Retail Diary: Fashion Spiral 🌀 Kick Flare Pants
Let's talk about the history of the back-in-trend kick flare pant, the enduring appeal of this silhouette and "dupe" vs capitalizing on popular silhouette.
Fashion 🌀 Spiral = It's when you spot a style trend, and the more you dive into it, the more it unravels—connecting dots, history, and surprises along the way!
Dupe - from Oxford Dictionary - (verb) deceive; trick
The definition of “dupe” that is very popular on social media is a product at a lower price point that seems inspired by (or even a direct copy) of another product. There is also the term of de-influencing (in this KTLA article stating that de-influencing is to suggest a lower price point product of the same design.) I also found this article on the psychology of a dupe and found it really interesting to read someone else’s perspective. What is more nuanced is the difference between a dupe/knockoff vs something being the same popular silhouette at a different price point. For example, many brands carry ballet flats and aren’t copies of each other - just a popular silhouette (see here, here and here) BUT there is also a version that could be considered a knockoff (won’t call any out, but we all are thinking it.)
The History of a Kick Flare Pant
Let's chat about Kick Flare Pants! When we talk about the popular High Sport Kick Flares, it's important to recognize the rich history of this silhouette. Dating back to the 1960s and 1970s, it's been a timeless favorite for its flattering lines. So, while other brands may offer similar styles at a fraction of the price, it's not about finding a dupe but rather celebrating the enduring appeal of the Kick Flare Pant. Let's explore this iconic trend together!
The women's kick flare work pant originated in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a variation of the traditional straight-leg trouser. We moved from 1950s high waisted, cigarette pants and capris to flared trousers and bell bottoms. The flare was influenced by the rise of women's liberation movements and a shift towards more relaxed workplace attire. In the 1980s we swung back to tighter skinny pant legs and since then we’ve had the pendulum swing back and forth.
Initially introduced as a fashion-forward alternative to traditional tailored trousers, the kick flare pant featured a fitted waist and hips with a slight flare at the hem, creating a flattering silhouette that accentuated the legs.
Designers continue to reinterpret the style with subtle variations in silhouette and fabric, ensuring its relevance in contemporary fashion. Today, it is celebrated for its versatility, comfort, and ability to effortlessly transition from the office to after-work social events. In the 2000s and 2010s with yoga pants and athleisure expanding into our everyday wear (and certainly with the COVID relaxed WFH in 2020) the materials for play became more acceptable for our work clothing. Additionally, we also saw more shapewear materials infiltrating into the actual clothing materials. The heavily fitted and engineered fabrication of High Sport Pants make them special, but many of the pants often referred to a “dupes” actually have very different fabrication. Making their similarity being in the silhouette but not the fabrication.
Bonnie Cashin image via Mrs.Couture.com and High Sport image by TANYA AND ZHENYA POSTERNAK
Why a cropped silhouette?
Another great styling feature of a cropped kick flare pant, is that you don’t need to hem the length of the pant to style with ballet flats and loafers vs a higher heel. This makes the pants super versatile.
Tracking the trend
Below is the Google Trends searches for “kick flare pant” from Fall 2016 until February 2024. As you can see, it has been steady (trending up in the fall/winter and back down in spring/summer) but between 2022 and 2023 it started to steadily increase reaching the peak so far in 2024. It is worth noting that Alissa Zachary launched High Sport in 2021. What we are possibly seeing is a great silhouette taking off with Zachary’s High Sport Pants (which she was also noticed trending in her earlier career as a Director of Merchandising at other brands) and then brands and designers that are tracking trends see what High Sport is doing and want to re-introduce that silhouette to their line. I’ve seen the same thing happen with the Khaite Scarlet Cardigan. The exaggerated silhouette and cozy thick cashmere spark trends for top influencers and fashionistas - now many other brands from Jenni Kayne, to Gap, to Helsa to Almina Concept all have oversized, cozy, bell sleeve cashmere (or CashSoft in Gap’s case) cardigans.
In the WSJ article from January 2022 about the trend of comfortable WFH pants aptly titled “Knit Pants - Like Sweats but Chic” states the following: “Online retail as a whole invested in cropped kick flares heavily in 2021. According to retail analytics company Edited, the category grew by 104% between 2020 and 2021.”
In this 2021 Vogue article, designer and Founder Zachary stated that while working at both The Row and Khaite she was analyzing sales data and that wearable, stretchy fabric always performed really well. So she spent 4 years developing the special fabrication for her High Sport line.
Can I kick it? Looking for some fun kick flare pants?
Sezané Ciara Trousers and also available in Leather and Suede
A personal favorite of mine for work - Ann Mashburn (
approved) available in 19 colors/patterns/materials including LeopardLess than $20 - Old Navy
Newest and interesting material - J.Crew Sweater Pants
A relaxed, easy pair I love (and own in multiple colors) - Donni
High quality leather - SPRWMN
Lovely in red - Apiece Apart
Scuba material and great for work or an evening out - Theory
Vintage - St. John Sequined on Etsy
and of course, High Sport via Moda Operandi (launching soon in petite length)
All images via sites linked above
More content to explore
The Cut “Would You Spend $860 on These Stretchy Pants? How High Sport flares wound up everywhere” in the latest issue. In this article I also appreciated reading about Nicole Cari, a brand consultant, working with founder Alissa Zachary. Cari has worked with Band of Outsiders, Attersee, Sophie Buhai, Entireworld and Métier.
WSJ article “The Company Making Luxury Stretch Pants Feel Indispensable”
The Strategist
recommended Ann Mashburn pants articleVogue “You’ll Want to Live in the Feel-Good Stretchy Knit Made by this Alum of The Row.”
WSJ article “Knit Pants - Like Sweats, but Chic”
Fashion People interview with High Sport Founder Alissa Zachary and my notes on the interview here.
Substacks to scroll:
- “Newsletter Pants”
- “Are High Sport Pants Worth It”
- “Those High Sport Pants….”
- “The Scoop on the High Sport Dupe | Part One”
wrote a thoughtful piece on dupes titled “Dupes are the devil” and explains “Why “great dupe” is an oxymoron.”
What's Next?
Regular programming resumes with a Deep Dive on Thursday and Sunday Scoop on, yes, Sunday. We’ll have more NYFW news on Thursday. Any other designers, styles or topics you’d like a fashion spiral on? If so, please add to the comments. Retail Math 101 coming later this month.
Thanks for spiraling with me and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Sarah Shapiro
Get caught up:
Retail Diary Sunday Scoop 2/11/24: Enninful’s goodbye to British Vogue, Tory Burch 20 years look back, Infamous Podcast and Sunday Style Scroll.
Retail Diary Deep Dive 2/8/24: Resale News, Lab Grown vs Mined Diamonds and favorite fashion content.
Retail Diary This Will Be Quick 2/5/24: Grammy’s Fashion Moments and 15% Pledge Gala.
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Loved reading this and learning about the history of that pant silhouette! I had a pair of black kick flare jeans in black I wore a lot in 2017 to which my dad said "why don't you buy pants that fit you?" (I'm tall so he thought they were regular pants that fit me poorly, dads)
I want to second the recommendation for the Ann Mashburn Kick Flares. They are miracle pants and easier on the budget than High Sport. I love mine- they've been on a weekly rotation for a year now and they look brand new. I tried on the J Crew sweater kick flares and they did not work for me. They show everything the Ann Mashburn pants hide.