I admit it. I have an addiction...an addiction to brightly colored pants! I'm the self-proclaimed "crazy pants queen". In addition to a bright color, I love a bold pattern too (but we'll save that for another blog post). This season, I'm absolutely in love with the Wide Leg Pant in Jolly Green from Ann Taylor. The easiest way to wear a brightly colored pant is to wear it with a neutral colored top. Here I've paired the pants with the Ribbed Polo Top in white from LOFT for a more professional look. To keep the look more on the casual side, I decided to wear a pair of white sneaker-like slip-ons. Note how wearing the same colored top and shoes creates visual balance to the overall outfit and keeps the focus on the bold pant.

Don't be fooled that this tailored trouser is only for the office. To keep the overall look casual and keep the focus on the pants, in the look below I've paired them with a denim top and white sandals: 

On those even warmer days, consider pairing your colored bottoms with a denim tank: 

Besides a brightly colored pant, one of my very favorite items to wear is a striped top (I like to joke that I've never met a striped top that I didn't like). A top with stripes in neutral colors like the Supima Rib Tee from Madewell adds visual interest while the white sandal again creates visual balance. 

For those of you interested in turning up the color quotient even further, consider pairing your colored bottoms with a matching top (or a top in a similar shade) for a monochromatic look: 

I have to say that I'm very partial to a monochromatic look. Not only does it take the guesswork out of deciding which colors to wear together, but it also creates the illusion of a taller, leaner frame. Total win, win! 

A variation on a purely monochromatic look is to wear a patterned top that includes the same color as the pants: 

The patterned top adds visual interest while incorporating the pants color into your top creates visual balance. 

Arguably the most visually striking way to wear a colored pant is to pair it with a top in a complementary color: 

Complementary colors lie opposite each other on the color wheel. In this case, pink is a variation of red, which is complementary to green. In a nutshell, complementary colors enhance and bring out the color attributes in each other, resulting in an especially attention-getting color combination. I would generally choose a nude colored shoe when combining complementary colors as I have above; by doing so, you avoid having your shoes compete with the rest of your outfit. Here I'm wearing gold heels to coordinate with the belt and jewelry. For summer especially, I consider a metallic shoe in gold a neutral.
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For a more casual look using complementary colors, I've paired the green pants with a pink tank and white sneakers. Note that this look can be easily dressed up by swapping out the shoes and completer piece. 

In conclusion, next time you've got your eye on those brightly colored pants, go for it! Instead of scratching your head asking what on earth you could possibly pair with those pants, choose from one of the following types of tops:​

For visual balance, match the color of your shoes to your top. You can also never go wrong with a nude colored shoe. I'm personally partial to a white sneaker anytime I want an elevated casual look.