4 Chic Trouser Trends You Can Easily Wear to the Office This Autumn
With recent trends leaning towards smart, polished aesthetics, it's easier than ever to overlap your workwear and off-duty style. Autumn/winter 2023 is all about "quiet luxury", an umbrella term referring to non-showy pieces that look and feel subtly expensive. Structured blazers, tailored trousers and minimalist accessories all fit neatly into this category—and they just so happen to meet most office dress codes, too. So, if you work a 9-5 in a corporate environment, you won't struggle to find professional clothing that still feels fashionable.
But today we're honing in on one item in particular: work trousers. And truthfully, there's little to differentiate office-friendly slacks from the styles we've been raving about recently. From wide-legs to pinstripe pairs, these are trousers you can just as soon wear for an important meeting as a Sunday morning brunch date. It just takes a few styling tweaks; for the workday, stick to fuss-free shirting, classic footwear and perhaps a coordinating blazer, depending on how formal your office is. You can add a bit more personality once you clock out at 5 p.m, switching the loafers for sneakers, the shirt for a tank top, et cetera.
Below, I've selected four trouser trends you can rely on to form the foundation of a chic office look. I've also linked my favourite examples of each, so you can easily shop the best work trousers on the market right now. Thank me when you're voted 'Best-Dressed Employee of the Month'.
Shop the Best Work Trousers:
1. Wide-Leg Trousers
SHOP THE LOOK:
The pleating makes this pair feel so crisp and expensive.
The slightly cropped leg will allow you to show off your favourite work shoes.
2. Cigarette Trousers
SHOP THE LOOK:
Just add a white shirt and loafers.
3. Tapered Trousers
SHOP THE LOOK:
Now that's an impeccably tailored pair of trousers.
Under 5'3"? This is the trouser for you.
4. Pinstripe Trousers
SHOP THE LOOK:
Trust me, all your co-workers will be asking where you got these.
Why not inject a bit of colour into your workwear?
Next Up: The 7 High-Street Brands Our Editors Always Turn to for Chic Tailoring
Bébhinn Campbell is an Edinburgh-based fashion and lifestyle writer and editor. She started her first blog at age 14 and went on to intern at print and digital publications in Berlin and London, including Dazed & Confused and Indie magazine.
A job at a fashion startup took Bébhinn from Ireland to Scotland in 2019, where she now works as a freelance journalist and copywriter covering everything from travel and interiors to styling advice. As a contributor to Who What Wear, Bébhinn always keeps her eyes peeled for emerging trends and looks worth writing about. She prides herself on her ability to cut through the noise and identify solid investment buys, exciting new brands and fresh takes on classic design.
In her spare time, Bébhinn enjoys perusing Edinburgh’s best vintage shops, working through her out-of-control book collection and watching dog reels on Instagram.
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