The Capri pant is the most unflattering, frumpy-dumpy, ugliest piece of clothing designed for women in modern history.
Here’s the deal.
Retail does women no good. No one is sitting in an office, deciding on the next season’s inventory assortment, asking themselves:
Is this the best option for our customer?
Is it flattering?
Will it work with what they already have?
Will she feel confident in it?”
They are not trying to advocate for us.
But I am. The basis of my entire business is to sort through the mess you see in stores and online and highlight the best options each season while providing inspiration and practical tips..
So, today, I am going to show, on me, why capris are so unflattering, and offer better alternatives.
We Deserve Better Than Capris
Before we dive, I want to be really clear: I am not telling women what to wear.
Instead, if you’ve ever tried on a pair of capris and wondered why they look terrible, there are reasons.
Today I’m reposting our most popular and talked about article because it’s that time of year. It’s been viewed almost half a million times since it was first published. Links and photos were updated on March 9, 2020
Before We Dive In
I spent the first half of my career, before I became a professional stylist and image expert, in corporate retail as a buyer.
My first buying job out of college was at Charming Shoppes, the parent company to stores like Catherine’s and the now-closed Fashion Bug. I worked as an assistant-to-the-assistant buyer in the bottoms department.
From there I became a buyer for a small high end boutique and eventually landed at QVC.
But it was at Charming that, despite it being the least glamorous gig, I learned the most about garment construction.
Our department focused on casual fabrics, including denim and twill. We sourced merchandise from manufacturers and also produced items in-house.
Before final runs could be approved, we had to check the fit of production samples to make sure they met quality standards.
I was responsible for keeping all the samples organized, and, worked with the fit model and design teams to make sure the fit was correct.
Granted, Fashion Bug wasn’t known for high-quality standards. Our head of QA was often frustrated that things were ordered despite looking awful. Basically if it didn’t fall apart in the wash and met size standards you could get something passed.
But her and her team did the best they could.
It was because of her, and subsequent relationships with tailors and clothing makers over the years, where I learned the nuances between good and great design, and why, from a construction standpoint, things sometimes look terrible when you try them on.
Related: What to Wear When You Don’t Wear Shorts
Why I Hate Capris
Today, to help prove my point, I purchased two pairs of capris. One in denim and one in khaki, both sold as “capris” for about $40 each from a mainstream retailer.
For context, I am 5’10, and I wear a solid size 8. I paired them with a simple white tee, a long necklace and wedge sandals in an attempt to make them look as okay as possible.
I swear to you that these “fit” me. They are not too tight, even though they look it.
They both look so stunningly terrible on me, I can’t believe I’m actually putting these up for all the internet to see.
Why Capris Do Not Fit Well
Capris are a notoriously challenging style to get through the approval process because their design is inherently imperfect. Which means, what you see in the stores is as good as it gets.
Technically speaking most capris are made with a leg opening that becomes too narrow as it moves down the leg, making them bunch at the knee and hug the thighs (see above).
The narrowness of the leg doesn’t allow for the material to fall correctly, so the back of the pants “collapse.”
“Collapse” is the technical term used to explain what happens when a pant is constructed in a way that makes the back of the pant bunch and lay on the back of your legs.
Why Capris Are Not Flattering
From a proportional standpoint, they do the body no favors. In all of our style related posts I try to teach readers how to create the most flattering, proportional look, regardless of your personal style, body type, budget, etc.
The capri makes this impossible because of where it cuts at the leg, usually, right through the top to middle of the calf, making legs look stumpy and cutting the line of the body at its most awkward point.
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To make matters worse, designers add ridiculous embellishments that only cheapen the item further. They add things like oversized pockets, cargo straps, zippers, grommets and worst of all, cuffs (above).
Which, aside from doing nothing to enhance your look, visually chop off your height, instantly making you look frumpy.
It’s hard to make me look short. In wedges I’m close to 6′ tall. Yet, these pants diminish my height significantly.
If you are trying to dress well, it’s important to make choices strategically. Every piece of clothing you wear should either support, enhance or improve the overall outfit.
Capris don’t do that.
We can do better.
What to Wear Instead of Capris
Cropped Pants Instead of Capris
Your first alternative to a capri is a cropped pant (above). The cropped pant is a similar but better option because of it’s construction. The cropped pant stops right below your calf instead of midway through.
They are going to look very similar at first to capris. In fact many retailers call cropped pants, “capris.” As we know, retail does a terrible job with consistency. Have you ever worn the same size in every store? No.
Then don’t get hung up on what something is called.
You can see how the pants cover the calf, highlighting the curve between the calf and the ankle – much more flattering. That extra length allows for better construction, less “collapsing” and a more proportional look.
I rounded up three options to give you a visual. By adding just a few extra inches you make the proportion so much better.
Work: Vince Camuto,$88
Vince Camuto makes a high quality, under $100 work appropriate pant. The fit is always on point, have just enough stretch and wear well. They are calling these an ankle pant, but they are technically cropped. Petite option here.
Casual: Ann Taylor, $69
Simple, classic, and easy to wear these cotton blend pants that can go to a casual office or on the weekend. Available in petite and missy up to size 18 with a “regular” and “curvy” fit option.
Vacation: Old Navy, $35
If you are wearing capris because you hate your knees but need to stay cool, a cropped pant, in a lightweight fabric is your best option. Like these linen blend cropped pants from Old Navy. Available in six colors and patterns (for the most sophisticated look skip the patterns) in regular, tall and petite XXS – XXL.
You could also wear an ankle pant.
Technically speaking a cropped pant will be a little bit shorter than an ankle pant and an ankle pant will hit right at or an inch above the ankle.
Depending on your leg length, there might not be a huge difference between a cropped and ankle pant, and that’s cool.
You might have long legs and more length between your calf and ankle. Or, your calf might go right into your ankle. Whatever the case, just make sure that the pant hits somewhere between the bottom of your calf and the top of your ankle. These pants by Nic + Zoe are a good in-the-middle pair.
Your next option is a cigarette pant, which, again, get muddy in the retail waters. A cigarette pant, is really just an ankle pant with a slim silhouette, sometimes called “skinny” ankle pants.
So what’s the bottom line on Capris?
First, of course, you can wear whatever you want. I get a decent amount of push back on this post because readers think I’m trying to “tell women what to wear.”
I don’t care what you wear.
If you are trying to achieve classic, timeless, chic style, then understanding why certain styles don’t work is important.
Retail isn’t a woman’s friend.
Capris destroy an outfit. But, with a little technical understanding, you can create the look you are intending and ultimately look and feel confident in your clothes. Which is all I really want.
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Recommendations are based on my experience as a personal stylist and wardrobe consultant for over a decade. I worked with busy, down-to-earth women who wanted to look chic and feel confident but were often confused by so much of retail.
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Thank you for the validation! I bought a few pairs of capri pants because my legs are no longer shorts-worthy. I always felt like a stump in them and could never get them to look the least bit flattering. Now I know why! You don’t know how much better that makes me feel 🙂
Hi Lyn! Glad it was helpful! 🙂
Thank you, Meg! Can you give some suggestions on a denim cropped you’d recommend? I have a wide cuffed pair that I like with a wedge shoe – would love your input on them and other suggestions!!
Yes! Next week we’ll have a deeper post with some casual and dress options.
Megan, do you feel the same way about yoga pants? I think the yoga capris are far more flattering the the full length yoga pant.
No, I don’t think yoga pants count since your not using them as an part of an outfit. I work out in capri length pants all the time in the summer.
I agree 100% with you on capri pants.
Thanks Tracy!
I love your take on capris Megan! I wore them back in the day, but no more… I like JBrand for skinny jeans and find them flattering even for my size 31(US 10) figure. A few years ago, I found a pair of JBrand cropped boot-cut pants (silver beige) at Anthropologie that are perfect for spring/summer. JBrand still makes them (and in many denim styles and other colors!). I always check for JBrand sales via Nordstrom or other fashion websites, but I’ll share the link to share the cropped jean style that they make. I love mine!
https://www.jbrandjeans.com/women/featured/cropped-boot#?offset=0&limit=24
Thanks Tracy! And thanks for sharing the link – super helpful!
I agree with you completely on this and like another remarked – thank you for the validation! It’s long skirts and casual dresses (to the knee!) for me most of the summer. Sadly, my shorts days are behind me. I do love cropped pants and where these professionally most of the time. Have struggled to find good casual crops that work.
Hey Cheryl! Thanks for commenting. I’m working on a follow up post with more options for casual ankle and cropped pants. Stay tuned!
Thank you Megan! I have been saying the same thing since Capri pants first appeared.
I thought they would last one season but alas they are still here! Cropped pants are flattering for all body types; the boot crop is a very contemporary look. I do think shorts are usually best left for younger women. Of course, all that really matters is how the wearer feels!
Totally agree! Thanks for the comment!
Either wear shorts or long pants!! Anything at all between the two will be hideously unflattering. That has always been the case
Those are not capri pants!! Those are clam diggers.
Capris are sexy and look like what Laurei Petrie wore on the Dick Van Dyke show. Capris are made for dancing in jazz clubs or sitting cross-legged at a Beat poetry reading.
Clam diggers are what Barbra Striesand wears on the cover of the People LP. They are work clothes and do not have any fashion merit.
.
Hands down, this is one of my favorite all time posts! Couldn’t agree more.
Sadly, I don’t think capris will ever go away. They seem to be popular because they are seen as a “safe” choice for middle-aged (or older) women who want to be comfortable in hot weather but don’t want their legs to be visible, like with shorts.
I don’t own any of the following because they are not attractive at all on me or others I have seen : clam diggers, pedal pushers, cropped pants, capris and anything else the fashion world wants to call them. They look like the manufacturers ran out of fabrics or wanted to charge the same ridiculous prices and make a bigger profit!
When I watch Lori Goldstein’s (LOGO) models in them – and they are short, tall, young etc., they all look frumpy, dumpy and they are not my age of 75! Lori herself wears them because she is selling them and wants everyone to buy them!!! No matter how much sparkles, fringes at the bottom, embroidery et al they attach to these ugly pants, they are ugly on everyone!!!
If I were in my 20s or younger, I may possibly try one pair out … no …for one split second I thought maybe but that’s a solid no!
I got here by typing “I hate capris”. Love the coworker; hate the gazillion pairs she must own.
They are SO universally unflattering.
And have none of these people never worn a longer dress or skirt? Infinitely more comfortable in hot weather (in a nice, lightweight fabric) than sad capris.
“Love the coworker; hate the gazillion pairs she must own.” Is the funniest thing I’ve read all day! Thanks for stopping by.
Thank you for an excellent article.! You put my feelings into words.. I own capris but I prefer what we used to call Bermuda shorts. My very tall girlfriend gets away with Capris because she is so tall.. On me they hit midcalf which just looks terrible on me.. Kindofcuts me in half.
Thanks Elizabeth – Good point. I’m about 5’10 and can technically can wear a Capri but there are still better alternatives for me. It’s all about the proportions. Glad the article was helpful!
I couldn’t agree more. I never knew exactly why I hated capris. I just knew it wasn’t right. Thank you for explaining the science behind it.
Megan this was a very interesting article, I’m only 5’3” and I’ve had a really rough time with capris, ankle pants etc. I find petite too short and regular too long. I am resigned to getting them altered but it’s hard to figure what length & what shoes to wear. Quite a dilemma. If you have any pearls of wisdom I would love to hear them.
Thank you so much for all your wonderful articles.
Patricia
Hi Patricia, One of the reasons I like ankle pants so much is because you can dress them up or down and wear any shoe. They wore well with heels or flats/loafers. Have them hemmed so the skim your ankles. Capris are tricky. If you want to wear them have them hit about three inches above your ankle, and make sure they are a straight leg with a simple design. They lean more casual so any shoe from a flat sandal to a casual wedge will work.
Hi, Megan
I read this post because I, too, can’t stand capris. But I thought it was just me they don’t look good on. I have a long torso, short legs and thick ankles, so I can’t even seem to wear ankle pants.
Thanks, Angie
http://Www.yourtrueselfblog.com
Thanks Angie!
I totally agree with you! I have worn capris in my lifetime, unfortunately, but a few years ago happen to notice how unflattering they are – for the same reasons you have mentioned. I think that, by not buying them, they will eventually stop making them. They are u-g-l-y! Thank you!
Thanks Kathleen!
Thanks very much. I hate capris as well, but I thought that a cropped pant was the same thing. Thanks for clarifying! I will look for cropped. But what kind of shoe do you wear with cropped pants? I have big feet, so footwear is always an issue for me.
Best,
Teesie
Hey Teesie – I have big feet too! Size 10 – I just look for a shoe that has a more narrow profile, other than that you can wear any kind of shoe or heel.
I live in AZ where it is extremely hot for 6 months of the year. I do wear capris because i am in my 60’s and don’t look good in shorts. I have a pear shape and am 5’3″ and the pants that you suggest look terrible on me also because they cut me off to look shorter and heavier. So I keep going back to the capris. Kind of feel stuck.
Unpopular opinion here, but I actually love capris! I always get or tailor them to just below my knees, and like the proportions. I guess it’s just as well, since long shorts don’t cover enough for my liking, and I don’t get chub rub as can sometimes happen to me in skirts. I feel the way you do, but about crop pants – what a contrarian, I tell ya!
Hey Jane! It sounds like what you are wearing is more like a clam digger, if you’re having it stop right below your knee. That can be a very flattering length on most body shapes and heights and a nice alternative to shorts and skirts. The issue with capris comes when the hem cuts through the middle of your calf, the you’re really messing with your proportions in a not so flattering way. 🙂
Well, I am a petite size, but most of my height is in my legs (petite tops, misses bottoms). I find with the right (for me) top, capri’s that fit the leg (not away from the leg) are one of my best pants. I live in Texas, No matter what I wear, darker at the top is most likely my best combination. And I am on the wrong side of 65. As hot as it gets here in the summer, the shortest pant one can get away with is best. Shorts are way in my past. Cropped pants chop me right in half and I have to be careful with ankle pants. Needs the correct shoe or sandal. Color of the pant with the correct shoe can work. I use to be a buyer and clothing coordinator (in the 70’s). Anyone can look great if they proportion correctly.
I am delighted to find this feature.
Does this also go for Capri workout pants/leggings?
I say wear whatever you want to workout, right?
Thanks for this article explaining why capris don’t work. I agree they are not flattering at all. I get the feeling people like them because they definitely don’t have to alter them, being that the average woman is 5’4”. And I would guess they are cheaper ( less fabric). I think they are the frumpiest thing retail has ever made.
HI Megan,
Can you do an article similar to this on shorts. I’m so confused on what length is respectable, especially for my age, 63 – I have decent legs, but still I tend to hide in the summer behind ankle length pants. Please help! Thanks!!
Working on it! Stay tuned … 🙂
What to do when having rather thick calves? Crop pants look tight and frankly ridiculous…..
Shorts, a skirt, wide-leg pants, ankle pants, literally anything other than a capri.
I completely agree with this! You just did a great job explaining what I intuitively knew. I would say this is very important if you are over 45 . No one wants to look like a fashion mess as they age. ?
I love capris! Don’t care what you think. They look great and are just perfect! Love them.
You must not have ever checked yourself out in a full length mirror…But hey, its a free country!
No. It depends on things like weight, height, and of course the exact length of the pants. I love ‘capris’, or whatever the right name for them is, that come down to an inch or two below my knees and *above* my calves. Mid-calf length ones, especially if they’re pants rather than leggings, look terrible but I don’t know anyone who recommends them.
I recently found your site, and am enjoying all the posts. Based on this one, I decided to get out my 2 pairs of capris for the season, tried them on, and NOW I SEE IT! The bagging fabric stacked above the back of the knee. I’m thinking these may be moving to the giveaway pile, and I will look for ankle pants to add to my closet instead. I am 59, and though I’m tall and weight proportionate, I have varicose veins and arthritic chubby looking knees, so I always like to learn about flattering summer pants options. I’ve never been much of a skirt wearer, maybe it’s time for that to change, too.
Thanks Kristyn! Your comment made my day!
Macy has these skimmers that just covr the knee. I have them in all colors and they work well for hot weather and a casual look.
https://www.macys.com/shop/product/style-co-pull-on-skimmers-created-for-macys?ID=3287643&PseudoCat=my-wl-xx-xx.mylist_pdp
They are on sale now.
Uh oh! I’m in trouble, lol. I wear capris instead of shorts, because for awhile, a decent pair of shorts was impossible to find. Either butt cheeks were hanging out, or they were “old lady” shorts – not fitted at all, which made my legs looks like toothpicks sticking out comically. Any direction on decent shorts?
I AGREE..capri pants look old lady.frumpy….Anything that creates a chopped look is going to make you appear fatter AND shorter..This is the opposite of fashion dictates AND common sense. The arguments i hear in favor say they are cooler and more comfortable for SUMMER. Not true at all. Wear.a skirt or short at a flattering length and cut.
You might as well be wearing your grandma’s pajamas. I’ve owned one pair in my life- 15 yrs ago. At first I thought they were chic- one day while shopping for more- I took a quick glance in the mirror – and to my horror- saw my grandmothers profile. They went into the trash and no one ever asked ‘where Did your grandmothers pants go?’.
I have never worn and never will wear a pant that doesn’t break at the top of my foot. Oh wait–I think I have a photo of myself at age three circa 1955 wearing clamdiggers at the beach. Doesn’t count, or at least I hope not! We baby boomers called short pants “floods” or “high water pants” back in the ’60s and ’70s. I like to present a long, clean line from head to toe (even when I’m fat), so I hate short and 3/4 sleeves as well. Not to mention maxi dresses that don’t touch the floor! I’m strictly a catalog shopper in my dotage and these unflattering lengths seem to be de rigeur for the spring and summer months. How depressing.
Amen Sista! The 1/3 and 2/3 formula – capris are NOT in the equation,.
I’m sorry that you all hate capris, but apparently you aren’t finding the right ones. My capris don’t have any of the issues that were mentioned. Mine do not collapse or bunch, they don’t hit my legs at a bad length to make my legs look choppy, there are no weird embellishments, zippers, or grommets, and the bottoms definitely do not flare out. As far as any type of ankle pant, I think those look worse. They look like you bought the wrong length or they shrunk. They definitely do not look good on my 5’1″ body at all. With the right top and the right sandals, my capri outfits look great.
Love this! I was recently in a meeting of retired teachers here in small-town Indiana. Thought I had gone to Capri Day at the local nursing home instead! Goddd they are awful; so unflattering. Does that 6 inches of skin really make you that much cooler? Wear shorts or actual pants, but not these — abominations! I know exactly why – the need to fit in here is so important – you wear capris, or go to church, or– whatever, predominantly because that’s what your girlfriends do – and, goddd forbid, that you be different, because different = WEIRD. And, we just can’t have that now, can we? I’ve gotta get out of here!
Even cropped pants are too long where I live. Outside, the heat index can be above 105F for over a month during July and August. It doesn’t dip below 100 until September. Offices are usually kept cool to accommodate hard drives, but those of us who are retired or work in other settings usually keep the temp around 78-80F to keep power bills down.
So what’s an older woman to do besides bare her whale-belly colored legs in a dress or in shorts?
Bullshit, Capri looks awesome on me. And a lot of other women. Why would it be famous for so long anyway?
Do you know how many unflattering items of clothing are popular? Retailers don’t care if it looks good on you. If you like them wear whatever you want and ignore me.
Capris are popular because of middle-aged soccer moms who are too embarrassed about their legs to just wear shorts.
Stop buying ill fitting or cheaply made capris, problem solved! Sorry but your experience at one of the cheapest clothing stores is not indicative of how capris are made by higher end designerS, or even just decent designers. If tailored right, they look just fine on as variety of body styles. Cheap jeans and pants work exactly the same. Nothing revolutionary here.
Assuming such a thing even exists, how many women in this country can afford high end or “designer” capris and then have them altered? Considering all the other places our budgets have to go, that’s not a practical solution.
I agree with you 100 percent. I am a short woman, and even petite sized capris look horrible on me. Thank you bring this fashion subject up with spring and summer around the corner. Love your articles.
Thanks for this validation Megan! The only thing I hate more is to see women wearing capris with flip flops but that’s another subject! At 5’3” I never wear capris, and frankly I don’t even think ankle or crop pants are flattering on my body. The length never feels right and a so-called “crop” pant usually hits at or below my ankle. ( I can’t wear petite pants because the rise is always too short.) I agree with many of the others in this post that skirts and dresses are great for keeping cool in summer weather!
The best Ankle length dress pants I have found are the Banana Republic Avery pant. I love the fabric, cut and length of these pants. They hit just above the ankle on me (I’m 5’5″) and the leg is tapered but not tight and the waist comes just about belly button high) And they are made from a lightweight wool that is washable (although I would not wash them, mine are black so not nec. to clean often) Great year round dress pant
Agreed – LOVE them! BR makes some fantastic pieces and so many of them are year round wool, washable and size inclusive.
Amen, Megan. I don’t like the way capris look on me and I have yet to see them look flattering on other women.
Great post, Megan. May I add that my daughter and I don’t like the combination of a capri and a cropped pant (wide). We call them Capants and avoid them like the plague.
As your majority of comments say I totally agree with this post and appreciate how you were able to articulate the issues with capris. Your pictures helped. I would also love to see a post on what to wear in the summer heat as an alternative since I too stopped wearing shorts. At almost 60 I live in Florida in the winter and NJ in the summer so I appreciate cooler options. Thanks so much- love your info!!
Hi Meagan,
First of all, I too find capri’s to not have the best look. But with that in mind, I do believe you probably picked two pairs of capris that really made you look unflattering. The first pair, the tan ones, look to be a size or two too small on you. The pockets are bulging on your thighs and if you look close up, it looks like you couldn’t zip all the way up. On the denim ones, you chose a pair that is way too tight on your calves. Again a size up would have demonstrated the correct fit better or perhaps picked another pair that wasn’t so tight on the calves.
I have always thought of capris as a flowing kind of pant, something for elderly ladies to wear in summer when shorts or dresses are not an option anymore.
These are unflattering because capris are unflattering. They are universally unflattering. I say, in the post, that they look ill fitting, even though they technically fit me. The point is that these are the options out there that regular women, with regular bodies, like me, have to navigate. And then I provided better made, better fitting options.
I’m sure you don’t mean it, but it feels like you’re picking my body apart a bit, which isn’t the point of this at all.
I am relatively new to your blog. So thankful I came across it. I am learning so much. The post about navigating Nordstrom’s store…spot on! I meandered three floors of that store looking for denim jackets…never found one in the store. The AG jeans are touted by fashion bloggers as the best, I wanted to try a pair on, but I never saw any. I finally walked out. The store is not laid out in a shopper friendly grid. The Capri post today…yep. So much is in a “marketing” term. Now I know why I never reach for those pants that make the back of my thighs “smile” with so many wrinkles. Thank you. I look forward to your next post.
I’m kind of short (5’3”) so I find cropped pants have the same terrible look on me that capris do. Do you find most shorter women think this?
I could never figure out why I looked so frumpy, then I read this post a few years back and IMMEDIATELY threw out my capris. Well, I put them on first so I could see exactly what you were talking about, and although I always saw the problem, I never UNDERSTOOD what it was, I just thought I looked THAT BAD in my clothes. I’m no longer comfortable in shorts that are any higher than a bermuda or clam digger and every single time I’m looking a shorts alternative, I look at capris like the plague! LOL Thanks for reposting this reminder!!
My sentiments exactly Sue!
I can’t print down the free wardrobe checklist. There is FREE across the list and I can’ figure out how to print it down without it.
Would you be so kind and send me a copy to my e-mail, [email protected].
Thank you.
Karen Prince
LOL…
When I read this blog last summer, I immediately threw out my capris, good thing I only owned 2pairs!
I love your blog, you are a true inspiration, even for a 64yr old!
This makes me so happy! Thank you!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I have HATED capris for as long as they have been on the market. They remind me of something my grandmothers called peddle-pushers and look disgusting on everyone including uber thin models with a significant thigh-gap. Love ankle pants, love bermuda shorts, and skinny crops (think the ones with the flare are just strange, but fitted ones are okay). I just don’t believe anyones knees are as bad looking as capris pants.
Thanks Stacie and agree! I have never seen a pair of knees as bad as a pair of capris.
Tim Gunn (Project Runway, Parsons The New School for Design) wrote in 2012 that capris should be banished from women’s closets, for the same reasons you list. You’re in good company, Megan! Capris are ugly, and frumpy. No amount of money can make them look good.
Great article. I think even cropped pants are tricky. I’m 5’3” and shorter between my knee and ankle than my thighs. Rolled pants cut the knee to ankle length in half. I vote for ankle length score cropped.
Thank you for this! I’ve always been pretty slim but have a severe case of cankles and disproportionally large calves. A boy made fun of them in 3rd grade and I swore off shorts for several summers. I started to get over it but then got called “football calves” and can recall one time when a stranger told me “you must be a runner, I can tell by your calves.” Nope, not a runner. Just lost the genetic lottery. So anyhow, I’ve been avoiding shorts my entire life even though I was always a size 0. The only thing worse than shorts is Capri pants. They accentuate & draw attention to my absolute least favorite area of my body. When I lived in Michigan it was easy enough to suffer through pants for an all-too-quick summer, but I moved to Florida years ago and it’s already too hot for pants in March, let alone the miserably hot and sticky summers. I’m 5’3 so long skirts and dresses require some sort of heel, but now that I have a toddler, I’m not pulling out the wedges all that often. I also feels like it’s hard to wear the same dress often, at least not like you can do with a staple pant. I clicked on the Old Navy cropped pants that you suggested even though I had really bad luck with their maternity clothes, and to my pleasant surprise there’s a 30% off site wide sale, so I grabbed 3 pairs for around $65! I have a feeling I will be living in them until the temps finally drop again in November. THANK YOU!
Megan, My mom used to work for Charming Shoppes too! And I remember once being brought in to model clothes for the buyers. Thanks for the great tips and bringing back memories!
I’ve read that when it comes to Bermuda shorts the inseam can be anywhere from 9-12″. Where is the best place for shorts to end on your leg?
Sadly the adverts on this site make the article unreadable. I cant even read what I’m typing! Disappointed 😞
The world is in actual crisis and you’re complaining about ads on a free website.
You are absolutely correct. I have never understood capris. They make women look like stumps.
Thank you for telling the truth.
I hate capris too. They make everyone look stumpy. Also, I see this a lot, but isn’t it “pants” not “pant” when referring to a pair of pants? The correct use of the word pant would be “I see a rip on the pant leg of that woman” but it is a pair of pants. When did people start using pant instead of pants? Is it a regional thing? I am a terrible speller so I hate when people get all pretentious and correct me, but I am curious.
Thank you for this post!!! If I hate one type of clothing with passion it’s the capris and honestly any other cropped pants as well.
Thanks I always thought it was because I am short, any good recommendations for crop pants that fit short people well
A huge THANK YOU for publishing this! I have always hated capris, have never worn them & never liked them on any woman. I was so happy when cropped, cigarette & ankle pants came out, like you said, they are a much better look. A good pant should make you look tall & lean while balancing out your hips – it’s all about proportion. I am 5’8” , 148 lbs & a “tad” over 60 with a casual chic effortless style. I strive for the Audrey Hepburn or a French woman style. Why is it so hard in America to buy classic, well made clothes that have texture, good fit, style & a little bit of color? Buying clothes shouldn’t be frustrating!! Everything seems like it’s made for a grandmother (frumpy) or a teenager (clingy, cheap, tight, see through, etc). I would rather have fewer clothes but much better quality. I’m so glad I came across this article! I look forward to receiving your emails.
I am not a fan of Capri pants, mainly because I am short, 5’ 1”. You are correct—-petites should not wear capris since they actually do nothing for one’s shape. I see an ice cream cone at the rear with the woman’s bum emphasized as the ice cream and her legs cut off as the cone. Not a pretty sight! Besides one can tell when a woman has capris, culottes, Bermuda shorts, clam diggers in her wardrobe—-the gradual heights of the tan lines are also unsightly. Dump the frump! Capris are not flattering in the office or out!
THANK YOU!!!! I HATE capris and ankle pants. When you are short and heavy, they make you look shorter and heavier. You have to be nine feet tall and a size zero to look somewhat decent. I think capris and ankle pants should go into the dustbin of style FOREVER. They look good on NO ONE.
I came across this from Pinterest and it’s great info. I actually didn’t know the difference between Capri and cropped pants before, so this is helpful. My question is, how do petite ladies adjust to this? I’m 5’3” with proportionally short legs even for my height. Capris hit like cropped pants on me, and cropped pants hit like ankle pants. I buy “ankle length” pants when I want full length pants. Any advice? Thanks!
This article just showed up on my Pinterest feed. What a timely coincidence. Just before Spring Break I took two pairs of capris that had been collecting dust in my closet, took them to the tailor, and had them turned into bermuda shorts. Reduce/reuse/recyle!
Great idea!
Capri pants always remind me of one person’s opinion of British women’s clothing. “Designed by someone who once read a description of the female body”.
My entire work life was spent in corporate America so I was brought up on that “neat and cared for” look. When clothing looks awkward it does nothing good for any figure. I too dislike capri, crop, ankle pants – what ever name attached to pants that look as though those ankles and feet are dangling at the end of ANY pant that is not full length. Most particularly the upcoming fall trend of wide leg – “High Water” pants, as we called them growing up. Pants that you were forced to wear even though you went through your growth spurt and didn’t yet have a fitting pair of pants. I just will never do this to myself. Ever.
THANK YOU!!! I have NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHAT WOMEN SEE IN CAPRI’S. They are never proportionate and the bottom line in proper fit is PROPORTION!! Thank you for giving women permission to NOT WEAR THE STUPID THINGS. Style always over trends.!!
I dont like capris either, but when you get heat indexes at 90+, long pants are to hot. Loose capris or short will help.
I agree. I saw a picture of me in my Capris. I was shocked how I looked. Since that time I started wearing ankle or cropped pants. So much more flattering.
Thank you soooooo much!!! You have changed my shopping forever! I was a cargo pant purchaser for the summer months because I don’t like shorts, but they never looked right and always felt like them made me look older and kind of frumpy. Cropped pants from now on!!!
I love capris, but I think of them from my moms time as “pedal pushers, toreadors, clam diggers, etc. Do they narrow to the knee? Then ugh-those never are flattering. My mom used to sew her own and when I grew to her height I wore hers. She cut them straight from the hip bone to just below the bend of the knee (so that it covered your knee when you sat. Even better was when it was cut just where the calf begins to swell. More than a clam digger less than a crop. One touch I never see is the piping she put down the side and at the bottom. A detail from “toreadors “? The straight styling looked great on her rounded curves and my rail thin bones! I’m glad we all have a choice. In the 70’s it was skinny jeans or nothing .
I found your opening line hilarious, and while I do agree with the overall sentiment about capri pants not fitting most people, I think you’re disregarding the whole point of why people wear capris. It’s because they’re not as hot as pants. Suggesting that people wear pants instead isn’t helpful, and only giving one alternative seems a bit silly. I think high water pants are uglier than capris by a long shot.
I think you look quite nice in the beige capris, front and back. I didn’t like the denim ones at all.
I get what you described regarding capris. I have a few pairs but they don’t fit like your beige pair. Mine fit a bit like trousers with a pressed crease front & back. I feel those creases make all the difference.
While I do see your point in what you’re saying about capri pants, I disagree with comments that say they look awful on everyone. I’ve seen some women who look good in them. IMO, most of these women who look alright in them have something in common: they have longer legs to torso ratio (particularly from knee to ankle), are built almost straight up and down and don’t have much curves to them at all, have slim calves and slim ankles. They’re usually of average height although I’ve seen some that were petite.
Also the cut of the capris matter too. The ones that look OK are slim cut, slightly tapered at the bottom and hit at slightly below the widest part of the calf. The wide leg cut that flare at the bottom is super ugly. I have a pair from Old Navy that looks pretty cute but I usually wear dresses so it works out. Of course this is just my opinion.
I totally disagree with your comments about capris’ being unattractive. If. a person has good legs, capris are
very flattering. They fall at the bottom of the knee and display the calfs and the ankles. They are perfect for
a hot day, especially for anyone who does not want to wear shorts. Longer pants above the ankles, hide the
legs and are not very comfortable on a very hot day. Long pants are good for covering up fat or skinny legs.
Capris are good for all age women and are very comfortable and also are presentable for shopping or casual
wear out in public.
Please do an article on leggings. Talk about ugly. They are ok on my granddaughters who are in college and skinny but I see too many overweight and older adults who wear leggings and should not. I don’t know where this fashion trend came from but it is the worst.
I agree with you completely. I don’t understand capris being the answer to heat, do your lower legs sweat? I’m from San Diego I’ve survived in pants.
I am 5’2 ish and I have never owned a capri pant that was an actual capri. They are always cropped pants on me. Looking at you in these, I see why you say they are terrible. They are! I love cropped pants, but always thought that cropped pants were capris. Bermuda shorts…those qualify as capris on me lol!!
Oh boy this really made my day one big grin all the way through!! You should get a fashion award for “coming out” and saying what we’re too cowardly not to go along with! Capris are definitely not flattering! I will point out two things that capris do do altho not flattering. On a shorter and plumper person they accentuate the curves. ‘Nuff said. Here in the Midwest, the capris I’ve seen the most are the twills or canvas kind that have more ease through the hip and thigh like an extended utility short. Indeed, they end up being just that, a utility pant that is durable, relaxed and cool – what more could a dashing-around in-charge woman want? Yeah, some of the time – but just as often we’d trade it out for something more Fashionable.
Agree! Yes!100%! Especially those among us ‘blessed’ with muscular calves. For years I have purchased straight-leg pants and cut and hemmed them myself to fall just at the bottom of my calf. Slim pants hug my calves, and the last thing I want is to draw attention to them. Thanks for validating my thinking and style decisions.
I just came across this post again and where can’t agree more!!
Regardless of height, capris don’t look good on most women because they come down to the widest part of the calf, really unflattering. Capris, cropped pants, and culottes can all be hemmed to where they suit your height and calf and body shape. Do what most European women do, find a tailor or do it yourself, a hem job is $5-$10 depending on where you live. Clothing that is tailored to us specifically look so much better and when you look good, you feel good, even more confident! Isn’t that worth investing in? You cannot tell me that capris are cooler in the summer than cropped pants or culottes. I was in Italy in the 2018 summer when it was 100 Fahrenheit, I was nice and cool in my culottes and I saw very few women in capris to be honest.
Always hated them and never purchased a pair. My mother knows so she makes sure that my pajamas are even full length.. If you don’t feel comfortable wearing something, don’t wear it just because everyone else is wearing it. Wear what looks good on you, not what is in style.
I would love to hear your opinion on the high waisted pants and crop tops..
My opinion is that they looked horrible in the 90’s and look horrible now. High waisted pants make your hips, thighs and stomach look big and don’t compliment your rear. Only a certain body type can look alright wearing a pair of high waisted jeans with a crop top. Not many people have the body.
I have always hated capris, even when they were called ‘pedal pushers’ back when I was young. At 76, I don’t worry as much about what’s fashionable, but that doesn’t mean I want to wear something I know isn’t the least bit flattering. I no longer wear shorts, and I’ll leave skinny pants to the young. I’m not wild about ankle pants because, to me, they look like pants that have shrunk. My favorite alternative is a loser leg linen or linen blend pant. I live in Arizona, so long pants can get hot in our days of 100+ weather, so linen is a perfect option, especially if it has a touch of spandex to control the wrinkles. Chinos and knits are another good choice if they are a good quality. Unfortunately, there is too little information or choice out there for women my age. Everything is geared to young women, leading to a closet full of bad decisions, trial and error and frustration for seniors who want to look good. I wish you could recommend or provide good advise for those of us who aren’t ready to stop caring about how we look when we go out.
I went to VCU & have a degree in fashion. A simple way to look at capris is it divides your body too much. Visually it splits you in to 3rds. If you must wear them, don’t wear a belt. I’ve tossed all mine.
Holy cow you should of kept a tab going on this, we almost all hate capris, lol. I have fat calf’s and skinny ankles, the look is a horror! Cropped for me, long shorts only for golf, I can’t take the heat in summer. Thanks for sharing!