Balloon pants (Image credit: Sarah Chiwaya) If I had to choose just one pant trend for 2026, balloon pants would be the hands down winner. I first predicted this silhouette would be big after seeing the style all over the SS26 runways last September, and this is definitely a case where the runway actually translated to real life. Known by a bevy of names, from the pirate-dressing adjacent “pantaloon” to the dated “harem pant” to the jokey “Hammer pant” (after the “Can’t Touch This” MC himself), this style’s nomenclature isn’t nearly as certain as its ascent. Whatever you call it, its everywhere . (Image credit: Sarah Chiwaya) Fortunately, this is a style that can work for any aesthetic (when done right). The silhouette might feel a little daunting at first, but it is actually surprisingly easy to wear. To couch it in more comfortable terms: Balloon pants are just the voluminous evolution of the classic sweatpant shape (fitted at the waist, roomy through the leg, and cinched at the ankle).…