What to wear with bell-bottom pants? Check out our tips!

You've treated yourself to a great flare pants and you're wondering what clothes to wear with them? What outfit to choose with bell-bottom pants to get a seventies look? What accessories? 

You've come to the right place. 

As a fashion enthusiast, I was thrilled to see the return in 2019 - especially with the show dedicated to disco fashion by Tommy Hilfiger - the bell-bottom pants. 

Today, I'm sharing with you how to make this iconic '70s garment your own, whether it's for a total bohemian look or a more casual, understated outfit. 

Whether classic or denim, bell-bottom pants are easy to match. To create a balanced look, you can wear them with a bohemian top or blouse that is fairly short or tucked in at the waist. If it's cold, an open kimono or maxi vest will elongate and slim your figure. If you are tall and rather thin, you can also wear a chunky sweater or an oversized jacket, which will contrast with your bell-bottoms to create a harmonious look. Preferably wear heels, so that your flared pants fall perfectly, but also to give you a slim look. Finally, don't hesitate to accessorize your outfit to make it your own! 

Want more details? Read on to find out: 

  • How to wear eph leg pants with a boho tunic,
  • Samples of outfits for the daily with flare jeans,
  • Outfit ideas from the seventies with these types of pants, 
  • What shoes to wear with bell-bottom pants,
  • And plenty of ideas to accessorize your wide-leg pants to finalize your look! 

elephant leg pants

A boho top for a 70's look

Emblematic of the hippie years, the elephant leg pants go perfectly with thebohemian style inherited from that revolutionary era. In the following lines, I will offer you three outfit ideas inspired by this trend, from the most original to the most passe.  

A bohemian tunic or blouse, hippie chic style

Whatever type of flared pants you have, there will always be a bohemian style tunic that will enhance them. If your pants are plain or if they are jeans, I recommend acolored tunic, with prints. You can also pair it with a plain top with an original cut, with lace details or a bardot neck, for example. 

flared pants bohemian outfit

We often think that eph leg pants are reserved for slim and long figures. This is not the case, and the problem is not there: very often, the flared pants are worn with a long top. Now, to highlight your morphology with this type of cut, it is essential to respect the famous proportions that give harmony to your silhouette, namely ⅓ on top and ⅔ on bottom. So, with bell-bottom pants, regardless of your size or physique, it's best to wear a short top or even a tunic tucked into it, which you will have bloused. This will have the effect of showing off your waist

👉 Looking for a hippie chic top? Check out our ultra trendy bohemian clothing collection now! 

bohemian shirt top

Try a kimono or maxi jacket to elongate your figure

Have you found the perfect top for your pants, but would like to wear a jacket over it? To continue with the bohemian chic trend, I recommend playing with layering. So, over a fairly short plain top, you can wear a large flowing printed kimono or even a long knit jacket (and why not with fringe?).

eph legs long kimono vest

By leaving your jacket open, it will have the effect of slimming your waist, which you can moreover emphasize with a wide leather belt. Your flowing maxi jacket will accompany your movements, elongating your figure, while remaining comfortable to wear. This is a perfect outfit for spring 🌷 and fall 🍂! 

A plain blouse to wear to everyday or work

Do you have a pair of flared pants that you'd like to wear everyday in a stylish yet understated way? For that, I recommend wearing it with a plain top, fairly simple, avoiding prints. It can be a shirt, a blouse or even a t-shirt. To compensate for the wide side of this cut of pants, choose instead a garment that is a bit fitted, which is well tailored. 

outfit casual jean flare

👉 Are your flare pants a jean? In that case, a white or beige top will be perfectly suited for a fairly casual work outfit.😉

Back to the 2000s with a skinny top!

Although associated with the 70s, the bell-bottom pants also made a small comeback in the early 2000s. Back then, they were worn with close-fitting tops, usually plain. 

Or, for the past few seasons, it's the crop top that we see everywhere. This top that shows a glimpse of your belly is just right to recreate a vintage look with flared pants. 

crop top eph pants

👉 However, I would recommend this outfit for people with a rather thin and slender morphology. Indeed, it unbalances a bit the previously mentioned ratio of proportions and can risk widening a bit a person with an hourglass morphology, for example. 

If you don't want to wear a crop top, you can also wear a t-shirt or a fitted shirt that you will tuck into your pants. Again, the belt will be your best friend to emphasize your waist, as well as to mark the contrast between your top and your bell-bottom pants. 

A chunky sweater or boho cardigan for winter and fall

A chunky sweater or chunky jacket is a perfect match for flared pants, especially if they hug your curves around your thighs and waist. An oversized jacket will thus bring - in addition to warmth! - balance to your outfit's composition. This will help give you a casual, bohemian look.

wide pants sweater oversize jacket

If you're small, perhaps avoid wearing a sweater that's too wide, which might pack your figure a bit. Instead, to show it off, I recommend a long jacket, worn open, which will make you look taller! 

👉 If you're looking for a sweater or jacket that's perfect for wearing with your bell-bottom pants, don't hesitate to take a look at our fall-winter collection! You will find many models, both trendy and original! 

What shoes to match with bell-bottom pants? 

Even if they are often in parts hidden by the lower leg of your eph leg pants, the choice of your shoes is essential! Indeed, it is particularly the height of the heels chosen that will influence your posture and make you look more or less slender. Flared pants, to create a beautiful silhouette, must give the impression that you have great legs. This is made possible by heels, very effectively, or if you don't wear heels, by light colored sneaker-type shoes. 

elephant leg pant shoes

Here are some shoe styles that are quite suitable to wear with eph leg pants : 

🔸 Sandals withhigh and wide heel, made of leather or straw,

🔸 Leather ankle boots with rounded pointed toe,

🔸 Boots with heel,

🔸 White sneakers... 

On the contrary, flat shoes such as ballet flats or sandals will not really suit to sublimate your pants. 

🛑 If you've ever worn bell-bottom pants, especially when you were in middle school or high school, it may be that the bottom of them got waterlogged because they were in contact with the ground. This is something that should be avoided at all costs, because in addition to not looking good, it ruins your garment. So before you wear flared pants, make sure they are the right length for your legs and the shoes you want to wear them with. If this is not the case, you should consider hemming! 😊

Some accessories reminiscent of hippie style

Want to wear your eph leg pants seventies style? Know that boho style is nothing without itsiconic accessories! These define your look and personalize it, bringing out what makes you a unique person

hippie chic accessories

So, to customize your outfit, consider the : 

  • fringe bags,
  • hats,
  • original sunglasses,
  • colored oversized necklaces,
  • scarves and wraps,
  • belts,
  • long earrings,
  • braids and hair accessories... 

Mix and match them so you can create a look that's all your own! 

You now know everything there is to know about wearing bell-bottom pants with class, and without any faux-pas. For more fashion tips, be sure to check out our bohemian blog! New posts are published every week 😉