Fun Pants are the New "Going Out Top" Trend

Raise your hand if you've ever felt personally victimized by TikTok trends. If you're a millennial with your hand in the air, we see you, but we have bad news: the age of the "going out top" and jeans is over. (May flights of angels bear our sparkly halters to their rest.) Instead, the cool kids are all about "fun pants." Now, if you survived the first low-rise jeans era, you can make it through any impractical era of pants. Plus, TikTok has spoken. It's time to put away our most exciting going out tops and start getting into fun pants.

So what exactly is a "fun pant?" It depends on who you ask. One easy way to figure out if a pair of pants fits this mysterious category is to imagine them paired with a simple tank, cami, or bodysuit. Do the pants still have the impact of a fun 'fit when worn with the most basic of basic tops? If so, congrats, the pants in question are the sartorial equivalent of a going out top.

Ahead, we've rounded up a dozen pairs of fun pants that will eventually replace going out tops in your heart and your closet because, let's face it, we can't fight progress.

Leather Pants

Shop Similar: Remain Lynn Leather Pants, $282.
Say hello to the most obvious and easy-to-style version of the fun pant. Leather pants are fun! They can be even more eye-catching when you throw in a racing stripe or mixed prints, but even plain old leather pants check all this going out trend's boxes.

Whaletail Paints

Shop Similar: Nana Jacqueline Sahara Flared Pants, $360.
Visible underwear is fun (we think). At least, that's what trends say. So sure, why not? If you're not comfortable with your undies becoming outies, you can get yourself a pair of pants with the thong-suggestive split-seam waist built-in.

Patterned Pants

Shop Similar: Tory Burch French Jacquard Flared Track Pant, $169.
This one's a no-brainer. A bright, fun pattern definitely makes a pair of pants fun. Case closed.

Metallic Pants

Shop Similar: Abercrombie & Fitch Vegan Leather 90s Straight Pant, $110.
A classic take on fun pants, metallic pants are about as neutral as going out pants come. While Rita Ora opted to wear both fun pants and a going out top, a pair of high-shine metallic pants work wonders on their own.

Colorful Jeans

Shop Similar: ASOS Mid-Rise '90s' Straight Leg Jean in Animal Print, $35.
While this might spark some debate, we've decided that colorful denim fits into the "fun pant" category with a couple of caveats: the color must be bright, even in low light, and neutrals like white jeans, don't make the cut.

Cutout Pants

Shop Similar: AKIRA Covered in Diamonds Relaxed Jeans, $100.
Whale tail-adjacent, cutout pants bring a little bit of extra sparkle to the table. While hip cutouts are the gold standard, you can also find fun pants with cutouts from the thigh all the way down to the ankle.

Fringe Pants

Shop Similar: Thrifts + Threads Alaia Pants, $420.
If a fun pant is defined by statement-making design details, then a pair of ultra-distressed fringe pants might just be right for you. Offering more coverage than similarly statement-making styles, a fringed fun pant says a lot without showing much skin.

Sheer Lace Pants

Shop Similar: Mango Lace Flare Pants, $90.
Even if you're not fully onboard with the nearly naked dressing trend that celebrities can't get enough of, you can channel some of that "look at my underwear!" energy with a pair of lace fun pants.

Embellished Fun Pants

Shop Similar: Golden Goose Kim Bleached Jeans With Crystals, $1,320.
Halfway between sequined pants and a plain old pair of jeans sits the crystal embellished fun pant. A wide-leg style on the baggier side of the '90s jean trend spectrum has just enough cool factor to offset its shimmer.

Striped Pants

Shop Similar: Wrangler Women's Wanderer Jean in Rainbow Pop, $139.
Looking for a more subtle pair of party pants? Look no further than a pair of black or dark wash jeans slashed with colorful stripes.

Moto Pants

Shop Similar: Namilia x NFS Moto Cutout Pants, $180.
On the sportier side of the fun pants spectrum, you have a range of moto pant options. Inspired by the heavily padded design and rugged look of motorcycle pants, these fun pants sit firmly in the realm of street style.

Sequin Fringe Pants

Shop Similar: ASOS LUXE Embellished Tasseled Pants, $130.
Give even the most basic of tops big disco ball energy by wearing it with a pair of statement-making sequin fringe flare pants. Is it a lot of look? Yes. It is the ultimate fun pant? Also yes.

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