Listen To Your Desires

I kept noticing floral pants. Which when trying to create a works-with-anything wardrobe while traveling, were totally impractical. [Aside: This was on my four month sabbatical during which I packed almost no clothing to shop along the way.]

Yet after a few weeks of shopping I found myself gingerly fingering yet another pair on the hanger and said “Listen to your desires”.

I was repeatedly drawn to this item for a reason — likely the floral prints that feel like spring/summer, the bright colors amidst a neutrals travel wardrobe I was starting to tire of, the fun kicky-ness of patterned pants that exude the confidence of an American girl on holiday. So I tried them on and they fit like a glove.

At first glance they weren’t the most versatile choice I could have made on the road.

But as I mentally rifled through the tops in my suitcase, I realized they went with everything — white tank, beige sweater, denim shirt, black sweater. Though the pants weren’t versatile, all my neutral tops were. Ditto to my shoes — nude sandals, tan boat shoes, beige heels — and I could see these pants being worn day or night.

What I thought at first was impractical, actually expanded my wardrobe. The pants were one of the more fashion forward pieces in my suitcase and thus I could pull them out for an elevated tourist look while still wearing comfortable loafers, or an easy polished drink even though I had pinned back pool hair and no makeup on for an evening.

The thing about a more bold item, is it makes everything else easier — hair, makeup, accessories — with these pants I didn’t have to try hard at all and yet never felt schleppy.

Most importantly, they make me happy. They’re fun, confident, chic. Above all I believe in dressing joyfully.

Don’t give into every whim — blowing through your budget or ending up with a closet full of things you never wear. Don’t buy clothes for fancy Saturday nights when 90% of your life is lived on cozy Tuesday afternoons.

However, when something keeps catching your eye in magazines, shop windows, Instagram posts, on other women — listen to your desires.

Maybe you never thought you’d be a woman in floral pants, but after the fifth time finding your fingers reaching for them on the rack, just take ‘em in the dressing room for a spin.

I took these ones on a spin around Europe and I’m so glad I did.

[ top: & other stories // pants + shoes: boutique, italy // hat: street vendor, paris // necklace: boutique, brooklyn // photographer: erin + gabri // location: santa margherita, italy ]

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P.P.S. Once I got home I remembered these weren’t my first of floral pants, as I went double floral in this shoot in Brooklyn. And here's the above pants in action in Portofino, Monaco, and Paris.