Season's Greetings: The best bottoms for fall

Photo: Courtesy J. Crew

All week long we're taking a globally-warmed look at fall fashion picks and how to handle temps that drop and rise again faster than the stock market. We've covered hats and sweaters, which today brings us down the body to...

PANTS > Obvious enough for fall bottoms is denim. Clay Aiken is gay, and when in doubt wear jeans. Got it? Good, now that we've cleared that up, let's look at what else is an option. Heavy wool pants will be far too restricting until colder weather rolls around, so find a nice trouser made of a lighter gabardine or wool/cotton blend. Darker khakis (no pleats, please) are never a bad choice, and even a fitted canvas work pant or fine corduroy, like these from J. Crew, gives added texture. Tailored sweat pants looked great coming down the runway during the Fall/Winter '08 shows, but they might be perceived as a little lax for your work environment, no matter how casual a vibe your office rocks. Best to save those for a Saturday on the couch.

-- SETH PLATTNER