Stretch pants that look like dress pants

Sizes 14–28 in three cuts | Regular, long, and short inseams | Cotton | Very stretchy | Classic straight leg, hidden button at waist | $$

Eloquii was the most mentioned brand in our guide to plus-size work pants, with several experts saying it’s their go-to for workwear. The Kady pant was name-checked twice. Lifestyle blogger Ashley Carter calls them high quality, adding that the fabric allows them to keep their shape, something that can be hard to find in plus sizes. The Kady is the company’s “signature work pant” and one of its best sellers. Content creator Ashby Vose appreciates that the pants come in three cuts designed for different body types: Classic (which we’re featuring here) for hourglass shapes; Viola for those who are more pear-shaped; and Gena for anyone with a fuller midsection and narrower hips and thighs. (The Viola and Gena also go up to a size 28, one size more than the Classic.) And while the “regular” inseam comes in at 29 inches, you can also choose between long (31 inches) and short (27 inches).

Sizes 0–16 | Regular, short, and tall inseams | Crepe | Not stretchy | Wide-leg, front-knife pleats | $$$

When it came to wide-leg work pants, Aritzia was the most popular among the working women we talked to. Andthe Effortless pant lives up to its name — the high-waist, wide-leg, and full-length trousers are easy enough to pull off. They’re a favorite of interior designer Gillian Segal, who even pairs them with the brand’s matching oversize blazers for a power-suit look. (The pants are made with a drapey Japanese crepe the brand calls “crepette,” which adds to their easygoingness). Outside of office hours, Segal will wear them with either a bodysuit and heels or sneakers and a hoodie for “a Hailey Bieber–style moment.” Personal stylist Allie McKenna agrees that “everyone loves the Effortless” (especially on TikTok), but she prefers a different Aritzia style: the Alanyas. They’re not “the Audrey Hepburn classic black trousers,” she says, but they’re super-comfortable with a little more room at the waist than the Effortless pant. Meanwhile, Lara Mahler, founder of wedding-planning company The Privilege is Mine, recommends the Chopins — she’s sometimes on her feet for 12 hours at a time and says they don’t get creased.

Sizes XS–XL | 26” inseam across all sizes | Recycled polyester | Very stretchy | Track-pant style, with zippered front pockets | $$

The Zephyrs pull double duty, according to Her Place founder Joyce Lee, who wears them for work and working out. Although these are technically designed for exercise — breathable with drapey legs and flexible with an elastic waistband — she calls them “the perfect everyday pant.” (It helps that the tapered leg makes them more tailored than average track pants.) The fabric is even wrinkle-free, which makes them ideal if you’re traveling for work — “I wouldn’t need to change my outfit after landing for a meeting,” says Lee. One note: Every size of the Zephyrs features a 26-inch inseam.

Sizes 00–18 | Only one inseam option | Wool | Very stretchy | Slim-cut leg, hook-and-zip closure, side slip pockets | $$$

Theory’s Treecas “are the business-casual equivalent to the perfect pair of boyfriend jeans,” says Catherine Smart, co-founder of Not Just Co. These have the slightest of crops, hitting right above the ankle on her (the size 8 has a 25.5-inch inseam for reference), with a “flatteringly narrow” cut that doesn’t “date me as an aging millennial,” she jokes. Smart credits these tailored trousers with helping her navigate corporate workwear — before starting her own business, she worked as a personal chef. After panic-rifling through the racks at a Saks Off Fifth and trying out Theory, Smart ordered her first pair of Treecas. Made from wool, the pants “smooth out lumps and bumps.” But the generous amount of elastane in them has a “glorious give” — without the “sad saggy bum” appearance that sometimes happens with other pairs,” Smart explains. Plus, the deep pockets also hide sweaty palms when she’s been schmoozing.

Sizes 0–18, with regular and curvy cuts | Regular, petite, and tall inseams | Cotton | Very stretchy | Slim-leg, front off-seam pockets, zipper with hook-and-eye closure | $$

The aptly titled Ankle Pant from Ann Taylor costs almost $100 less than Theory’s. The pair is a favorite of Nicole Snow, founder of Darn Good Yarn. Snow likes that they hit right at the ankle — so they go with flats when she’s channeling Mary Tyler Moore or sandals when she wants to look like an off-duty business owner out for drinks. (So you know: The “regular” inseam is 27 inches, the “petite” is 25 inches, and “tall” comes in at 30 inches.) She describes the pair as her “power pant” for its fit, which make her feel supported — “I don’t feel like ripping my pants off after lunch,” Snow says — while still offering structure (thanks to the combination of a zipper and hook-and-eye closure). “These are my go to pants when I need to look like I have my game together all day long,” she adds.

Sizes XXS–XXXXL | Only one inseam option | Cotton | Very stretchy | Tapered leg, pintuck detailing | $$

The Dream pant came to Sloan Symington, marketing and strategy director at Stratia Skincare, in a moment of desperation — when returning from maternity leave, she was trying to find a pair that would have the look of slacks with the feel of sweats. Now the pants are a staple. She describes them as having an ultrastretchy fit, which is camouflaged by their more tailored-looking legs. “You’d never know I was wearing such comfy pants,” Symington says. (They double as an alternative to her high-waist black skinnies, too.) But maybe most important, the Dreams don’t end up rumpled after a long day, she says.

Sizes 23–34, with plus ranging from 16W–26W | Regular, petite, and tall inseams | Viscose | Stretchy | Wide-leg, patch pockets, front zip | $$$

Traditionally, ponte pants are slimmer through the leg, appearing almost like leggings. But this pair from Anthropologie’s Maeve line has an au courant wide-leg that kicks out through the knees. “They hug at the waist and hips, with a [flare] that hits at the ankle,” explains Helen Patrikis, founder of public-relations firm HP-PR. Their versatility is what makes them work so well, according to Patrikis, with a classic silhouette punched up with patch pockets. She even calls the Colettes “wardrobe warriors” for holding their shape, not wrinkling, and packing well — she recently took hers on a trip to Mexico.

Sizes 00–40 | Only one inseam option | Rayon | Very stretchy | Legging style, matte black zippers at hem | $$

The Moro pants have appeared twice in our archives. The first time was courtesy of freelance editor (and Strategist contributor) Maya Kosoff, who was pants-allergic until she tried these on. Unlike other bottoms that would leave her “contemplating a life that involves never wearing pants,” the Moros have a waistband that lays flat around her hips and cuffs that taper perfectly around her ankles. “When I tried them on, I liked them so much I (yes) tweeted about them,” Kosoff says. Writer and life coach Reneice Charles also previously told us that the Moro pant is a foundational piece in her wardrobe.

Sizes XXS–XXL | Only one inseam option | Cotton | Very stretchy | Fitted leg, high-waisted | $ 

While the conventional wisdom in some corporate circles is to dress up even while working from home, you might not want to, like former Strategist senior writer Casey Lewis. “I am not one of those people, so I’ll be WIL — working in leggings — until further notice,” she says. This pair from Madewell, which she owns eight of, is what she wears practically from morning to night. What’s especially impressive about them is their sturdiness, which Lewis describes as substantial but not suppressive. The thick, right-below-the-belly-button waistband doesn’t roll down. “It expands comfortably if you’re lounging on the couch or working from bed, but it also retains its shape,” according to Lewis. And importantly, these aren’t see-through so you can rest assured when you take them out to the office. Or go with private chef Stacy Seebode’s pick: These Uniqlo jeggings fool everyone who thinks she’s wearing jeans. “No, they’re stretchy pants for extra comfort — and more eating,” she says.

Sizes 23–33, with 26-, 28-, and 30-inch inseams | Cotton | Stretchy | Classic straight leg | $$ 

The Wedgies are the jeans we’ve probably written about the most at the Strategist — and they come in black. Le Whit co-founder Liza Curtiss swears by black Levi’s as work pants. The Wedgies in particular are a standout for their high waist, allowing her to wear shirts tucked in or out while always looking polished. “I always feel like I can go anywhere in them,” she says. Another bonus is that the pockets are actually deep — important for a self-described “no-purse kinda person.” Curtiss also appreciates that they’re cropped in a way that hits her just right on the leg — a sentiment we heard before from Tessa Jennifer of Auralie who, as a petite person, describes them “the easiest pair I could perfectly fit into without having to alter the length.” Having a choice of three inseam lengths — 26 inches, 28 inches, or 30 inches — will let most people achieve a similar look no matter their height.

Sizes 00–30 in low-, mid-, or high-rise cuts | Regular, tall, and petite inseams | Cotton | Stretchy | Skinny | $

If your workspace is more casual than conservative, consider these even cheaper Old Navy jeans. Rolling Stone senior writer Alex Morris admits her job is more dressed down than most, but she loves how comfortable the Rockstars are: “They’re tight but also supersoft and stretchy — almost like wearing leggings. And they seem to sort of suck you in in the right places,” she says. These have the most range of any of the pants on this list, coming in low- and high-rise styles along with regular, petite, and tall lengths.