Harem Pants - This Seasons Great New Come Back Are Here to Stay

Not loving the latest skinny jean trend? Yeah, me neither. Let's face it, we can all attempt to squeeze into a pair of skinny jeans, but that doesn't mean we should. Never fear, though. Sure skinny jeans may be around for a while longer, but soon they will be replaced as the go-to pants of choice. This spring, according to most if not all of the fashion gods, fashion forecasters are predicting heavy bouts of harem pants popping up in your favorite boutique or local retailer.

'What are harem pants?' you might ask. Visions of Jeannie from that old TV show and MC Hammer might flash before your eyes, but you would be incorrect if you think this is what's in store for the spring. In fact harem pants are a variation on a traditional style of men and women's garment found in western and southwest Asia. This garment is characterized by lightweight material that is drawn together at the ankle and waist while ballooning out in between throughout the leg area. Traditionally, the harem pant can be worn underneath a tunic or alone as regular pants, as in the Salwar kameez, or the more flowy sheer material worn by dancers at festivals and other times of celebration.

The word harem might seem like anything but a term of endearment. In actuality, given the traditional segregation of men and women in social settings, the word harem comes from the Arabic word for the area in a dwelling occupied by the women. It was western culture that took the word and turned it into a term for something akin to brothel. Other words in Arabic for these types of pants are chalwar, shintiyan, shalwar, and chalvar.

So before you get carried away and write off this years hottest fashion trend as just another flash in the bucket, realize that harem pants offer a great alternative to standard casual wear. And with proper accessories and a bit of attention to proportion, harem pants are surprisingly easy to pull off. They offer a great alternative to the typical fashions of the season, allowing you to be daring without having to show a tremendous amount of skin or highlight those body areas that aren't yet quite in beach weather shape.

Unfortunately, these pants will forever be associated with the infamous MC Hammer of the early 1990's, but what he lacked in perspective you can easily make up for in this season's sexy new look. There are many ways to wear harem pants, just as there is more than one style of cut to these pants. You might immediately think that the distinguishing characteristic of these pants is the low crotch, but on the contrary this effect is in reality affected by where the designer places the upper part of the area drawn together on the leg.

For instance, if the lower leg portion resembles something of a skinny jean leg (i.e. a significant portion of fabric closely hugging a considerable portion of the lower leg), then you are going to see that low crotch look. But if you wear a pair of harem pants that are drawn together lower in the leg and only at a small portion of the overall pant leg, then you will see something of a belly dancer type pant leg in the cut. There are a great many variations on these same two themes that provide very chic yet comfortable looks. Trust me, once you get accustomed to this seasons great new look, you will not soon go back to wearing your same old pants, nor will you wish to cram into those skinny jeans that you didn't want in the first place.