The best dress pants of 2019: MM. LaFleur, Boden, J.Crew, and more

The best dress pants of 2019: MM. LaFleur, Boden, J.Crew, and more - Business Insider

Posted: 18 Oct 2019 12:00 AM PDT

The best dress pants for women overall

MM. LaFleur's Foster Pants are the perfect mix of elegance, wearability, and versatility. A concealed button in the hem means you can adjust the pant legs to cater to different heights and shoes without needing a tailor. They're pricey at $195, but they're worth the money if you can spare the expense.

MM.LaFleur is a women's workwear company that's helmed by the former head designer of Zac Posen, Miyako Nakamura. Nakamura expertly blends simplicity and the demands of a 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. work schedule and frequent travel with clever design hacks. The company makes luxe work clothes that are so flexible you could literally perform a ballet in them, and a wrinkle-resistant suit designed specifically for travel, which performed well during our testing. In other words, MM. LaFleur clothes are a rare intersection of elegance, comfort, and low-maintenance care. If you can comfortably spring for the higher prices, we've found them to be worth the splurge.

MM. LaFleur makes a slew of dependable work pants in sizes 0P to 22W, but we'd recommend checking out the Foster Pant ($195) first. The Foster Pant is a cigarette pant made from a cotton, nylon, and elastane blend that feels substantial but stretchy. With a thick material and a side zipper, the Foster pants smooth and streamline your shape, but balance out the close tailoring with slightly wider legs. They're also machine-washable. (Machine wash cold, no tumble dry for best results).

The best part is that the Foster Pant has a concealed button in the hem that allows you to adjust the length of the pants, so you can cater to different heights as well as different pairs of shoes. If you're trying to pack light for a work trip, the Foster pants' adjustable hem make them compatible with heels, flats, or a pair of sneakers. Find a full review of the Foster Pant here.

If the Foster Pant isn't quite your style, we'd also recommend the Hockley Pant ($145), which has similarities like being machine-washable, travel-friendly, and including a concealed snap to allow hem adjustment. Unlike the Foster, the Hockley Pant is made of a lightweight cotton blend, is slightly longer, and has a center front zipper and back pockets. They're also very flattering. Since they're thinner, they're a better option for hot days — but that also means they'll show more stretch over many wears than the Foster Pant. Since they're machine-washable, that's not necessarily a major drawback.

If you're in between sizes, we recommend sizing down in the Hockley. The Foster is true to size.

MM. LaFleur tends to be pricey, and $195 or $145 for a pair of dress pants may turn some people off. But, if it's a comfortable purchase, we think they're the best option overall in performance, fit, wearability, and versatility.

If your workwear search includes more clothing needs than dress pants, we also recommend MM.LaFleur for their Etsuko Dress ($195) and Morandi Sweater ($265). The former is a closet workhorse that never disappoints, and the latter is the perfect drapey desk sweater.

Pros: stretchy but doesn't lose shape; elegant; machine-washable; adjustable hem heights

Cons: pricey

Buy on MM. LaFleur for $195.00