summer pants

Whenever we can strike that cool balance between superchic and totally relaxed, we pounce on it. And this Summer's breezy pant silhouette takes the cake. We've got Beyoncé, Eva Mendes, Kate Beckinsale, and Diane Kruger leading the loose-fitted trouser pack, which certainly warrants a second glance at this slick warm weather trend. The best part about this particular pant style? It's got all the makings of a vacation-ready look, but can be easily dressed up to cocktail attire status, too. For a daytime feel, add cute summery espadrilles and a colorful printed scarf, and for a more evening-appropriate vibe, throw on a slick black blazer and more festive gold accents. Now, click through for an extra cool dose of celeb-inspired ways to wear Summer pants, then shop your favorite versions at the end of the slideshow.

I've had a love/hate relationship with palazzo pants. Admittedly, I haven't sported them since the early '90s, when my friends and I wore them with oversized knotted t-shirts and Doc Martins to a school dance, like a half-grunge uniform. The pant first emerged in the 1920s on fashionable women like Coco Chanel, who paired them with striped tanks and flat espadrilles. Jennifer Connelly's beautiful, sculptural look via an Oscar de la Renta pair in a 2007 Vogue editorial has never left my mind, in that it's-so-beautiful-but-I-can't-wear way. This season, the palazzo pant showed up on Spring runways, including Fendi, D&G, and Dries van Noten, and they looked fresh, comfy, and surprisingly chic. Now, a myriad of palazzo pant styles are popping up in stores, like this pretty salmon-pink pair from Asos ($74). Click the slideshow to see the runway trend in action. Is it a trend you'll be sporting? Let us know in the comments.