Office Staple: Camel-Colored Cropped Pants

Pattern: Colette's Clover Pants

Fabric: 2 yds Stretch Brushed Cotton Sateen in Espresso

Price: $12 (now on sale for $2 a yard?!)

If I had to name my work uniform, this would be it: slim cropped pants, oversized button-up, easy flats. Top it off with no jewelry and air-dried helmet hair and you have me on my typical morning commute. I'm not saying it's the most polished look, or that some days I don't emerge in an outfit that may or may not be quite similar to what my boyfriend is wearing, but it works for my bike, it works for my office, and it works for me.

To complete this look, I'd been craving a pair of camel-colored pants for a while (see the inspiration pin from over a year ago). After two pairs of Clovers, I felt like I was ready. In two evenings I had whipped these up, complete with drafting my latest round of changes, sewing a fly that actually opens the right way, and attaching both front and back pockets. Actually, I think I was so eager to wear them that I put them on the first day before I'd had a chance to do the back pockets. That was in March, and I've been wearing them ever since. 

Some fun details include the fly (opens to the right this time, unlike my last pair), and the pocket lining, which is done in a leopard print only visible from the inside:

The one thing I can't get over is how comfortable these pants are. This is probably because they fit like no store-bought pair ever has: high enough at the hips, snug at the waist, ease in the thighs, and deep deep pockets I can actually put things in. Sure, they still look a bit wrinkly at the knees after a day of wear and I drafted the inner leg seam a bit wonky (will fix in the next round), but I could live in these things day in and day out. In fact, it is actually to the point where I don't want to put on any of my store-bought jeans after wearing these babies. I have plans to sew up a different pants pattern soon, but I may have to make these guys in jeans first.