Today I want to talk about a fashion trend that until recently I hadn't been a huge fan of. Cropped pants! Every year in the spring/summer we see them everywhere, and this year they're here again, so I thought I'd address the issue of how to wear the cropped pant. I'll be honest and tell you that for years I avoided them. I just didn't think they looked particularly flattering unless you were tall and willowy, which I am not! Capris and copped pants are one of the hardest garments to get right in your wardrobe. They can easily become frumpy and if you're already short, or have short legs, they have a tendency to accentuate this.
So how can you wear capris or cropped pants and still look lean and stylish? Well, there are a few tricks to this, so if you want to try this look, read on...
Keep them slim - wide leg openings make your legs look shorter, so keep them slim for a leg lengthening effect.
Keep proportions between pants and top balanced - as I've already mentioned, cropped pants shorten legs, so you want to ensure that you don't further make your body look boxy by wearing a top that is a similar length to your pants. If you have a slim long waist, tuck your top into your trousers and look for a higher waist. If you have a shorter body or wider waist, then end your tops either at your hip bone or go for a longer mid-thigh tunic length top with a very slim pant.
Capris need to end at the slimmest part of your calves - if you're tall, that will be below your calf muscle. If you're petite this may be just below your knee, above the calf muscle.
Keep them pocket free - or at most a slit pocket or jeans style pocket at the waist. Style with slash pockets, cargo pockets or patch pockets will widen your hips and thighs.
Avoid cuffs - cuffs create extra and unnecessary horizontal lines, which will shorten your legs further.
The rise matters - if you have shorter legs proportionally already, then you want to wear trousers with a higher rise and avoid those that sit low on your hips.
If you have a curvier bottom half, but shorter legs and worry that a lighter trouser will make it look larger and more obvious, ensure that your bottom half is even lighter or brighter than your capris as this will draw attention up to your face.
What shoes to wear with cropped pants - well, I know that most of you will opt for comfort (which is of course the sensible thing to do!), but I personally will not wear this style of pant without wearing a heel. As I am not tall, wearing a flat shoe with a cropped pant will only accentuate my shortness, so I always opt for a heel - usually a wedge heel if it's the summer months, or as I did just yesterday and today, I wore my cropped pants with an ankle boot. Now, some people do not like wearing an ankle boot with a cropped pant and having that couple of inches of skin showing between the boot and pant - personally, it's my favorite way to wear them, because I like the fact that I can wear a heel which will make me look taller and leaner, and I like the quirkiness of showing just that little area of skin. I know this look is not for everyone, it really is a personal choice. For taller ladies, they can get away with a low sandal or ballet flat if they wish.
Okay, so now you know how to wear them, take a look at some of these pics and get inspired to try some of these looks...
Wear with an ankle boot for something a littler edgier...
Wear with a heel to look longer and leaner...
Wear with a flat for comfort...
So how can you wear capris or cropped pants and still look lean and stylish? Well, there are a few tricks to this, so if you want to try this look, read on...
Keep them slim - wide leg openings make your legs look shorter, so keep them slim for a leg lengthening effect.
Keep proportions between pants and top balanced - as I've already mentioned, cropped pants shorten legs, so you want to ensure that you don't further make your body look boxy by wearing a top that is a similar length to your pants. If you have a slim long waist, tuck your top into your trousers and look for a higher waist. If you have a shorter body or wider waist, then end your tops either at your hip bone or go for a longer mid-thigh tunic length top with a very slim pant.
Capris need to end at the slimmest part of your calves - if you're tall, that will be below your calf muscle. If you're petite this may be just below your knee, above the calf muscle.
Keep them pocket free - or at most a slit pocket or jeans style pocket at the waist. Style with slash pockets, cargo pockets or patch pockets will widen your hips and thighs.
Avoid cuffs - cuffs create extra and unnecessary horizontal lines, which will shorten your legs further.
The rise matters - if you have shorter legs proportionally already, then you want to wear trousers with a higher rise and avoid those that sit low on your hips.
If you have a curvier bottom half, but shorter legs and worry that a lighter trouser will make it look larger and more obvious, ensure that your bottom half is even lighter or brighter than your capris as this will draw attention up to your face.
What shoes to wear with cropped pants - well, I know that most of you will opt for comfort (which is of course the sensible thing to do!), but I personally will not wear this style of pant without wearing a heel. As I am not tall, wearing a flat shoe with a cropped pant will only accentuate my shortness, so I always opt for a heel - usually a wedge heel if it's the summer months, or as I did just yesterday and today, I wore my cropped pants with an ankle boot. Now, some people do not like wearing an ankle boot with a cropped pant and having that couple of inches of skin showing between the boot and pant - personally, it's my favorite way to wear them, because I like the fact that I can wear a heel which will make me look taller and leaner, and I like the quirkiness of showing just that little area of skin. I know this look is not for everyone, it really is a personal choice. For taller ladies, they can get away with a low sandal or ballet flat if they wish.
Okay, so now you know how to wear them, take a look at some of these pics and get inspired to try some of these looks...
Wear with an ankle boot for something a littler edgier...
Wear with a heel to look longer and leaner...
Wear with a flat for comfort...
No comments:
Post a Comment