
Pants trends come and go. Elephant bell jeans were all the rage in the hipster scene in the 1970s, and modern women love wearing their comfy yoga pants on their daily errand runs.
And who could forget about the skinny jeans trend that took the world by storm in the late 2010s?
But today, an odd emerging trend is blanket pants. You heard that right—pants made out of blanket fabric. Lots of thrifty women are starting to see the beauty in the prints in their snuggly blankets and cut and sew to turn them into a snazzy pair of trousers.
Today, we’ll be teaching you how to make your own pair of pretty blanket pants. We’ll also be giving you some simple outfits to help inspire you to style your blanket pants in the trendiest way possible!
Blanket Pants – All You Need to Know
What are blanket pants?
As mentioned earlier, blanket pants are trousers that are cut and sewn from existing blankets. Yes, blankets—the big, soft piece of cloth you cuddle in to warm up every night in bed.
This is a trend that has been growing among creative, fashionable women who want to make a statement piece in their wardrobe without spending way too much money.
It’s starting to become common among those who love thrift shopping. They buy a gorgeous wool or cotton blanket with a striking pattern from the thrift shop, take it home, and repurpose it with a good old sewing machine to create the pants of their dreams. If the blanket has tassels on the edges, you can use them to give your pants some extra texture and design, too.
Blankets at any thrift shop can cost maybe around $10 (sometimes even less!). That means you’re getting insane value for your money. Ten-dollar pants that are unique and eye-catching? Count us in!
If you’re a mom, you might also be interested in DIY-ing your toddler’s pajamas with ultra-soft and comfy blankets you already have in the nursery.
How do you make a pair of blanket pants?
Here’s everything you need to make your own pair of blanket pants:
- Your thrifted (or old) blanket
- A pair of your favorite pants to use as a pattern
- Fabric scissors
- A sewing machine
- A pen or thin Sharpie marker
- An elastic waistband
- Fold your pants into two so that you can see the shape of one leg. Place it on top of your blanket and trace around it with a pen or marker. If you want a looser style for your blanket pants, add an inch or so of extra space to the area you’re tracing.
- Cut out this shape and use it as a stencil to cut another identical piece. If you want the blanket’s tassels to be on the side of your pants, cut your leg pieces strategically so that they can go on the sides of your finished blanket pants later on.
- Do the same thing all over again, except this time, lay the pants down facing the other side of the blanket. In the end, you should have four pieces of cut fabric. Two pieces will come together to be the front piece of your blanket pants, while the other two make up the backside of your pants.
- Lay down a front and a back piece facing each other and sew the middle seam together. Do this to both pairs of cut fabrics. Now, you should have two big fabrics—the front and back of your pants.
- Put your front and back pieces on top of each other, making sure that the back of the blanket fabric is facing upward. You want the pretty blanket pattern to be on the side facing downward.
- Sew from the crotch area all the way down the bottom of the leg on both sides of the pants.
- Sew the outer areas of the pants to complete the stitching.
- Create the casing for your elastic band at the waist area. Fold the top of the paints inward until you have about an inch of space for your waistband to go. Sew that strip in place, but remember to leave some space in the middle to put your elastic band in.
- If you want, you can also fold the hemline at the bottom of the pants up by half an inch and sew it in for a seamless finish.
- Lastly, insert your elastic band in the waist area. When it’s all the way around the pants, sew in that area you left on.
- Turn the finished pants inside out. Et voila! Loose, comfy, exquisite blanket pants for you to use whenever you want a snazzy outfit that makes you stand out from the crowd!
And that’s all there is to it! Easy as pie, right? With some practice on that sewing machine, you’ll be able to churn out as many pairs of blanket pants as you wish!
Simple outfits to wear your blanket pants
The beauty of blanket pants is that they are a statement piece that doesn’t need any extra help. That means you can wear them with practically anything.
They already have a beautiful design all over them. So, they will match even the most basic tops and jackets. You don’t have to try too hard to look good as long as you have a pair of high-quality, properly made blanket pants that fit you well.
Not sure how you can wear your new pair of blanket pants? Here are seven simple outfit ideas to get that stylish creativity going!
With a Basic Black Top and Sneakers
Since blanket pants are already pretty attention-catching, try to balance it out with a basic, monochrome top. If you have loose-fitting blanket pants, you might want to go for a small crop top.
Black is a color that will work well with almost any pattern on your trousers. You can either go for a black crop top or a black sports bra if it’s extra hot out. Finish the look with crisp, clean white sneakers, and you have the perfect bold streetwear outfit.
With a Statement Graphic Tee
Graphic tees are usually worn with faded or ripped jeans. But why not sport a dramatic outfit by matching your blanket pants with your fave statement tee?
This tip is perfect if your blanket pants aren’t that loose. Make sure the graphic tee you choose has a color palette that either matches or complements that of your blanket pants so you don’t look too loud and awkward. Add some accessories like a cap or bracelet, and you’re done.
With a White Racerback Crop Top
If you want to go for a sporty look, try wearing a racerback top with your blanket pants. It would look great with a regular racerback top tucked into the pants.
But if you want to look a little sexier and aren’t afraid to show some skin, going for a crop top would be fantastic, too—especially if your blanket pants have a fringe on the side for the blanket tassels.
White tops pair amazingly well with blanket pants. That’s because white is a blank canvas that can complement any blanket pattern, no matter how flashy or abstract.
With a Sultry Corset
Most people think that a corset is only for ballerinas, women of the 1800s, or princesses who are prim and proper. But you can pack a whole lot of attitude in a streetwear outfit with a corset, particularly if you pair it with a matching set of blanket pants.
If you want a fabulous yet edgy underground clubbing outfit, this is the one for you. Wear a lacy corset and pair it with blanket pants with an outrageous, captivating design.
With a Bold Leather Jacket
One smart way to go about making your blanket pants is by using a blanket with a designer pattern. That way, when you wear your trousers, later on, they will look bougie and like haute couture!
To elevate your blanket pants with this fancy pattern, pair them with striking pieces, like a bold leather jacket. Go for one with lots of metal buttons and silver accents for that pop of grunge and rock and roll.
With a Cozy Sweater
Blankets are meant to keep you warm when it’s cold. Following that logic, blanket pants should be the perfect bottoms to wear when it’s extra chilly out, right?
This upcoming fall and winter, pair your cozy, homey blanket pants with your favorite sweater. It’s an outfit that will for sure keep you warm when the air is dry and cold. But at the same time, it’s going to turn some heads and catch attention.
With a Matching Top
If you’re nimble with your fingers and advanced with your sewing skills, you can kick it up a notch and create a top from the same fabric as your blanket pants. That way, your top and bottom have the same color and pattern.
This makes a super pretty and novel ensemble. It’s perfect for anyone who loves two-piece outfits that match perfectly.