It's not just skirt hems that are shrinking. The return of Y2K nostalgia, some seasons ago now, has resurrected an old faithful wardrobe staple: the capri pant. As the Southern Hemisphere (finally) enters summer, people are casting off their cargo pants and showing a little shin.
Recently, the runway seems fixated on skirts – pleated, micro mini, knee-skimming – and internet trends like balletcore have glued them to the zeitgeist. But do you know what pairs well with ballet flats? Capri pants. Audrey Hepburn proved that.
The last time capri pants were out in full force, Carrie Bradshaw was still a sex columnist and Marissa Cooper was alive and well. Nor were they as slim as the iterations beloved by 50s and 60s screen queens Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot. Rather, they came in technical fabric with bobbly drawstrings, knickerbockers, denim and – if you were a Disney child star, a little mini skirt layered over the top.
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Now, the nostalgia is there, but in an updated way, offering a middle ground between corporate and casual. As we've witnessed with names like Devon Lee Carlson, Anaa Saber and You can take it full Y2K kitsch, with leather disc belts and pointed mules, or you can lean into a cleaner look with crew neck cardigans and ballet flats. The point is, capri pants are an easy sell for people who still refer to pants-and-a-nice-top as their formula for getting dressed.
For Fall 23 Maryam Nassir Zadeh is easing us into the idea of the silhouette with a simple black pair that tie just below the calf, with a similar pair spotted at Coperni FW22. During AAFW, Verner sent a handful of capri pants down the runway, emerging in soft pink cotton with ruffled hems and spotted nylon for its Resort 24 show. At the Spring 24 Jacquemus show, the French designer accessorised one of his signature raffia hats with fire engine red pedal-pushers and Virginie Viard broke convention with a knitted eggplant-coloured option at the 21/22 Chanel Métiers d'art show.
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The origins of capri pants
German fashion designer, Sonja de Lennart, is credited with inventing capri pants back in 1945, after she wore a pair of trousers on a beach in – yes, Capri and got them soaked, thus modifying them to be shorter and fitted. Her first collection, comprising of capri pants, was subsequently named after the Italian island as it represented peace, freedom and good times after six years of war.
Where to buy capri pants
If you're looking to snap up a pair of capri pants you could try online resale platforms like Vestiaire or Depop. Otherwise, you can take a look at these options below.
Venroy Low Rise Stretch Wool Pant
Sandy Liang Ash Capri Pant
Guizio Caria Capri Pants
FANCI CLUB 2AM Capri Pants
Reformation Lucy High Rise Capri Jeans
Paloma Wool Vigo Pants
Images: @palomawool @doubl3xposure @fanci.club
