Focus on Fashion Week: Harem… ahem… pants

By Moniza Khokhar

September 14, 2009

The hearts and minds of fashionistas around the world are aimed squarely on New York City this week for the city’s annual Fashion Week extravaganza. One of the hottest trends emerging – at least, according to the coveted Vogue September issue – are the very Middle Eastern-looking harem pants.

Call ‘em what you want – harem pants, shalwars, pantaloons or even baggy pants…whatever they are, they’re in style. But why now? After all, we in Muslim-land have been seeing them for years. Perhaps mainstream Americans thought they were considered more “costumey” before, when “I Dream of Jeannie” introduced them in the 60s or when MC Hammer tried to bring them back in the 80s. Now, in ‘09, they’re finally considered fashion forward.

These pants have usually been a comfort most women have enjoyed in the Far East, but probably haven’t rocked them the way the West has. With metallic finishes, or see-through cotton styles, it looks like comfort is in, for everybody from J.Lo to Sienna Miller to Heidi Klum.

What do you think? Will you be wearing harem pants this season?