Oprah Is Persuading Us to Pick Up Pleated Pants and Skirts — and They’re Much Comfier Than Rigid Denim

We’ve been pleading to the universe for some new fall pants that aren’t jeans — and we just got it. 

For an event last week, Oprah slipped into what appears to be wide-leg pleated pants that, depending on the angle, could pass as a pleated skirt, which is a bit fancier than her everyday cargo pants. They reached down to the floor and had a silver metallic sheen that matched the coordinating blazer she wore atop a $238 turtleneck bodysuit from Helsa. 

Oprah is often seen in non-denim pants with an elegant flair, including satin wide-leg pairs and satin cargo pants, which both look comfier than rigid jeans or thick trousers. As far as pleated styles go though, Kelly Clarkson wore ultra-wide leg pants earlier this year, while Oprah sported a dress with the stylish detail just this past summer.

And since Oprah’s recent style also kind of looks like a skirt, note that she’s not alone: Kate Middleton and Selena Gomez wore similar skirts in 2023. So, all in all? Celebs have flocked to styles with pleats two years in a row, so we’re taking this as our sign to do the same. 

Pleated Pants and Skirts Inspired by Oprah 

• Pants: Soly Hux Pleated Wide-Leg Palazzo Pants, $36
• Chouyatou Pleated Chiffon Cropped Wide Leg Pants, $28–$29
• Design by Olivia Pleated Chiffon Wide-Leg Palazzo Pants, $20–$25 (orig. $25–$27)
• Lyaner Wide-Leg Pleated Pant, $33 (orig. $33–$36) 
• Skirts: Chartou Pleated Metallic Maxi Skirt, $29 
• Ebossy Pleated Chiffon Maxi Skirt, $29 
• Grace Karin Pleated Chiffon Midi Skirt, $35 (orig. $52)
• Beralst Pleated Knit Sweater Midi Skirt, $22–$30
• Kate Kasin Pleated A-Line Skirt, $36
• Allegra K Pleated Metallic Midi Skirt, $34 (orig. $34–$36) 
• V28 Pleated Chiffon Maxi Skirt, $34

Design by Olivia Pleated Chiffon Wide-Leg Palazzo Pants

These wide-leg pants have many thin pleats, giving them a more fluid look than dress trousers with chunky pleats that are few and far between. What’s more, they’re “perfectly permanent,” according to reviews, so they shouldn’t flatten out over time. Another pro? They come with a built-in belt, so it won’t need to be snaked through the loops with each wear. 

Chartou Pleated Metallic Maxi Skirt

As for metallics, Martha Stewart also seems to think they’re in style, and as a bonus, they get more popular around the holidays. One shopper described the hue on this maxi skirt as “both a light silver and dark silver at the same time” and noted that “it picks up and mimics whatever color you put with it.” It’s made with a cotton-blended fabric and is also “comfy enough to wear for several hours,” according to a second shopper.  

Beralst Pleated Knit Sweater Midi Skirt

Sweater dresses and sweater pants are big right now, so a sweater skirt is a timely choice. This high-waisted style comes in 10 colors, including gray-brown, and this holiday-geared wine red. It’s obviously a skirt though, so if you were hoping for an optical illusion effect, this one won’t exactly deliver those desired results. It has a shorter length, which comes in handy in those fall days that are warmer in the afternoon and cooler in the evenings.

Keep scrolling to shop more pleated pants and skirts inspired by Oprah.  

Ebossy Pleated Chiffon Maxi Skirt

Soly Hux Pleated Wide-Leg Palazzo Pants

Grace Karin Pleated Chiffon Midi Skirt

Kate Kasin Pleated A-Line Skirt

Lyaner Wide-Leg Pleated Pant

Allegra K Pleated Metallic Midi Skirt 

V28 Pleated Chiffon Maxi Skirt

Chouyatou Pleated Chiffon Cropped Wide Leg Pants