Common
These would all be nice with the lengthy underwear pictured above…
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{associated: interview coats: the perfect coats to put on over a swimsuit in winter}
Social media picture credit score (businesswoman in pants and winter coat) by way of Deposit Images / Astroid.