Stovepipe-skinny pants are waning in popularity while wide-leg trousers are emerging as a more universally friendly trend in womenswear.

"They are very, very fashionable and they are very figure-flattering and forgiving," said T.J. Maxx fashion spokeswoman Laura McDowell. "They provide a very nice line in a pleasing silhouette for all figure types. Women are rejoicing!"

A woman doesn't have to be tall and thin, or even the average size, to wear the silhouette well. Wide-leg pants, with their polished and sophisticated swing and flow, can look great on women who are petite, plus-size or pregnant -- really.

Kim Williams Dahlman, a petite fashion specialist and author of "The Petite Handbook," said she has seen wide-leg pants this fall in many fashion shows for petite women.

"The trick for petite women is more what you wear with the wide-leg pant than the pant itself," she said. "I recommend something fitted on top to balance the wider leg.

"Also, a shorter top vs. tunic style so that the petite figure is divided at uneven points for a more flattering look."

Ideally, shoes or boots should match the color of the pants hemline, she added.

For the woman who is expecting, there's no need to sacrifice style for practicality when you can have both. A Pea in the Pod, Mimi Maternity and Motherhood Maternity are among companies that are offering wide-leg pants designed for pregnant women.

The stomach is the most important factor for pregnant women when choosing pants and skirts, and Motherhood Maternity has included its patented "secret fit belly" in wide-leg pants to make them seamlessly comfortable, said spokeswoman Judie Ashworth.

"We want women that are pregnant not to give up the trends and not to give up their style because they're pregnant," she said.

For plus-size women with ample hips, they need to make sure that their wide-leg pants don't start getting wide at the hips.

Also, if they're taller and plus-size, a longer top -- they can even belt it -- that hangs to just below the buttocks helps balance proportions.

Thick-waisted? Opt for pants with a drawstring waist to eliminate the extra girth added by a belt.

Regardless of size, there are some things every woman should keep in mind when wearing wide-leg pants. They look best with high heels -- they must never, ever drag the ground -- and should have a narrower top to provide visual balance.

Generally avoid billowy tops, because they visually enlarge the woman.

Wear blouses that fit close to the body or tuck in the top.

If the woman has a large fanny, choose a pair of wide-legs with a lower waist rise and don't tuck in the top, recommends Suze Yalof Schwartz, executive fashion editor-at-large for Glamour.

The one instance where a woman might want to eschew wide legs in favor of a straight-leg fit is if she's short and heavy with large thighs, Ms. Schwartz added.

"But for the average girl, wide-leg pants are a great modern look," she said. "And it's a way to instantly update your wardrobe and really dress up your denim."