Capri pants for women have long been the fashion world’s equivalent of pineapple on pizza: you either love them or you vehemently oppose them. Critics argue they cut the leg line awkwardly, making even the most statuesque among us appear shorter. The wrong pair can easily veer into dowdy territory, especially when paired with the wrong shoes. But the fashion world–for the past few years–has had an insatiable appetite for Y2K trends, and it was only a matter of time before the cropped trousers popped up on the sartorial landscape.
Fashion’s love affair with capri pants is rekindling, and it’s set to be the hottest trend of summer 2024. These ankle-baring trousers, once a wardrobe staple of the ’50s and ’60s, are back with a vengeance, and they’re ready to reclaim their sartorial spotlight. Capri pants for women first hit the scene in the post-war era, popularized by style icons like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. Their charm lay in their effortless blend of chic and casual, perfect for everything from a day at the seaside to a stroll through the city.
However, capri pants fell out of favor as fashion moved towards more extreme hemlines, either opting for full-length trousers or thigh-grazing shorts. The capri’s in-between length was deemed indecisive and, dare we say, unflattering. That was until the late 90s and Noughties, when capri pants for women saw a massive resurgence before, like every trend eventually does, becoming obsolete.
Now, the controversial trouser trend has returned to full swing, and there are no signs of slowing down. Spotted on the Spring/Summer 2024 runways at the likes of Bluemarine, Coperni, and Ferragamo, and the Fall/Winter 2024 runways of Chanel, Chloé, and Rotate, among others, capri pants for women are here to stay. That’s not all; fashion’s ultimate “It” girl, Bella Hadid, has also given the trend her stamp of approval as she flaunted the trouser style earlier this year.
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