We all know that fashion is cyclical and that most trends — even ones we’d thought had gasped their last breath — tend to return in one form or another. Witness the recent resurgence of leggings, bomber jackets, bodysuits and even dad hats. So it should come as no surprise that stirrup pants, the often despised fashion icon of the mid-80s, is making a comeback for 2017.
The unmistakable straps of stirrup pants were first spotted on the Fall 2016 runways at Balenciaga and Marni. Naturally, street style stars were quick to pick up on the trend.
While the thought of wearing stirrup pants may make you cringe, it’s time to give them a second chance. Today’s versions are sleeker and decidedly chicer. They play well with the massive athleisure trend as a sort of leggings version 2.0. But they’re also turning up in office-friendly styles that take inspiration from trousers. And unlike the 80s when stirrups were strictly worn inside shoes, fashion girls are opting to wear the straps on the outside as well.