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What It Means to “Wear the Pants”

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Nicole Robert Student Contributor, George Washington University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at GWU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

When people say that a person “wears the pants”, it’s either in a literal sense, or in the context of a relationship conversation. “Wearing the pants” means wearing the pants; it means wearing the designated pants. The designated pants are the pants that give you complete control and total confidence, and sometimes the upper hand. But let me ask you a question. Why should the pants define YOU? Why don’t YOU define the pants?

Style is personal. You don’t wear a fur vest just because Rachel Zoe wears it (not going to lie, though, dressing like Rachel Zoe would NOT be a bad thing at all). You wear it because you like it, because you can make it something that it’s not. You dress it up by wearing it with a dress, tights and heels, like Mischa Barton. Or, you can dress it down with a tee and jeans like Kristin Cavallari. YOU define the fur vest, just like you define the pants.

The pants can say whatever you want them to say. They can talk business, they can talk a day in the city, they can talk a laid-back personality. However you define the pants is how they will appear. So dress them up with some heels and a pretty necklace, throw on a cardigan and some flats, or wear them with a tank and flip-flops. After all, half the fun of style is accessorizing, no?

When I got the pants from LOFT and saw that they were a khaki color, I automatically assumed that I needed to wear a collared shirt and heels with them—here, I was letting the pants define me. I took some pictures in that outfit, and it was not me. So I decided to take control and wear the pants. I dressed it up with a ruffled tank and a jacket, with some emerald green flats, an outfit that was more my style. I felt sophisticated and trendy (yes I used that word), while still feeling like I was defining the pants.

Thank you LOFT for letting me participate in the “Wear the Pants” Campaign. I will be wearing these pants for a very long time.

Nicole Robert is a senior from North Salem, New York. She transferred from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and this is her third year at The George Washington University. She studies International Affairs with a concentration in Global Public Health, and minors in Public Health. A sister of Delta Gamma, Nicole loves to participate in many community service opportunities. She also interns at Washington Life Magazine and works as a hostess at a local restaurant. When Nicole is not studying or working, she is writing blog posts for The Avant Guide, an up and coming fashion company. She credits Pandora and her personal Tumblr for motivation and a creative outlet.