Ankle crop pants are all the rave these days, but unfortunately they can go terribly wrong if you’re not careful! Here are a few tried and true tips for wearing this season’s hottest pant.

1. Your height is a factor

If you are under 5’3″ this is quite an unfortunate trend for you. All these pants are going to do is make you look shorter. Sorry to my petite readers, please pass on this one. Now for my average height readers who are approximately 5’4″-5’7″ you can rock this look, but make sure you are wearing heels! For my tall ladies 5’8″ and up, this is a dream come true- a hemline you don’t have to worry about, they are meant to be short! Yay!

2. Think about proportions

When wearing a cropped pant, you always want to keep in mind proportions. They cut off at your ankle, which will give the appearance of shortening your leg so make sure you are not wearing a tunic or a top that is longer than your natural waist. These pants often look best with a shirt tucked in and a cute belt!

Here is a photo with bad proportions:

Had she been wearing a heeled sandal and pulled them a little longer these would have looked stunning!

Perfect proportions:

Kate moss looks great with a little cuff on her pant, heels and a tucked in blouse!

3. Your shape matters

When hunting for that perfect ankle crop think about your shape. If you are curvy or pear-shaped, it is best to wear a pant that either has a slight flare or falls straight from the thigh. If you have a slim or athletic build, get a pant that hugs and tapers all the way down. This will give you more curves! When in doubt, the best shape for all body types is a straight leg.

Straight leg, which looks best on all body types.

Narrow cut, which works best on a slim physique.

Slight flare, which will work best with our girls with a little more curves.

You also want to consider your ankle versus your calf. If you are bigger boned, get a crop that grazes the ankle. Same goes for you if you have more athletic calves. If you have thin legs, you can wear a higher crop. With this in mind, don’t forget rule number 1!

4. Never forget about rise

No matter what pant you are looking for never overlook the rise of the pant. Unless you are super slim you probably should not be going for a low-rise. A regular or high-rise is best for almost all body types and this style looks super cute with a tucked in shirt! Make sure your “spare tire” isn’t hanging over the edges of your pants when purchasing. Try tucking your shirt in and dancing around the fitting room. If everything stays in place, then that is the right rise for you! If you are having a hard time fitting your thigh with your waist, (I suffer from this) invest in a cute belt. It’s a simple tried and true solution that often gets over looked! I’d suggest everyone own a skinny braided black leather belt, you’ll wear it with everything, I promise!

What not to do:

Something looks off in this photo right? This model is wearing a style where the rise is too low, and the trouser pocket adds too much emphasis to the hip. ( A trouser pocket is the style that has two side slits, which often gape if not fit properly.)

5. Have fun with colour and print

Coloured and printed pants are all the rage so go nuts! If you’re unsure, invest in cheaper pair. If you find you are wearing them all the time, then keep rockin’ this awesome trend! To stay on trend look for a floral print, mint green or red pant.