Yes, you can wear trousers outside the office. Here's 3 ways to style them.

It all started when my girlfriends made a plan to go to brunch. 

Like clockwork, my phone pinged. "What's everyone planning on wearing?" asked one of my friends in the group chat.

"I'm thinking a dress?" replied another, making sure there was a question mark at the end, indirectly telling everyone that she was looking for approval.

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Cue the voices of agreement, because of course we'd all be wearing a dress. There is just no way we could gravitate towards anything else.

"I wanted to wear pants but I feel like I'm going to work," one of them replied. 

And it's true. As much as I love a good pair of trousers, whenever I wear them outside of work, I feel oddly... corporate. There's a time and place for a power suit, and for me, personally, 11am brunch isn't it.

So that gave me inspiration for my next story idea: to style a pair of trousers from my wardrobe in three different ways. Now, I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I think I did pretty well.

So, if you're also someone who packs away their trousers for the weekend, only to take them out on Monday morning before heading to work, here are three ways I style pants for different occasions.

What type of trousers should you buy?

It's important to note that trousers are not one-size-fits-all by any means. Similar to jeans, pants come in a variety of different styles: Cigarette, cropped, wide leg, straight - the options are endless.

So the way you decide is to simply figure out what suits you best. I always gravitate towards wide leg pants, because other styles don't seem to work on my frame. 

You know what works best for you, and there’s no rule book as to what type of trousers you should wear, so have a play. If you need a bit of guidance, then I like to recommend cigarette pants for women who are more on the petite or curvy side, wide leg for those who are tall and lean, and straight for anyone and everyone.

How to style trousers?

The trousers I'll be styling. Image: MESHKI.

First things first, in this story I will be styling the MESHKI Jemima Pant in three different ways: For work, for a nice dinner and for when you want to look more casual.

When I was putting these looks together, I wanted to make sure I combined them with pieces you most likely already own, but in case you want to grab something I'm wearing, I'll list everything underneath each photo.

So, let's get into it!

Outfit #1: Trousers for work.

Image: Supplied.

The most popular place to wear trousers is at work, but corporate-wear doesn't have to be boring. 

There are a few subtle choices I made to help elevate this outfit. The first is that I chose a fitted top with a boat-neck. Anything that has a boat-neck is guaranteed to make you appear more expensive and feminine, there's something about having your collarbones on display that screams 'money'. I can't explain it, it's science. 

The second is that I added an exaggerated belt to help cinch in my waist. And third, I matched my jewellery to the hardware of the belt buckle. It's the little things that make the biggest difference.

What I recommend buying: Top: Forever New Boat Neck Long Sleeve Top. Belt: Oroton Margot Belt. Shoes: ALDO Anjela Flats.

Outfit #2: Trousers for a nice dinner.

Image: Supplied.

I absolutely love this outfit. It's chic and streamlined, and it's a perfect alternative to a nice dress. The strapless top and the trousers are actually a matching set, but I wanted to add my spin to it, so I paired it with a blue, striped button-up shirt. This helps break apart the grey and keeps you warm on those breezy nights. 

Throw on a pair of heels and you're ready to go.

What I recommend buying: Tops: MESHKI Natalie Top; H&M Cotton Shirt. Shoes: Tony Bianco Anja Black Patent Heels.

Outfit #3: Trousers for when you want to be casual and comfy.

Image: Supplied.

I'm not a huge sneakers girl however I think they go perfectly with this outfit. It's comfortable and casual, and the contrasting pieces make it look like I put in more effort than I actually did. I also love a t-shirt/trouser combo - it's timeless and the styling options are endless. 

What I recommend buying: Shirt: COS The Full Volume T-Shirt. Sneakers: Lacoste Lancelle Sneaker. Belt: Oroton Margot Belt.

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Feature Image: Supplied/Canva