Mountain Hardwear Shasta Pedal Pusher : Beachy Keen

I once read in Vogue magazine that women "of a certain age" shouldn't wear capri pants. I say ignore the fashionistas and wear what makes you feel good! I truly love wearing my Shasta pedal pushers. They're cute, comfortable, versatile, flattering, and don't bind or cramp my athletic style.

The Shasta is a perfect warm weather pant, say, for lunch at a nice outdoor café in Bermuda or Cabo San Lucas. Since I didn't take a spring vacation this year and it's the coldest spring in 30 years here in the Pacific Northwest, I've been wearing my Shasta pedal pushers to the gym instead. They keep my legs warmer than shorts and don't bind or restrict my movement, moving with me and not against me as I pedal on the stationary bicycle or kick and glide on the Nordic skiing machine.

As a "vertically challenged" woman of only 5'2", I've had a hard time finding a Capri-style pant that doesn't make my legs look shorter than they are. The low-rise Shasta pedal pusher are cut slightly more trim than other similar pants, which makes my legs look longer and leaner. And who doesn't like that? The mostly cotton fabric is blended with just enough nylon to keep these pants flexible yet soft against my skin. Plus if I want a shorter look, I can roll up the lower leg to reveal a fun contrasting striped fabric.

Available in four colors: union blue, sarsaparilla, talus, and was (in other words, blue, red, green, off-white).

Bottom Line: A quality, thoughtfully-designed pant that flatters. These pedal pushers can take you from stylish dress-up to beach town casual to workout performance.--J.I. (May 08)

Price: $60

Buy Online:

Manufacturer's Site: www.mountainhardwear.com