Do I Really Need It? The Balenciaga Cargos

Liking them on Kelly Wearstler was easy. The real test was my own closet.

I had these Balenciaga cargo pants saved for a while, but they were sitting in that category of things I liked without seriously considering.

Then I saw them on Kelly Wearstler.

She is one of those people whose style always makes me look twice. Adventurous without looking like she is wearing an idea. Seeing the pants on an actual person, styled in a way I could relate to, made me consider them properly.

So when I found them on sale, I ordered them. (I bought mine on Farfetch in a FR 36, but they’re also available at Cettire and Antonioli.)

And then the real question started, because liking them on Kelly and liking them on me were two completely different things.

They were still expensive enough that I wanted to be sure.

Anyway, this is not really about these pants. They’re just a good example of how I decide what stays.

The Test

Once they arrived, I wasn’t immediately convinced.

I liked the shape, the fabric, the length. But liking them wasn’t enough. I needed to know whether they actually worked with my wardrobe.

That’s when I started pulling things out of my closet.

When I’m deciding on something more considered, especially pants or a skirt, I try it properly. Shoes first, then tops, then whatever else might change the proportion.

Length is a big one for me. For pants I want to wear regularly, I need them to work with both heels and flats. I like them extra long, but I also need to be able to wear them on days when I’m walking a lot. That usually means adjusting where they sit, a little higher with flats, a little lower with heels.

One of the easiest ways to wear the cargos was with a long sleeve tee. The charcoal gray is H&M Studio. The white is an old American Vintage, but this COS version is a good alternative, just size up if you want it looser. The black is a gifted REBE tee, super silky and one I’d definitely recommend.

Then I start looking at how many real outfits I can make without buying anything else.

The Brut Archives tee (wearing size L) gave the cargos a more casual, slightly tougher feel. I like the graphic against all that gray.

What Happened When I Styled Them

Then I started changing the top half. A button-down made them feel much cleaner. A more relaxed layer made them feel much more everyday. Belts changed the proportion again.

The gray-on-gray made the cargos feel much cleaner and almost monochrome. The button-down is by SLOAN, based in Mexico City. A great alt here. One look got oversized Isabel Marant earrings, the other a vintage bolo-style necklace. More vintage bolo necklaces on Etsy here.

The colors mattered too. Black and white were easy. Gray took a little more thought, mostly because I wear so many different grays and they do not always sit well together.

A collarless wool blazer (last season from The Frankie Shop), cinched at the waist, gave the cargos much more shape. I liked the contrast of something quite structured on top with the relaxed volume of the pants.

A softer gray with the cargos. I tried the fitted Arket cashmere on its own and layered over a white tee. I like that little bit of white breaking up all the gray. The Attico belt is from a few seasons ago. Gucci Mask frame sunglasses.

Another gray, this time with a plaid Róhe flannel shirt (the current version here). I tucked the cargos into slouchy Isabel Marant boots and added a B-LOW THE BELT statement buckle to break up all that gray.

Not everything worked. One jacket had the right shape, but too many pockets against the cargos made the whole thing feel busy. Good lesson, actually. It gave me a clearer sense of what the pants needed around them.

The silhouette worked. The pockets did not. Too much of the same pocket situation. Pockety pockety.

And then the sequin top changed the mood completely. Still cargo pants, but suddenly evening in a way that felt a little less obvious.

The sequin top (vintage) took the cargos into evening, but in a slightly edgier way. I liked the contrast of something sheer and sparkly against the utilitarian shape of the pants. The top is very sheer, so yes, this became a bra situation.

By that point, I had stopped trying to prove they were versatile. I was just seeing how many directions they could go in with clothes I already had.

The Point Where I Knew

At some point I stopped looking for reasons not to keep them.

I had enough outfits, enough shoe options, and enough variation that they no longer felt like a very specific cargo pant I would have to work around.

They started to feel useful in a way I actually care about. Presentable enough for a client meeting or business trip, but still easy to make casual with a sweatshirt, flannel, or something sporty.

That was the part that settled it for me. They fit my life, and they still feel like me.

The cargos with oversized Gucci sunglasses and Khaite mules might be my favorite combination. It gives the whole look a tougher edge.

Spending More Changes the Bar

When I’m spending a lot, liking something is not enough. I want the fit right, I want to know what I’ll wear it with, and I want it to make sense with the wardrobe I already have.

These did.

I started out thinking they might be a pass. A few outfits later, they made the cut.

What’s your rule for keeping something?

Talk soon,

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