Who wears the pants

So part of the transition to medical school involves transitioning my wardrobe.  I admit....in college I wore leggings and a Northface almost every single day with my hair in an unwashed messy bun.  But once I started grad school and was in a medical school or hospital every day, I started trying to “dress up”.  But I did so in a trendy way, i.e. colored jeans and fur vests.  Obviously these things aren’t going to cut it in medical school.  Since I don’t want to break the bank, I have been slowly adding a few professional staples into my closet.  My plan is to stick to basic pants (maybe we will throw in a subtle pattern) and mix and match with a variety of tops.  I love dresses but with the weather where I am going, they probably won’t last long.  So here are a few of my fav pants so far.

I found these pants at Old Navy and am falling in love.  And for the price I picked up a pair in black, grey and navy!  My experience with them is that as long as you wash them properly (low temp and hang to dry) they will definitely last you a good amount of time.  And they are the comfiest without losing their shape in the first few minutes of wear. (If only I could get away with all of the fun patterns too).  They also come in a long style if the ankle length isn't for you.

If you are looking to splurge a little, J. Crew has their Minnie pants, which are very similar to the Old Navy Pixie.  And while the price is almost double the cost, they last you literally forever (again if you wash correctly) and if you have a student ID you get 10% off.  Watch for sales too.  They also hold their shape pretty well. (PS-they are having a 30% off sale right now and shipping is always just $5 flat rate).

Now for something a little less fitted (wide leg trousers are making a comeback ladies),  Express has these if you're looking for a little more flair.  Again, the price is moderate but Express is always sending out coupons in emails and hosting sales.

What pants are your go to professional-on-a-budget pants? I included links to all of the pants I talked about above, as well as some more options (there's a patterned pair or two in there as well:) )

"I like being a woman, even in a man's world.  After all, men can't wear dresses but we can wear the pants." -Whitney Houston