I know what you’re thinking, “How do you wear pants? You put them on!” Which is, of course, true. Whether one leg at a time or sliding both legs in at once, wearing pants is fairly straight forward; however, in these first months of 2021, after many months of up-ended routines and canceled plans from 2020, pants, or should I say pant trends, are changing with the times. For years, skinny pants and jeans were the go-to for both the fashion-forward set as well as the typical modern woman on the go. Nowadays, looser pants are starting to become popular, which is not only a welcome style refresh but also a more comfortable one. Here are a few relaxed styles to consider for the bottom half of your 2021 look.

First, wide-leg pants. The loose tailoring of high-waisted, wide-legged trousers, sometimes referred to as palazzo pants, are a chic swap from standard fitted cropped pants and provide more coverage during the colder months. Whether with a side-zip closure or standard button and fly, long and languid trousers are great for traditional office settings and bring a chicer take to weekend wear. Pair a floor-grazing pant in a neutral shade and with a matching or coordinated cozy sweater and heeled boots for business casual. Tuck in a button-down and cinch your silhouette with a menswear-inspired leather belt with loafers and a blazer for a more formal professional look. Or play up the oversized bottoms with a smocked-bodice top and heels for the evening.

J.Crew is a great resource for suiting trousers all around. However, if, like me, you’ve been up and down the style street a few times, you may have held onto wide-legged pants from the late aughts/early 2010s. If so, now is the time to dig out those wool and wool-blend pants and take a trip to the tailor and dry cleaner to get them all zhuzhed up for the new year.

It should be no surprise to anyone that pull-on pants are still going strong here in 2021. Otherwise known as joggers, these easy-to-wear bottoms have become most women’s daily uniform. However, unlike their close cousin sweatpants, pull-on and drawstring pants are meant to be worn in and outside of the house and can be styled in a variety of ways. Banana Republic’s Soft Pants section has pull-on pants that are suitable to be seen in public and work as a luxurious take on loungewear. You can wear a black jogger with a striped shirt, sneakers, puffy coat, and knit cap for running errands. Or style a silky drawstring pull-on pant with a fitted turtleneck, gold necklace, and ballet flats for a romantic evening in.

There’s a lot of work to be done here in 2021, and what better way to face it head-on, or should I say get a leg up on, than with a good pair of utility trousers. This updated version of a cargo pant also comes with a higher waist and wider leg than their predecessor. You can go to the source and order a pair from Carhartt’s for a fully functional pant for all sorts of rugged activity. Or check out Lucky Brand’s utility cargo or carpenter cargo pants and style either of them with a Chelsea boot and tie-font blouse for a more eclectic take on this piece of workwear.

Jeans in 2021 are veering away from the skinny and ultra-skinny fits from years past. This season, baggy and straight-leg jeans will be de rigueur. L.L. Bean’s signature boyfriend jeans are stylishly slouchy and comfortable, coming in dark and lighter washes. Or pick them up in their “tidal green” shade for a denim version of the utility pants from above. Not sure if you are quite ready to give up the ghost on skinnies (I’m having a hard time, to be honest)? Then check out Old Navy’s straight, flare, and wide-leg denim collections for a more budget-friendly option to dip your toe into this new jean silhouette before fully diving into the denim deep end. Either way, you can wear jeans with a classic t-shirt and blazer or go for a softer look with a V-neck sweater and circle scarf.

If you’re looking to embrace joy and happiness this 2021, and wish to express that in pants form, then look no further than to the variety of printed pants on offer from Target, Macy’s, and White House Black Market. From floral high-rise joggers to geometric knitted flares, having fun with patterns is one way to bring good vibes and good style together. If you’re feeling particularly groovy, check out tie-dyed joggers and a matching sweatshirt, or animal print palazzos with a camisole and cardigan. If, like me, you enjoy mixing and matching prints, then consider floral pull-on pants with a striped tee, or polka-dot pants and a gingham button-up. It may sound busy, but if you stick to the same color palette and scale of print, you’ll be surprised by how seamlessly patterns can come together in one look!

Who knows what 2021 has in store? To be honest, we don’t have much control over most of it, but hopefully, with a bit of humor and savvy style, we can at least control what we wear and feel good wearing it.