How To Wear Culottes: Your New Season Hero Piece

Each year there’s an improbable trend that rises like a phoenix from the fashion fringes and becomes a must-have hit. It’s usually unassuming for some time, with many deriding its existence, before BAM! It’s the trend you begin to wonder how you ever lived without. And for 2014, that trend is culottes.

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Spotted among the style set during February’s fashion weeks around the globe, culottes started getting some serious attention earlier this year, baffling even the most dedicated fashion followers. But several months on and you’d be hard pressed not to notice their ubiquitous presence as the trans-seasonal saviour of the latest bout of changeable weather.

Culottes street style inspiration. Image: satorialgravy.com

If you’re still haunted by memories of the last time the style was in vogue (1980s brightly coloured prints anyone?), fear not, because the culottes’ reincarnation for this season is impossibly chic and surprisingly flattering. The liberating leg wear is cool, comfortable and more versatile than you might think. Combining the feminine flair of a skirt with the functionality of shorts, and the silhouette of a cropped pant, culottes are the perfect fashion piece for spring/summer.

At first glance culottes appear as another tricky trend, but whatever your personal style the pants/shorts hybrid is pretty easy to work into your wardrobe. If your 9-5 look is in need of an update, team black culottes with a fitted top tucked in and classic pumps to turn this piece into a work wear staple; or for a street style edge that will see you through an off-duty day packed with plans, wear a slightly shorter version of the shorts with slip-on sneakers. Make culottes sexy by teaming with strappy heels and a lingerie-inspired camisole, or pull on a tailored cut with a crisp white shirt and a blazer for an on-trend interview outfit that will see you stand out.

HOW TO: WEAR THE MOST DIFFICULT PIECES IN YOUR CLOSET

Trust us, there’s more charm to culottes than meets the eye, just check out your social media feed for an influx of images from fashion darlings who have already fallen for the look. Culottes come in all shapes and fabrics, so whether you prefer a leather or silk composition, bold prints or a super wide-legged fit, you might just find you need more than one pair of the fuss-free style this season. And with so many iterations from high-end to high street now available, there’s a pair for every budget, meaning treating yourself is guilt free.