The combination of big pants and a tiny top can’t help but recall '90s skater culture, Gwen Stefani’s days in a ska band, and, more recently, a TikTok trend. But does the formula work for walking the red carpet at a formal gala? Charlize Theron thinks so.
Attending the amfAR Gala in Dallas on Saturday night, the 51-year-old Oscar-winning actor turned to Givnchy’ designer Sarah Burton for a tailored take on the silhouette. Taken from Givenchy’s spring 2027, the pants were something like a high fashion take on JNCO jeans. Their waistline extended far beyond the hips, creating a billowing skirt-like effect that draped down her leg. A thick red stripe lined the side, emphasizing its oversized folds and adding a pop of color to the otherwise all-black design.
Of course, to keep her baggy pants upright, she wore a major statement belt. A silver medallion that doubles as a covert compact mirror served as the buckles. The pants’ size would be almost comically colossal had they not been so perfectly balanced by a teensy tank top, also lined with red piping.
It was an aptly head-turning choice for Theron, who was the evening’s guest of honor. The amfAR gala, which raises funds for HIV research presented the star with the Award of Inspiration for her humanitarian work. Fans of the star may not know she is the founder of the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project, which partners with local organizations in Southern Africa to support reproductive health, work towards HIV prevention, and the fight against gender-based violence.
It’s been a busy few weeks of gala dressing for Theron, who, earlier this month, accepted the Icon Award at the Academy Museum Gala in a sheer Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann dress with geometric lining. Of course, such avant-garde tailoring is nothing new to the star. This summer, her Odyssey press tour was full of sculptural skirts, otherworldly opera gloves, and some very large jeans. Any Grecian-inspired style cues were apparently for the press tour, but apparently Theron’s love of big pants is here to stay.