Forget Denim—These Are the 3 Pant Trends Cool Girls Are Wearing in New York This Spring

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Allegedly, New York City has seen its coldest day until next winter. In 2026 alone, the city has been hit hard by not one but two major snowstorms (the latter of which officially qualified as a blizzard), which basically means even a 45-degree day feels like spring has sprung. If you step outside these days and it isn't in the 20s, New Yorkers are fully outside with their coats unzipped. You're likely to even spot someone showing skin. The situation has truly been dire.

Now that March is here, spring is actually on the cusp of starting, and that means that cool New Yorkers can finally show off the cool clothing that's been hiding underneath their cool coats. While it will be warmer in the coming weeks, it won't be enough to really have your legs out, which makes it the ideal time to wear your fun pants until you can whip out your favorite skirts.

Below, see the three spring pant trends we've already spotted cool New Yorkers wearing.

Kooky Patterned Pants

Woman wearing Collina Strada patterned pants.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

You have likely already heard the news that quiet luxury is out for 2026. Maximalism is slowly coming back! One of the biggest trends we noticed on the New York Fashion Week runways was the mixing and mashing of patterns and prints in a way that shouldn't work but somehow does. The goal is to look so wrong it's right. New Yorkers have started leaning into this aesthetic with pants in all patterns and prints, from plaid to animal print to polka dot to patchwork. The best thing about this look is that it'll work well with the basic T-shirts and tops in your wardrobe and the busiest tops for a full look that's a bit more kooky—in the best way.

Timeless Trousers

Sarah Pidgeon wearing black trousers and a black turtleneck.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Ironically, quiet luxury has been said to be going out of style for some time now, but '90s minimalism, inspired by Love Story, is very in. Everyone is obsessed with how Carolyn Bessette Kennedy (and Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette Kennedy) dressed. That means we'll see a wave of timeless, CBK-inspired trousers on the streets of New York. The way to get the look most authentically, though, is to invest in a style that really works for you and focus on the quality and small details. Bonus points if it's vintage Calvin Klein, of course.

Pants Missing a Waistband

Model wearing Still Here pants without a waistband.

(Image credit: Courtesy of Still Here)

Low-rise jeans scare most people, but there's a new alternative popping up that everyone seems to agree on. Pants with no waistband achieve a similar affect to low-rise jeans, in that they sit nicely on your waist and expose your hips. But these are often a little looser and less restrictive.

Tara Gonzalez
Tara Gonzalez
Senior Fashion & Social Editor

Tara Gonzalez is a senior fashion and social editor at WhoWhatWear. where she is interested in exploring the intersection of fashion and culture and why we are drawn to wearing the things we wear and what that says about the world we live in. Previously she worked as a senior fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar. When she isn't writing trend deep dives for WWW, she's working on her newsletter on Substack, Cult Classic, which explores the very best fashion in film and television. She has a degree in creative writing from The University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Brooklyn with her boyfriend and pug Bjork, the later of which has a very extensive collection of dog-sized Sandy Liang sweaters.