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Sex And The City’s Carrie Bradshaw could always be relied on for a divisive fashion trend, be it a bare midriff-hugging belt, a baker boy cap or a puffball ’80s prom dress. But the capri pant (aka the pedal pusher) is arguably one of the pieces that elicits the most divided response, especially among those of us who grew up in the ’90s and Noughties.
Between seasons three and five, Bradshaw championed a variety of knee-grazing capris: rendered in denim and paired with bohemian blouses, styled with matching pinstripe blazers and layered up with minidresses. She left no styling stone unturned. And while they were ever-present in the low-slung trouser-loving Noughties – they were a regular feature on pop stars such as J-Lo, Rhianna and Britney – the capri pants’s origins actually hark back to the 1950s.
Named after the Italian isle of Capri, where they rose to popularity, the cropped style became the trouser style of choice for the OG It-girls: think Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot and Marilyn Monroe, who wore theirs with boatneck tops, ballet pumps and short-sleeved blouses. A world away from the rhinestone-studded styles of the MTV generation.
Love them or hate them, capri pants are making their way back into fashion’s inner circle this year, with the likes of Gigi Hadid, Jennifer Lawrence and Alexa Chung all spotted in the calf-hugging silhouette. Hadid opted for a denim iteration, styled with a black tank top and gold jewellery (so far so Noughties), while Chung brought a more mid-century spin with leopard print capris, an oversized white shirt and Miu Miu’s cult ballet pumps. Lawrence, meanwhile, experimented with a looser black capri, courtesy of the row, and paired it with a contrast collar shirt and mules. Proof of the style’s unexpected versatility.
Our main takeaways for styling the capri pant? We suggest opting for a trouser length that ends a few inches below the knee. It is also worth considering a more legging-inspired style (see Mango’s black belted capris) as it not only gives elegant, Audrey Hepburn vibes, but it also makes for an easy counterpoint to roomy tops, be it an oversized shirt or sculptural blazer.
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If you’re in need of further outfit inspiration, allow us to show you how to style capri pants for 2024. And just like that, we’ve become capri converts.
