Summer: A season for skirts, dresses and shorts… But what about trousers? As the heatwave sizzles, and the sun’s exposure reach a new high (making you realise just how under-prepared your usual ‘Irish-Summer-Wardrobe’ has left you), trousers may be the last garment you’re currently considering wearing. However, despite this glorious weather, there are perhaps many occasions where you may feel the need to reach for a pair. If you’re heading to the office; have a business meeting; or an interview that you want to make an impression in – trousers can still be a summer staple in your collection. In this blog post I will tell you how you can wear them during the summer season, whilst still looking chic in the process!

1. Choose A Style That Flatters YOU

It may sound obvious, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to choose a style which flatters your body shape. It can be easy to scroll through your Instagram feed, double-tap on a photo that your favourite fashion blogger has just posted, and consider buying a piece of clothing he/she is sporting in it. But before you decide to make that purchase, try to ask yourself, “Will that style necessarily suit me?” For example, a pair of trousers that I adore wearing during the summer are culottes. But, generally speaking, if you’re a little more petite than me height-wise, then culottes may not work as well for you. If this is the case, perhaps opt for a pair of cropped culottes – this will elongate your legs in the most flattering way.

If you’re on the ‘pear-shaped’ scale, you may really suit a pair of wide-legged trousers. Whereas if you consider yourself to be ‘apple-shaped’, skinny-legged trousers may be more for you. It’s all about trying and testing different styles, and discovering what’s works best for your physique. For instance, most of the time I prefer to wear high-waisted trousers – as I personally think they create a higher waist-line for me, as well as the illusion of taller legs. You may notice this in the trousers I’m wearing in these photos. However, I can assure you that my legs are not as long as they may look here. My trousers’ style helped to achieve that look.

2. Wear Light-Weight Materials

Depending on how warm it is, your heavier denim jeans can be a no-go. Nobody wants to feel cooked-up in a pair of trousers in the scorching heat (haven’t you seen that episode of Friends, where Ross can’t pull his leather trousers back up his legs?). As well as feeling the weight of your trousers in your hands, or whilst you’re wearing them, be sure to check the ‘care’ label… Try to stick to blends of cotton, wool, or linen materials. These will allow more air into your skin. You may have heard of the mantra, “pain is beauty”. But in my opinion, nothing is less fashionable than seeing someone in clear discomfort. When you feel good, you’ll look good. And ‘amen’ to that.

3. Don’t Shy Away From Colours

Because it’s summer, it’s a season to embrace colours. And if you want to wear trousers, let their colour ‘pop’. Greens; yellows; blues; reds… There’s plenty to experiment with. As you can see, I opted for a pretty baby-pink in this ensemble. And you may have seen me sporting a pair of bright-red culottes in this Instagram photo. Once you’re brave enough to wear a louder colour, you’ll never look back. Trust me.

And another tip: Match the colour of your top to your shoes. If you’re nervous about looking too ‘out-there’ in your bright trousers, you can wear neutrals (like white, black or nude) in the rest of your outfit. Hence establishing a more subtle and balanced look, whilst still making a statement.

4. It’s Summer; Show Some Skin

The obvious reason why us ladies are apprehensive about wearing trousers in hotter climates, is because we’re afraid of appearing too ‘covered-up’. Not only that, and as I said previously, we don’t want to feel too ‘hot-and-bothered’. So if you’re wearing trousers, and the humidity is high, you may want to show a little more skin on-top. V-necks, lace materials, and off-the-shoulder styles, are a great way to make your outfit appear more ‘summer ready’. Since your pins aren’t on display, show off your arms. They’ll be your new favourite feature.

And finally, let your ankles do the talking. Try to turn up the hems of your trousers, as I have done here. Little tricks like this will instantly transform your style from ‘sort-of summer‘ to ‘totally summer‘.

And that’s it! Those are just a few simple ways to ease trousers into your summer outfits. Do you currently have a pair of trousers that you’re loving this season? If so, tell me about them in the comments!

Shop The Look

Top: River Island | Trousers: ASOS | Heels: ASOS