If you’ve been keeping up with all the hottest fashion trends lately? If so, you’ve probably heard a fairly odd term being thrown around: Culottes.
If you’re not savvy with your fashion terminology, that probably doesn’t give you much information. Well, they’re a type of pants. They aren’t just your average jeans or leggings, though. They combine two key design trends to create a unique look that is bound to take the streets by storm in the coming months.
If you’re a little on the fence about culottes and what they can add to your wardrobe, check this out.
What are Culottes?
As we said, culottes are a type of pants. They’re trousers to be exact. They’re typically made of cotton, have minimal pocket options, and in terms of feel, they tend to be a lot like pantsuit bottoms or old-fashioned cotton trousers.
However, they’re differentiated from those stale old tropes with one unique feature.
The legs on culottes are made much wider and flared out. Towards the bottom, they’re almost as wide as bell bottoms, but they’re nowhere near as skinny around the leg portion.
This creates a skirt-like appearance without all the downsides of a skirt, but we’ll get into that in a minute.
Why Should You Add Culottes to Your Wardrobe?
So, you know what culottes are, but why should you add them to your wardrobe? Well, the main answer is that they’re flexible.
Culottes are technically pants, and they offer all the benefits that come with that. They’re easy to move in, protect the vast majority of your lower body, and don’t get in the way while you’re maneuvering. However, they’ve visually much like a skirt. That adds a sense of fluidity to your overall look, and even a sense of elegance, that pants just don’t provide. This combo allows them to be combined with the majority of casual to semi-formal top options without clashing too much, and you can fit culottes into almost any setting without looking out of place.
On top of that, they’re incredibly comfortable. Besides being made of cotton, which is naturally moisture-wicking and soft on the skin, they’re also flared out without being baggy. That provides a lot of room for your legs to move naturally and without any restrictions.
What Should You Look for in Culottes?
Culottes are great, but they do need to be made well if you don’t want them to look odd. Some manufacturers just don’t get the design right, and they won’t provide the benefits we mentioned above.
First, make sure you buy your culottes from a reputable shop. A reputable shop is going to have far higher quality standards for their goods than just some random department store, and that drastically increases your chances of finding a high-quality product right away.
Then, check the tag. Your culottes should be 100% cotton. That’s how the best ones are made.
Finally, take a good look at the design. Culottes flare out, but they’re not like bell-bottom jeans. They’re flared all the way from the waist to the end of the pant leg, and they should fall right below your knee. If the leg portion is too tight, you should find another pair.
