Are Capri Pants Still In Style This Year?
This feels like an age-old question that comes up every summer. Many brands still make and market them to midlife women, and some women are snapping them up, so let’s chat about one of my least favorite summer garments. Are capri pants still in style this year? The answer depends on who you ask. I wrote about the new iteration for 2024 here. Capri pants can be notoriously unflattering and hard to wear stylishly because of their length.
What Are Capri Pants?
Capri pants are casual, lightweight pants that typically fall between the knee and ankle, most often ending mid-calf. They usually have slim legs and often have useless drawstrings or buttons at the bottom. Capris have gotten such a bad reputation of late that brands now call them everything from skimmers to pedal pushers to crops. Crops differ from capris with a wider leg and are usually almost to the ankle.
Capris exploded on the fashion scene in the late ’50s and early ’60s. Who doesn’t remember them worn by Mary Tyler Moore, Grace Kelly, and Audrey Hepburn?
Do Capri Pants Make You Look Older?
They’re certainly not as popular as they once were and will never be a modern way of dressing. If you wear them in the wrong length and in a dated print, they will make you look out of touch and older. You won’t find brands marketing capri pants to women in their 30s and 40s, so by wearing them, you instantly date yourself. Jean capris tend to look most modern. Just beware of their length.
What’s The Best Length For Capris?
Capri pants look most flattering when they stop just below or above the widest part of your calf where your leg indents. The ones that end mid-calf make your legs look shorter and thicker. An inch, one way or the other, can make all the difference in how flattering capri pants can be. For women who need additional leg coverage for varicose veins, opt for longer ones that fall below the calf.
What Shoes Look Best With Capris
Avoid clunky sneakers or heavy shoes with capri pants. These look best with a pair of sandals, low heels, and a lower vamp shoe. Flats can make you feel dumpy, so look for a shoe or sandal with some height, whether it be a flatform, platform, wedge, or low heel. Nude shoes are a great option because they elongate the look of your leg by blending with your skin. Ankle straps should be avoided because they further chop up the look of your leg. See also- Tips To Help You Look Taller and Slimmer.
How to wear capri pants
If you adore capri pants and they’re an important part of your summer wardrobe, choose ones that don’t chop your leg at the widest part. The best length for capri pants is below the calf, where your leg begins to narrow to the ankle, or above the calf, where it narrows below the knee. Wear them with lightweight tops and blouses that you can half-tuck or end at upper hip length. Keep jewelry simple and on a smaller scale so it doesn’t overpower the casual vibe.
Who Should Avoid Wearing Capri Pants
Since they shorten the look of your leg, women with long torsos and short legs should avoid them. Petite women will need an even shorter top with capris to avoid cutting their bodies in half. Since they shorten the look of your leg, they’re often best avoided by shorter women. Women with heavy legs should tread carefully with capris because they make them look heavier.
Are you a fan of capri pants, and how do you wear yours?
In my opinion, capris are not flattering period. There are other (better) alternatives for the summer months. Maxi skits, and dresses, ankle pants, summer dresses, wide leg pants and shorts. White jeans are a summer staple for me. I also bought some linen blend pants that are a jogger style. Cool and more flattering than capris. But to each his own
I love them!!! Living in Florida, with the heat and humidity, there is no way I am going to wear a pair of regular length jeans. I wear the Capri jeans. They are very flattering on me and 90% of the women here wear them. I don’t care what anyone says!
I’m right there with you and others Cindy. I’m 68, athletic with nice-looking legs. Capris are fun, and easy to style. I feel good in them and have never thought I looked matronly, and certainly not dowdy, in them–in fact, they can be styled in such an upbeat way that the look feels fresh. Many elements go into making your style more youthful (hair style, jewelry, shoes) so go with what you feel comfortable and confident in.
I recently ditched (donated) my collection of jean capris that fell just below my knee. Not flattering with my heavy (15”) “shapely” calves. I’m 5’5” and have opted for cropped which fall just above or at my ankle.
Jennifer, what about classic sneakers such as Easy Spirit Ap1? I have a pair of white leather ones that work well with no show socks and ankle pants.
I wear white sneakers with ankle pants often. Just be sure the pants don’t get caught on the top of the shoe.
No, no, no to capri pants. They make you look out of style and matronly. If you have to go shorter, do ankle length.
I left capris behind and have instead bought cropped. I think the capris made me look bigger, whereas the cropped are more thinning. I also don’t want to look dated. I don’t follow all trends but this is one that is beneficial.
Here we go again. Something a person likes and wants to wear is off-limits because it makes her look “old” and “dumpy.” I thought fashion “rules” weren’t our master anymore. Ladies, if you like your capris and they help with a problem like veins, don’t chuck them all in the trash because some fadish “rule” says to. I wonder if a one-inch adjustment to a hem is going to fool people into thinking I’m not really old. I am.
These aren’t rules, Kay, they are proportion suggestions. One inch difference in the length of anything won’t effect how old one looks, but it can have an impact on how flattering it looks….regardless of age. It’s all about personal preference and wearing what makes you feel confident.
If someone is confident in her capris, then why question her? The use of words like “dumpy” and “matronly” offend me, quite frankly.
My comments aren’t questioning a woman’s desire to wear capri pants. I’m offering advice on proportion. Dumpy and matronly offends most women, you’re certainly not alone there.
The premise of this post is to help women understand the most visually flattering length to wear them. I don’t wear them but if you do, it’s nice to wear them in a way that helps you look your best.
I also don’t wear shorts, but I’ll share the most flattering way to wear them.
That’s what I do.
I’m 5’3″. I did not know that my children made great fun of a pair of knit capris that I wore frequently in the 90’s. The pants were also loud and the wrong colors for me. So no, don’t do capris, but ankle length pants seem OK. It’s interesting to note that Mary Tyler Moore, Grace Kelly and even Audrey Hepburn who was 5’7″ were all taller, thin women.
Great observation. They were very slim and tall
I bought two pair of what I call capris this season for cooler days. I am 5’2” tall and the petite comes just below my knee so they cover my knee replacement scar and actually fall in the narrow place above my calf. They are white and a pair of tan so are neutral. I wear with a simple Madewell tee or a rayon top with flutter cap sleeves. I am 78 but still have a nice figure all except my waist has thickened so no tucked in tops for me anymore. My husband likes the look and his opinion matters still to me. It gets very hot here in south Colorado front range mountains and very dry. Young women are barely covered top and bottom here and that has never been a look for me. I wear Bermuda shorts most days. I love the look of the floaty linen wide leg pants you wore on Tuesday Jennifer, but I am just too short to carry them off. Crops are full length on me which I prefer to elongate me short slim legs.
I have held onto some favorite slim capris and enjoy wearing them on occasion although I now prefer the wide leg versions. In the 50’s my elderly neighbor would wear pedal pushers with low-heeled pumps when working in her yard. No casual tennis shoes or sandals for her! I will now start taking careful notice of the length of my capris which are cooler than crops and more attractive (to my eye) than shorts.
Capris came in at a time when I no longer felt comfortable in shorts. I embraced them, but being only 5’3″, 28 inch inseam, I always felt the longer ones suited me better. I have mostly internal varicose veins that cause leg swelling. If I don’t have time to sit with my legs up regularily during the day, they really swell. I am opting to replace my capris with ankle pants over time-a pair here and a pair there. I should be wearing compression stockings but I hate them so much and only wear them if I am on my feet all day. And, of course I’d never wear them with anything but full length pants. Would love to hear suggestions about what I can do about them, if anything. They ruin the look of a summer dress and I can’t wear sandals with them. So upsetting at times, but at 71 I know I must forgetaboutit and just be grateful I am still here and able to be active and enjoy my life.
Can you wear white footless tights over your compression stockings? That’s a cute look with summer dresses.
My husband refers to capris as ‘waders’ – fishing pants, I guess. He’s generally uncritical, so it he pans something, that’s enough for me to not wear it. I don’t wear them anyway, though, as they remind me of pedal pushers. I do love culottes, however.
Jennifer, it would be nice to know what you think about sleeve lengths — cap sleeves and short sleeves especially. The anchor on the news this am had the most unattractive short sleeved dress on.
Sleeve lengths are a challenge with so many unflattering options. I think a blog post is in order. Thanks for the idea Maeve.
I find this topic fascinating. With one reconstructed knee, I have scars and veins I don’t like to see myself, let alone inflict on others. So I turned to capris as a miracle solution. After I read your first post on capris, I pulled out the full length mirror and took a look — your analysis of my beloved capris hit the bullseye, Jennifer!
I still like the freedom from a long pant, and although selective about where and when to wear capris, I secretly long for a pair of red and white checked cotton pedal pushers I remember from my childhood, lol. So I am unsure what I will wear this summer. On the other hand, I do pay attention to how young women are dressed and can’t say their preferred styles appeal to me. At 71, petite height, athletic all my life but losing the battle of muscle tone as the years proceed, I do wish there was clothing appropriately designed for my particular age and circumstances. Do you know of any brands that design for the mature woman? I wear a size four for everywhere else except my waist which remains a stubborn apple shape!
I’m always on the hunt for brands designing for mature women too. I’ll let you know if I find new ones.
This insight on capris was appreciated. As someone with horrible varicose veins, shorts are not an option. And in the heat of summer, a dress or skirt is not always practical for everyday. I wear capris out of necessity, and want them to look as good as possible. Thanks for the styling tips.
My pleasure. I’m glad they were helpful.
The last time I wore capri’s was in the 1960’s when they were called pedal pushers. Since I am only 5’0, they are extremely unflattering & as I am in my 60’s now, they look matronly.
I can however, wear a capri, depending on the style, which ends up being a “skimmer” or ankle pant for me.
Great article. In theory I like capri’s and have worn them. In real life, to put it kindly my legs are my worst feature, so I don’t wear capri’s or that style anymore…i think well styled they can be very cute and flattering. It’s like jeans you try on many many labels to find the right fit….I do wear jeans cuffed and that look works for me in the summer…..I go for cute tops to take away attention to my legs…..also the summer bags you featured are so cute……
Being 5′ 1″ with a longer torso and shorter legs, capris will never have space in my closet! I purposefully buy a regular length, not a petite size, in ankle pants to do everything to elongate the look of my legs.
I’ve never worn capris as they aren’t flattering on me. But I have purchased many pairs and then cut them off to be Bermuda shorts. I like the slimmer thigh, which is hard to find in long shorts, which tend to get wide and unflattering. Capris make perfect shorts, when cut to the right length. And with raw hems being fashionable now, it’s extra simple to do this.
They make you look short and dumpy. I’ll either wear Bermuda shorts that hit just above the knee, or ankle pants. Actually in a hot climate in the summer a dress is the coolest thing you can wear. I’m 73 and live in a retirement community so I see a lot of capri pants. It’s kind of a uniform. No thank you.
I am 5’2″ and wear crops or ankle pants. I fold or cut my jeans to get the right length at times. I have bought capris in regular length, and they are crop length on me which is perfect. I think shorter tops look good with crops when you are not tall.
Thank you Jennifer for pointing out how capris can look on our legs. You brought this up before, and I changed to crop and ankle length then, and it has made a difference . I look taller and slimmer, and shoes look better with them.
Ankle pants are a great option too. Just a few inches makes all the difference.