Slim Up in a Pair of Lean Cigarette Pants!

CIGARETTE  WHAT?

Cigarette pants are l-can’t ­breathe tight, narrow, fitted trousers that taper towards the ankle. They are look­ alikes of leggings but are not made of hosiery material. Constructed like trousers, ciggies are made of softer materials ­cotton, polyester, or even denim. Now, ciggies come in stretch fabrics too, which make them comfortable to wear and sexy to look at.

LOOK ALIKE

Drainpipes (another shape from the over-tight variety of trousers) are longer than cigarette pants (think ‘pyjamas’ but in a trouser style, with a lot of crinkles at the bottom). Cigarette pants on the other hand, end at the ankle, which make them look like cropped trousers, except that they’re tighter.

FLASHBACK

The Mod (short for Modernist) movement of the late ’50s inspired the ciggies. The movement occurred in London when a bunch of boys decided to wear minimalist type of clothing, which basically meant fitted turn-up (ankle length) trousers and tight tees. Young teen girls adopted the silhouette of these tapered trousers and started wearing them as comfy sportswear. But in that decade, the trend was limited as a majority of women preferred to wear crinoline skirts. Cigarette pants entered mainstream fashion in the late ’70s, the polyester disco era. High­waisted, tight-fitted made of polyester, in garish colours and, tapering at the bottom, ciggies looked amazing on the dance floor when teamed with a pair of metallic pencil or wedge heels. They continued as the favourite style of youngsters in the ’80s, who wore them with over-sized sweaters (recollect the typical ’80s look).

THE COMEBACK

Tired of the last few years of boot-cuts and billowing trousers, the tight silhouette was revived in fashion. Tight pants have been showing up frequently in the year 2005. But where do cigarette pants fit in? Ciggies, which made a hot comeback in the upper echelons of the society in winter 2005, are foreseen as a hot trend for the soon­to-come summer. This time, they come in light, stretchy fabrics, are more comfy, have a cute tapered length (ideal for any occasion depending on how you wear them), show off your pretty sandals and your sexy leg shape.

WORK THEM UP

Only if you have a perfect body! But what if you don’t? Since ciggies come with a high-waist, you have to be careful when wearing them. If you’re not tall or don’t have a perfect figure (read a majority of us!), it’s safe to pair them with a loose-fitting top or a jumper (think ’80s singer Cyndi Lauper in her iconic song ‘Girls just wanna have fun now’). If your blasted thighs make you conscious, wear a longer tunic or kurta. Always add a pair of sexy sandals ­Greek espadrilles or wedges. As a rule, totally avoid wearing flat footwear; they can make you look like a midget! III