How to wear... sailor trousers

This is the third and final post about sailor trousers. Enjoy!

Tops:

• Bright, happy colours, white, and striped T-shirts with or without nautical embellishments (buttons with anchors, etc.) are a classic combination with sailor trousers, which are usually navy, white, red, or white.
• With sleeves to achieved a balance between upper and lower body (unless you have narrow hips), either short or three-quarter length.
• Should hit you at high hip, and so should any cardigan you wear, as you run the risk of losing all shape if you don't stick to that.
• To tuck or not to tuck. This really depends on how wide your top and leg trousers are in relation to each other, and the length of the top. In general, I wear my fitted tees, blouses, and knit tops tucked in.

Sailor trousers with striped t-shirt by C. Grant. A classic combination of red, white and blue, with sophisticated shoes and accessories. The sandals have a closed back, with avoids the pain of having the trouser leg get trapped between heel and shoe all the time.

APhilosophy di Alberta Ferretti Trousers / Mary Kratantzou rainbow stripe T-shirt / McQ Alexander McQueen Crêpe Coat / Ann Taylor Shoes / Kate Spade New York Earrings / Gucci Handbag /  Marc by Marc Jacobs Scarf / Dior Lipstick in Trafalgar / Dior Nail Lacquer in Riviera.

Shoes:

• Go for substantial flats (not your average "I'm really walking straight on the floor" pair, but rather one with a proper sole: better for your back, I promise), pointy ballerinas or loafers for a relaxed style.
• Heels with a wedge or a platform look great with sailor trousers, but you can go with more polished styles, as in the sets I have created.

Sailor trousers with lace cardigan by C. Grant. The cardigan hits at high hip, as you can see, and the vertical lines created by the double row of buttons continue with it. I love this statement necklace by Kate Spade, and have found quite easy to replicate it in black for myself using black Czech glass beads.

Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti Trousers / Talula U-turn T-shirt / Phase Eight Guipure Lace Cardigan / Zara Shoes / Kate Spade New York Necklace / Gucci Handbag /  Accessorize Scarf / YSL Lipstick in Corail Legende / Dior Nail Lacquer in Corail Divin.

Accessories:

To accessorize, think about how much embellishment your top is carrying and how visible the buttons on your tummy are (are they contrasting in colour or metallic?).

Sailor trousers for weekend by C. Grant. A relaxed, Scandi-ensemble for the weekend. In Denmark, wearing trainers is OK with everything, from skirts to formal trousers, to commute or to go out for lunch. Comfort is paramount among Danish women...

Alberta Ferreti Trousers / H&M Sweater / H&M Coat / Ecco Shoes / Issey Miyake Handbag /  Anton Heunis Brooch, Ring and Earrings / Tom ford Lipstick in Blush Nude / Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Show Me the Pink.

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This post first appeared on The Red Lipstick: Own Your Style, on September 4 2012. It has been edited now.