Fashion Girlies Are Going Pantless This Winter, So I Am Too

I’ve never been the most adventurous with my personal style. Sure, I love a trendy outfit as much as the next person, but I’m also pretty pragmatic with my shopping habits, so you’ll typically find me in neutral shades and silhouettes I can wear over and over. But there *is* one very impractical 2024 celeb trend that I’ve been super curious to try: the no-pants look.

My favorite fashion girls like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner have been making it look chic and easy, even during the winter when the idea of being bare-legged strikes fear into my soul. Since it’s finally properly cold in New York City, around 35 degrees and windy, I was (apprehensively) ready to put in some investigative work. Are pantless outfits remotely wearable for normies in the winter, or is this just something the stars can pull off because of mild Los Angeles weather and door-to-door car service?

For this project, I put together three “no pants” winter looks based on celeb outfits that live rent-free in my brain. I wore them out in the city during the first week of December — immersive journalism! — and rated each outfit from 1 to 10 on the coldness scale, with 1 being “I am cozy as a snug bug” and 10 being “I might catch pneumonia.”

For A Girls Night Out

The Inspo:

When I think of a no-pants outfit, my mind immediately goes to a sleek, all-black leather look. This Bieber ’fit from late 2022 is one of my favorites she’s ever done, so it was a no-brainer to create my own 2024 version. I wore the Khy trench coat as my outer layer — a somewhat similar vibe to Sydney Sweeney’s leather one-piece from her all-black pantless outfit above.

For my base layer, I wore a pair of Reformation hot pants, a black Princess Polly belt with gold detailing, and a sheer bodysuit from Parade to give the ’fit a “naked dressing” spin. Gold jewelry, chunky platforms, and a simple black bag rounded things out.

The Outcome:

Coldness Rating: 5/10

With the ankle-length the coat wrapped around me, I felt completely fine. It was when I opened it to show the full look that I recognized the gravity of what I was doing on a chilly day. When a gust of frigid wind blew, I shrieked in full view of a city bus packed with people commuting. An it girl I am not. This look would be totally comfy once you arrive at the happy-hour location, but the commute to and from would be brutal.

For A Weekend Coffee & Grocery Run

The Inspo:

I wanted to land somewhere close to Bieber’s style here, with an added underwear element like Kylie Jenner’s look above (going commando is not something I’m willing to risk).

I started with a gray Boys Lie hoodie and Dairy Boy boxers, to incorporate the boxer shorts trend I’ve been seeing everywhere this year. I added Dairy Boy chunky socks, flat Mary Janes from Madewell, a baseball cap, and a black structured tote, and I topped it off with the coziest element: a maxi-length dad coat from Asos that I want to live in from now on.

The Outcome:

Coldness Rating: 10/10

This was an “expectations versus reality” situation. The boxer shorts were a cute idea in theory, but paired with the warm vibes of the rest of the outfit, I looked like I had forgotten my jeans before walking out the door. I felt ridiculous, despite the fact that the hoodie and coat were super wearable and comfy. This is a Los Angeles winter outfit at best, and even then, I’d recommend putting more substantial shorts on before walking out in public.

For A To-Do List Day

The Inspo:

I veered the farthest from the celebs’ ’fits for this one, because I wanted to find a way to incorporate the socks with heels trend that fashion girlies are doing. I love the look of crisp white button-down worn like your boyfriend’s oversize shirt — but with no boyfriend to speak of, I got my own version from Anthropologie and paired it with a velvet tie from Gap.

I added Sam Edelman heels, Calzedonia polka-dot pattern tights, and Calzedonia socks with a black leather jacket I had in my closet — copying Bieber’s gorgeous leather look. (She’s queen of pantless style at this point.) This would also look great with an oversize blazer à la Sweeney above.

The Outcome:

Coldness Rating: 7/10

With a heavier jacket, I might have been more comfortable, but as it stands, this look would work better for early fall, when there’s a chill in the air rather than when the wind is at full blast and the temps are verging on freezing. This was by far my favorite of the three looks I put together, and for an indoor event, I think it’s a total winner, but I can’t say I enjoyed trekking around outside. My eyes were watering, and I called an Uber to most of the day’s events. This would be a perfect “walk from the car to the restaurant” look if you were a member of Taylor Swift’s squad meeting her for dinner. But if you have to wait around outside the restaurant for a table? Forget it. I’m going home.

TL;DR: I Look Hot, But I’m Freezing

I always love the pantless look when I see it on celebs... but every single one of these outfits would have worked better for me if I had more layers on. I will be rewearing many of these pieces, but with the addition of my beloved Khy jeans, Aritzia trousers, and vintage cargo pants to keep me warm, not to mention fit for public eyes. I commend the it girls for doing this in the name of fashion, but it’s simply not for me. Can we bring pants back in 2025, please?