If you have a little black dress, keep it in the closet. For that small piece of fashion-must has been elbowed out by trousers and fashionistas like Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Priya Chatwal are busy flaunting their hour-glass figures in them.

For years the little black dress, or LBD, has been sought after for night outs or formal dinners, but not any more, says Bangalore-based socialite Anupama Gupta.

"LBD has been a style statement for ages with women trying out these sensuous garments on every event and party. But with such a wide variety of options available in trousers, women are no more hesitant in trying out pants. Besides, it's always good to break the trend, " said Anupama.

Actress Sonam, known for her fashion sense, was one of the first to endorse pants and flaunted them at the promotional events of "Aisha" last year.

Actress Deepika, socialite sisters Priya Chatwal and Charu Sachdev as well as Kalyani Chawla - the Indian face of French fashion label Christian Dior - have also been making style statements in trousers.

Malaika Arora Khan was recently spotted wearing green skin fit trousers during the screening of "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara"; so it won't be wrong to say trousers are women's best friend these days.

From harem pants to skinny and ankle crop trousers to straight-legged ones, there is a wide range available in the market to fit various body shapes and suit different tastes.

"As an essential for a celebrity look, skinny pants or trousers are frequently spotted as a trendy style in the high street this year. Paired with a white blouse, a chic blazer or a cropped jacket, skinny pants can look very sexy and funky in a slim silhouette, " said designer Troy Costa.

For stylist Varsha Kumar, straight fit pants are one of the best options as they give a mix of the retro and modern look.

"It looks particularly good with bright-coloured blouses or shirts. Also, boyfriend cut pants are in trend when teamed with a fitted tee-back top and stylish slim belt. This season, linen is the fabric of choice in bold hues such as orange, pink and purple, " said Kumar.

The best part is these trousers are suitable for both workplace and parties.

While shopping for them, keep in mind four important tips given by designer Rishi Khurana - comfort, right fork length, material and colour.

"When it comes to formal wear, try straight-cut and slim-fit trousers for a formal occasion. A good choice of colour in single tone can make them look interesting. Trends are many but one needs to learn the four basic factors required when buying pants, " said Rishi.

Designer Lina Tipnis feels it is vital to highlight and enhance one's look and advises one to take care of length and size.

"It is better to pick pants or trousers that highlight and enhance your look than to blindly follow the latest trends. For instance, a 7 or 8 inch bottom is perfect for those who have beautiful or sexy ankles. Also, you should have some signature shoes to go with it, " Tipnis said.

If you want to feel comfy during summer outings, you can also wear palazzos - pants with wide legs flaring at the ankle - or fisherman pants, lightweight unisex trousers wide at the waist or Jodhpuris.

A simple pair of trousers at down-to-earth street markets like Janpath and Sarojini will cost you between Rs.200 and Rs.350, while the designer range starts from Rs.3, 500.