Gen Z Says is a bimonthly column chronicling the latest trends in the fashion-and-beauty space through the lens of Who What Wear’s own Gen Z editors. Expect a download on the upcoming class of tastemakers, emerging designers, and shopping and style choices straight from the generation setting the trends.

If last summer belonged to capri pants, this summer is shaping up to be the season of something far more unexpected: pantaloons. Yes, pantaloons—the airy, gathered, slightly theatrical trousers that look like they were pulled from a Victorian wardrobe, a ballet rehearsal, and a Hamilton-outfits Pinterest mood board all at once. The silhouette has quietly been bubbling up among the fashion crowd for months, but now it’s reached critical mass with the Gen Z set. Suddenly, the coolest people under 30 are pairing billowy pantaloons with everything from delicate ballet flats to slouchy motorcycle boots, making a strong case for the trend as summer’s most interesting anti-basic pant.