Palazzo jeans are an easy-to-wear wardrobe staple that combines classic and contemporary styling. They’re extremely versatile and flattering and can be easily dressed up or down with a simple change of top and accessories. The voluminous fabric and cinched in waist are evocative of glamorous 1940s film stars like Katherine Hepburn, yet the soft denim fabric makes them easy to wear and perfectly suited to everyday life.
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Yes, you can wear them over 60
And to prove it, here are three of my favourite over 60 style icons wearing palazzo jeans and looking great, each in their own unique way.
Diane Keaton blends her palazzo jeans into her eclectic ‘Annie Hall’ style. Grece Ghanem adds urban glamour with a white pair and Linda V Wright, as always, exudes low key Parisienne chic.
My current favourite pair are from M&S
M&S Collection, Lyocell Blend Wide Palazzo Leg Jeans
M&S Collection, Lyocell Blend Wide Palazzo Leg Jeans
I have these palazzo jeans in both the dark indigo and black colours, and I’m absolutely thrilled with them. The fabric and cut are excellent for the £45 price tag. Fabric content is 68% cotton and 32% lyocell, which gives them amazing drape and swing. Designed with a super wide-leg and a flattering high waist, they have five-pocket detailing and a neat button-and-zip fastening adding a classic touch. They come in 3 different colours, black, dark indigo and light indigo and in 3 different leg lengths, short/petite, regular and long.
Really soft, comfy and super washable, these palazzo jeans are extremely flattering for all shapes and sizes. If you need further convincing read the 500+ glowing reviews on the M&S site.
How to style palazzo jeans
The rules for styling palazzo jeans are basically the same as for any other type of wide leg, high waisted pants. There’s very little difference, practically speaking, between the two. Palazzos though, usually fall from the hips and the legs are more voluminous, less rigid and more flowy. The key is to emphasise the waist and to balance the volume at the bottom with a more structured, cropped or tucked in top. You can do this in a number of different ways:-
Fully tuck or French tuck a jumper or top.
1. M&S, Printed V-neck blouse | 2. M&S, Textures V-Neck Relaxed Fit Cardigan | 3. Sezane, Otis Jumper
Because palazzos are so voluminous you need to define your waist. You can do this by fully tucking in your top or shirt and wearing a great belt (see 4.).
Alternatively you can French tuck the shirt or sweater to give a softer, more draped feel.
To ‘French tuck’ your shirt, simply tuck in just the front leaving the sides and back loose. This gives a softer, more relaxed silhouette than the full tucked in look whilst still emphasising the waist (see 1.). An alternative is to tuck half of a shirt or cardigan at the front, as in example 2. above.
Experiment and have fun. Keep it natural, relaxed and loose. Lightweight or medium weight tops or T- shirts work best as you get a nice drape without too much bulk.
Wear a cropped jacket, sweater or cardigan
1.Sezane, Betty Cardigan | 2. M&S, Faux Shearling Funnel Neck Short Jacket | 3. ME+EM, Wool Military Jacket
Short jackets and cardigans are classic on-trend pieces that layer really well over palazzo jeans and a fitted top. There are lots of cropped jackets and cardigan jackets on the High Street to choose from right now. They range in thickness from indoor cardigan jackets, through the classic Chanel type, to thick Shearling coats. All of them work really well with palazzo jeans as they neatly balance the volume at the bottom, creating an attractive silhouette.
Dress it up
- M&S, Velvet Broderie V-Necked Blouse. | 2. M&S, Sequin Round Neck Blouse | 3. M&S, Sequin beaded Shirt
Palazzo jeans work really well as a basis for a casual evening outfit. Above I’ve shown three simple examples of tops that you could try.
Number 1. is a sumptuous black velvet broderie peplum blouse. The peplum style top works really well with palazzo jeans because the blouse is cinched in at the waist giving that all important waist definition. The gathered flounce adds softness as it falls to the hip. A statement necklace also adds richness to this gorgeous blouse.
The second example is a really simple cropped, round necked sequinned blouse. The photo clearly illustrates how the cropped length of the top elongates the legs. Note also how the jeans are worn with high heels and sit right down on the floor.
I’ve included number 3 as an exception that proves the rule. This sheer sequinned blouse can be worn loose and long over palazzo jeans because the waistline is clearly delineated through the sheer fabric. The under camisole is tucked in, creating clear waist definition. The hem of the sheer over blouse is also curved up at the sides which avoids a hard line across the widest part of the hips and thighs. I absolutely love this blouse and I think it would be a really useful item to have in any wardrobe.
Adding height with heels is another way of creating a more dressed up, polished look.
Layer pieces with emphasis on the waist
1, 2 & 3 All photo outfits from ME+EM
In this section I just wanted to show how you can layer your clothes with palazzo jeans. The thing to note here again, is that in all three examples the waist is emphasised. In 1. and 3. the sweater cuts a line at waist height across the untucked shirt worn underneath. Photo 2. emphasises the waist with a chunky leather belt. The end result in all three outfits, is that the top and bottom are balanced and the leg length isn’t diminished by the many layers of clothing.
Also note that the colour tones in these examples are subtle and blend, allowing the jeans to be a strong feature. Palazzo jeans are BIG and a statement piece in their own right. So don’t overdo it with the accessories. Keep colours, accessories and jewellery, to a minimum and let the impact come from these great pants.
How long should your palazzo jeans be?
There are really 3 choices for the length of your palazzo jeans:
- Pooling on the floor
- Sitting on your shoes
- At, or just above the ankle.
Super long jeans that sit on the floor work well with high heels or platforms to elongate the leg. In my experience though, this is more practical for dressing up to go out, rather than for everyday life. I’ve found myself tripping over the excess fabric on occasion, which is not very dignified 🙁
I like my my Palazzos sitting on the shoe and just above the floor level at the heel. This way I feel less likely to trip but I still get the long leg line.
At, or just above the ankle is a popular choice. It can be the most practical (less dragging in the mud and puddles) and also serves to show off your footwear. It does however have the effect of shortening the leg though, so if this is a concern it might not be the best choice.
What shoes and boots go with palazzo pants?
.1. Sezane, Margot Ankle Boots | 2. Sezane, Paula Babies | 3. Sezane, Abigael Boots | 4. LK Bennett, Ring detail Stiletto Courts | 5. M&S, Satin Bow Block Heel Slingbacks | 6. Sezane, Georgia High Mary Janes | 7. ME+EM, Retro Trainer | 8. Sezane, Amy Loafers
You can wear pretty much any type of shoes with your palazzos depending on the look you want to create. Trainers and chunky boots say casual and low key and look great with ankle length pants. Elegant loafers, kitten heels or stilettos are more dressy or formal and can add a touch of refinement to your look. Remember, the length you choose for your palazzo jeans will dictate how much of the shoe is on show.
Conclusion
I hope that this post has been helpful and encourages you give palazzo jeans a try. I’d love to hear your thoughts so please don’t hesitate to comment below.
Many thanks for reading my post,
Sian. x
As ever, I agree with all the advice and definitely that age has nothing to do with what you should or shouldn’t wear! Your look should be determined by your personality, colouring and shape. I’m still not convinced that wide legs work for us larger sizes. I’m super happy to find bootleg jeans back in the shops again!
I love my bootcut jeans 🙂 M&S do a good pair: The Eva.
I always think they look great on other people, but when I try them on I look very wide and short 🙂