What: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: stirrup pants are evil.
We (meaning Angela and I) believe that stirrup pants were created by a disgruntle fashion designer who once had hopes of ruling the runways of New York but found himself ( we’re imagining a low-budget Simon Doonan) stuck in a corner basement office at K-Mart’s headquarters with fluorescent lighting and yards and yard of forest green stretchy polyester knit. He set out to punish the fashion world for overlooking his great talent(s) and unfortunately, the average American woman is made to suffer.
The pants are popping up as a “fall trend,” with new versions from 7 for all Mankind, Bebe and more. Like our friends at Styledash say, the fashion “powers-that-be” will keep pushing and pushing them on us until we all cave in and “mommy stir-up pants” become the new babydoll dress.
~Angela and Kathryn
Yea or Nay: Stirrup Pants
(P.S. If you say yea, you better have a pretty solid reason)
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{ 49 comments… read them below or add one }
Eww! NO! That was my first reaction. Stirrup pants? Ugh! They’re worse than cut-off tights.
I was afraid of this “trend” reappearing…I sadly remember wearing these as a kid and I don’t want to go through that again!
I remember back in the ‘80s when stirrups were first big. Ugh! My mom wouldn’t buy me a pair on the grounds that they were butt-ugly. That still applies!
I;ve lived through these twice: once as a school girll while Laura Petrie (aka Mart Tyler Moore) rocked them on the Dick Van Dyke show, and once in the late 80’s/ early 90’s when they were worn with long (rear end covering) tops and flat boots. I say maybe- NOT with hoochie heels! as in all matters of form fitting clothes, spandex is a priveledge, not a right. Out of respect for the public I personally won’t wear them, but I’ve seen them done well…
This topic made me LOL! I must email this post to a gal I know who owns the cutest consignment shop in Los Altos (CA). We were just talking about stirrup pants coming “back”, and WHY the fashion industry would do that to us and WHO in the world would wear them!
stirrups pants remind me of the gynecologist…how is THAT fashionable???????
My mom had a pair of kid stirrup pants that she made me wear when I was in early elementary school back in the early 90’s. At the time I only had a little kid’s sense of style, but even I knew then that those things are hideous.
Aaaaaagh! Didn’t these things die along with the whole “skinny pant” trend after last fall? So distressing to know they’re still around. Wrong, wrong, wrong in so many ways!
These were horrible when I wore them to 1st grade in 1987, and they are still horrible. Yuk!
just think of all the colors…my first impression was seeing these in mustard green.
Noooooo. Leggings are bad enough! Skinny pants at least have some structure. Stirrup pants especially are a little too…….“brick house,” if you get my drift. And doesn’t anyone remember the way stirrup pants bagged at the knees and you ended up looking like an elephant?
Ugh! Not again! My mom made me wear these in the early 90’s! Much against my will. I tried to ask her when I got older why she made me and she claimed they were the style. I tried to explain to her that nothing that horrible is ever in style. Just when I got over the twitches and jerks from the first time, these pants re-emerge. Will it never end??
“stirrups pants remind me of the gynecologist…how is THAT fashionable???????”
Literally made me ROFLMAO!
When I was in High School there was an admin that wore a nude colored pair. EVERY SINGLE TIME she wore them I thought she was running around in just a tee shirt.
Though I would never be caught dead in them outside my house, they are pretty comfy for jammies. Just a thought…
Stirrups are meant for horse saddles, not women’s pants. If you want to look like a Clydesdale, go ahead and wear these.
Nooooooo!! Leggings are bad enough, but I’ve kind of gotten used to seeing them again. This is just a whole other level of awful.
FOMG, elementary school all over again.
Although, I do agree with Susanna – stirrup pants *might* be okay when you want to wear boots over them. So they won’t bunch up or move.
OH NO! I will never wear these again. I had a green pair (yes, green) in 1986 that I wore under a green and blue sweater dress. It was fine for the 80s (plus I was eleven years old and so I was really skinny!), but I don’t care to relive this style.
ummm…. yeah exactly that ummmm…
Stirrup pants aren’t the only things coming back into fashion. Legwarmers are back, too! My husband didn’t believe me when I told him, so the last time we were in Target I walked him past a whole section of legwarmers in the socks/tights aisle.
Love them ONLY to wear with snow boots. I hate tucking pants into boots and then your legs feel like sausages and look like you’ve retained a gallon of water! These are great for that purpose ONLY. And … if you ride a horse. And … if you’re in the “Springtime for Hitler” chorus of “The Producers.” ‘Nuff said.
didn’t they try to bring this back last fall? and i TOTALLY called it before they did. sadly my friends wouldn’t allow my skinny ### to wear these last year and now that i’ve had to put on weight (evidently being anorexic isn’t healthy…? jk it sucks) i wouldn’t even dare wear these!
bring back great childhood memories….
Ditto on the not again!
Oh noooooooo! I had a pair of yellow stirrup pants in the 80’s made out of sweatshirt material may they burn in peace. Make them go away quickly-ugh.
I wore those in junior high. And it wasn’t cute. This is what fashion civil disobedience is for – I’m wondering if designers are recycling the 80s just because they’re out of ideas?
NAY NAY NAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pure, unadulterated EVIL!!! I wore these things in the ‘80s and thought I was hot…I was mistaken. Why does the fashion industry have such a sick sense of humor?? WHY?????
ONLY ONLY ONLY ONLY ONLY if you tuck them into boots AND ONLY if they fit properly (like leggings, not that slightly baggy, pulled taut thing we had in the 80s) and ONLY if you swear an oath that the stirrup portion will never, ever, ever be seen in public.
i have to be honest here, i was born in the 80 so i never wore them.. but now that its back.. i kinda wanna try it ! i mean, whats SO different between this and the leggings/tights ? i’m willing to give it a try (O:
Ok, let explain why I voted yes. I am pregnant. These look like something I can put on and not have to worry about if they are down…once I put my boots on, no one will know and I will have on comfy pants.
If I weren’t pregnant I too would have voted no!
OH NO, say it isn’t so. I remember wearing my Casual Corner stirrups with flats in 1986.
Sadly, there are probably a few people out there that have staunchly refused to give their stirrup pants up. This is giving them false hope that stirrup pants will become fashionable again. The difference between “fashionable” and “trendy” is not subtle here. The problem with this kind of thing is that only a few (very few) people could pull this off but too many others won’t have enough sense to know they don’t fall into this category.
What’s next? Mall bangs?????
HELL NO! I forgot these even existed until this post! I might have had a pair of these when I was 7? Horrid.
Only one word needed…AWFUL!
I remember these as a kid, and I didn’t even like them back then!
I hate stirrup pants…but I do have a few pairs of stirrup tights, and wear them all the time!
kathryn – i think these posts should be forwarded to those responsible for trying to revive what was already a fashion tragedy…just think of all the stirrups that gave their lives…haven’t we learned enough, people? how many polyesters have to be sacrificed at the altar of good taste?
ohhhh, the humanity…
I WAS old enough to pick out my own clothes in the 1980s. I didn’t wear them then, won’t wear them now.
The ugliest style known to woman!!!! Bottom line…they are not flattering!!!
Heh heh. I remember my collection of stirrup pants. Back in the mid ‘80s I wore them under those long pencil skirts or some long shirt/sweater that conveniently hid my figure flaws. The looked great tucked into boots. The only problems were the stirrup part on your foot wore out rather quickly and if the pants didn’t fit right, they were either getting pulled down from your foot or the stirrup was too loose, making the pants look baggy and saggy.
Would I wear it now? Doubtful. My figure flaws are more pronounced now than when I was 16. And a big fat “no way” to wearing them with stilettos.
But I’ll maintain they’re better than jodhpurs.
Once again I think the fashion designers for the affordable department stores is running a muck and bringing back the worst of . . .
OR ARE THEY PUNISHING US??? Omg what did we do to deserve stir-up pants??? Pahlease we won’t do it anymore just please take these hideous abominations of fashion-kind away!
Hmmmm, what would Madonna do? Wear them with suspenders and an asymmetric ponytail? Eighties fashion gags me. Stirrup pants are fine if you were skiing in the sixties or dressed up for Halloween——too bad that we’ll be seeing them again, as always on the wrong bodies.
No! No! No!
The only excuse I can see for wearing these is if you’re actually going horseback riding. I used to wear them when riding because they didn’t scrunch up when I put my boots on. Nowadays, though, I would wear boot cut jeans instead.
I LOVE stirrup pants particularly during the winter. You throw them on early in the morning when you take your kid to school and have a long tunic to cover up the butt.
I was so happy when I rediscovered my OLD pairs this past week and the weather changed just enough to let me wear them. At least they don’t cling to you like skinny tights.
I LOVE stirrup pants particularly during the winter. You throw them on early in the morning when you take your kid to school and have a long tunic to cover up the butt.
I was so happy when I rediscovered my OLD pairs this past week and the weather changed just enough to let me wear them. At least they don’t cling to you like skinny tights.
I love them, it’s definitely time for a new look for leggings and these are it. I spotted Katie Holmes wearing a pair and looking fabulous as always! Get them online from tights please!
I first wore stirup pants in the 60′s. I loved them then and I’m excited to see they’re back. BUT…only to wear with boots and a long tunic/sweater on very cold days. They can be part of a wardrobe – you just have to know how to wear them.
I’m in the NAY dept, Got some jonathan aston ones not mad about them but will give them another go
Man, I feel sorry for the naysayers. Stirrup pants are awesome. So retro, and I don’t mean ugly 1980′s style retro, I mean late 50′s early 60′s Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy and Mary Tyler Moore retro. Worn with knee high boots or ballet flats. a skin tight turtle neck pullover and a wider trapeze style coat. Ponytail or short bob. The silhouette is awesome. The caveat is you MUST have a good body (which I still do), you MUST be willing to be in the spotlight and you MUST rock them! I wore mine to Yoshi’s jazz club and I got tons of compliments.
Do Not wear them with a longer sweater ala the eighties, makes you look like you’re trying to hide yourself.