Ankle grazers are a great pair of trousers. They are slinky and flattering, plus they can really show off your hottest footwear to its best advantage! You may be thinking that their length makes them unsuitable for the cooler months, but you’d be wrong. Read on for how to wear ankle grazer trousers in winter whilst staying warm, and still look stylish and stunning.
What are ankle grazer trousers?
Ankle grazers are shorter than full length trousers but longer than Capri trousers. First pioneered by the likes of Audrey Hepburn, ankle grazers are now firmly established as great fashion.
They are cool and flattering, and you can wear them with just about anything. Ankle grazers are a lovely length for a pair of trousers; long enough to cover most of the leg, yet short enough to flash a bit of ankle too.
In the winter you will probably want to cover up this potentially cold part of the body – but this also gives you a chance to show off some fantastic boots, so all is not lost!
How to wear ankle grazer trousers in winter
Because these trousers are quite short, you may not think that they are suitable attire for the winter.
Similarly to ladies chinos we’ve discussed earlier, you’d be wrong!
As long as you dress warmly on your top half, you can still wear your ankle grazers in the colder months.
You can even wear layers under the trousers to add a bit of warmth if you are the chilly type – tights or leggings work really well, especially half length leggings.
Brightly coloured tights or long socks under your ankle grazers will add some more interest to the outfit, or if you prefer a more subtle look then you can even wear plain black leggings with high boots to cover them up.
A. Tops
With a slightly less covering-up pair of trousers, you will want a warm top half, so you don’t get chilled.
Try a warm, snuggly pullover with a roll neck, or a polo neck – this will not only keep you warm but it will offset the shortness of the trousers.
If you want to keep warm but you don’t fancy covering up everything, you can go for the layered look and wear a pretty vest with a chunky cardigan. Or, if you feel like adding more layers then opt for your fanciest vest top, an open cardigan, and top the whole look off with a warm winter jacket or a black casual overcoat.
A long sleeved tee with a sleeveless cardigan is a great layered look, and one that will keep you toasty and warm – plus you can show off some pretty necklaces too!
B. Shoes
To keep the breeze and cold weather from freezing your lower legs, go for ankle high boots.
These will not only look great but they will keep you warm – just make sure that you get the length of the hem and the length of the boots right!
If your ankle grazers are wide legged, you can easily get away with calf or even knee high boots. This has the added bonus of hiding any other layers you might be wearing under your trousers.
Flat shoes also work well if they are tall ones; think of your favourite Doc Martens or similar.
Heels work very well with your ankle grazers, but you should make sure they are ankle high ones, to stop your calves getting draughty.
C. Jackets
Any sort of jacket works well with ankle grazer trousers. You can go for a short, bomber jacket style or a long trench coat – whatever your favourite style you can pull it off with this type of trouser.
The only thing to watch out for is doubling up on your fabrics – try to avoid the Double Denim look, unless you want to look like a 90s throwback!
The colour of your jacket will depend on the colour of your trousers – black is always a safe bet, as is tan or camel, but as long as the colours don’t clash then you won’t need to worry too much.
Long jackets, the trench coat style, are great pairings for ankle grazer trousers. This is because the length offsets the shorter trousers – just try to ensure that the jacket falls below the hem of the trousers.
Of course, you can go to the opposite extreme and go for a short jacket – one that finishes at the waist will show off the length of the trousers and allow the full effects to be seen.
D. Accessories
Chunky woolly scarves are a great accessory for ankle grazer trousers in the winter. This will make you look super stylish at the same time as keeping you warm. You can add to this look with a fluffy winter hat, to keep your ears warm and add to the cosy look of your outfit.
Long, trailing jewellery works well, because it is a good contrast to the short trousers – think dangly earrings and flowing necklaces. Add a jingly bangle or two for the hippy look, or keep your jewellery minimalist – whichever is your style you can make it work with ankle grazer trousers.
Purses and bags can go with any length of trouser, and the only thing you have to watch out for is the colour of the trousers and the colour of your accessories. Make sure that the colours match each other, and you’ll be laughing.
Final words
Ankle grazers are a welcome change for those who don’t really like a long pair of trousers. You may be sadly putting them away at the end of autumn, thinking that they won’t be suitable for winter wear – but now that you know how to wear ankle grazers trousers in winter, you can keep wearing your favourite trousers all the way through to spring.
