The polarizing pant style known as capris originally rose to popularly back in the 1950s in Capri, Italy – hence the name. Since then, capri pants have come in and out of style, with a major resurgence in the late 90s and early 2000s. In their prime, capris were seen on everyone from Christina Aguilera to Rihanna to Beyoncé to fictional fashion icon Carrie Bradshaw – you get the point. The above-the-ankle pants were hugely popular before eventually fizzling out, as all trends eventually do. That is, until now. Capri pants have come back with a vengeance, and people have really mixed feelings about it!
For one reason or another, pedal pushers tend to evoke a strong reaction. You either love them or hate them, there’s no in-between. In recent months, however, their growing popularity is undeniable. From runway shows (think Tory Burch and Sandy Liang) to celeb sightings (ie: Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid), capri pants are everywhere. And listen – they aren’t so bad. They’re the perfect in-between of pants and shorts, ideal for summer dressing. Fun fact: Fashion Designer Sonja de Lennart designed capri pants after getting her legs wet while walking on the beach – deciding she needed a shorter, tighter pair of pants.
Here are the most stylish ways to wear capri pants!
Sporty Chic
A fool-proof way to dip your ankles into the capris trend is by styling them with a sporty outfit. Are you going to the gym or out for lunch? No one knows. Therefore, it’s super low-pressure, especially if you find capri pants to be a little intimidating at the beginning. Take notes from Kendall Jenner and style a pair of capri leggings with a cropped tank or sports bra and a pair of flats—or runners if you want to really commit to the sporty in sporty chic.
90s-Core
Channel your inner Carrie Bradshaw and style a pair of capri pants with a 90s flare! We like to think Miss Bradshaw loved capris partly because they do a great job highlighting amazing shoes. Opt for tight, lower-rise capri pants—maybe in denim—and your best pair of kitten heels, and you have the perfect foundation for a 90s-core capris look.
Model-Off-Duty
The “model-off-duty” way of styling capris feels the most current of the styling choices. To achieve this look all you need is a pair of capris in a nicer, trouser-like fabric, some great pumps, a simple tank, and an oversized blazer or jacket. Bonus points for slicked-back hair. Bella Hadid would totally approve.
Island of Capri(s)
Since capri pants originally became popular in, well… Capri, they naturally fit in perfectly with the “Euro-summer” aesthetic we’re all loving right now. A light-coloured pair of capri pants paired with any blouse and strappy sandals is a great starting point to style capris the Capri way. (Are you following?)
Y2K 101
Lastly, there’s always the Y2K way. Although the 90s and early 2000s share some style similarities, when we think of Y2K capris, we think of looser, cargo styles, usually paired with baby tees and tanks. Reference early 2000s looks from celebrities like Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera, and even Hilary Duff for the ultimate Y2K-capri pants inspiration.
Shop the trend
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