NYLON - March 2008 - (Page 90) HAREM TIME PHOTOGRAPHED BY KEETJA ALLARD the observer stylist: virginia stevenson. hair and makeup: tamah k at see management using dior. model: chloe at img. white tank by aIx armani exchange, yellow tank by american apparel, pants by 3.1 phillip lim, bangles by alexis bittar, stylist’s own shoes. Centuries before MC Hammer gave them a bad name, harem pants—distinguished by their tiny, tapered ankles and down-to-the-knees, billowingin-the-wind crotch—were traditional Arabian garb. The name was derived from the Arabic word ‘haram,’ meaning forbidden, for they were worn by women only in secluded areas. Away from men, they could engage in social activities such as dancing—which was done in these comfortable loose pants, tied at the ankle and worn with embroidered shoes. And then the ’80s came along, and they became associated with an altogether different kind of dancing. Personally, I’ve never really understood the desire to wear pants that make you walk like a penguin. That is, until I saw this season’s take on the style by Phillip Lim (Ashish and Helmut Lang also have versions). Available in cream or black silk, Lim’s creations are more of a nod to pioneering early 20th-century Parisian designer Paul Poiret and to the costumes of the Russian ballet than to any regrettable “Can’t Touch This”-era styles. “The desire is to undo, untie, and loosen up the current mood of dressing up,” explains Lim. “I wanted to convey a devil-may-care attitude towards ‘chic’ by mixing in this idea of an exotic street ingredient.” With pleated fronts and wide waistbands, the new harem pant is both flattering and incredibly comfortable. And it’s not too often that a summer trend makes you feel like you’re wearing your stretched-out pajama bottoms without looking underdressed now, is it? ANDREA CUSICK
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