I recently made one of, what I’d say, the best clothing purchases of my life—capris. Capris have had a long history of being a controversial trend, with some arguing that they cut the leg at its widest part, while some say, they are the perfect choice for a 60 degree weather day. I was hesitant at first to make the purchase, in fear they wouldn’t look as classy on me as other people. But, I went ahead and purchased black, low-rise capri pants from American Eagle (sadly now sold out).
Once they arrived, I immediately wore them and felt my confidence level skyrocket. First off, they are absolutely perfect for warmer weather, and are way more comfortable than the feeling of your legs sticking to a chair while wearing jean shorts. Second of all, the show of the leg adds a classiness that I have never experienced while wearing flood jeans that touch the floor.
Though it’s been argued that capris disrupt the body’s proportion, with the perfect styling, a capri can easily become reminiscent of the old Hollywood star, Audrey Hepburn.
Capris have always been a trend that fades from being “in” to “out” but they actually paved the way for women to wear pants in an “acceptable” manner. They were invented in 1945 by German fashion designer Sonja De Lennart, just after World War II. The pants were actually a part of a collection designed by De Lennart, entitled “The Capri Collection,” named after the Italian island, “The Isle of Capri.” De Lennart longed for the island of Capri, and to her it stood as a symbol of “freedom, peace and happiness.”
This symbolic meaning is especially true, as up until the 1940s, pants were exclusively a clothing item for men. So, when the capri pants came about, women were finally able to wear pants, while quite literally feeling the freedom, peace and happiness that De Lennart wanted out of the collection.
The capri was then brought over to the states, by Paramount’s head designer, Edith Head, who styled Audrey Hepburn in the pants for the iconic film “Roman Holiday.” Thus with the release of this movie, Hepburn had popularized the capri pants.
Hepburn had become known for wearing capri pants, with one of her most iconic looks, black capris, a black long sleeve top and black ballet flats. Showing that women had swapped the little black dress for the comfier, more flexible little black capris. Soon after, tons of Hollywood stars began styling capris as part of their daily wardrobe like Marilyn Monroe, Bridgette Bardot and Grace Kelly.
After the pants hit Hollywood, the rest of America followed. With the typical 1950s housewife freeing themselves from the shackles of the quintessential 50s swing dress to finally being able to wear pants accepted by society. This kept an eye on their feminine figure, but allowed them to run more freely without the worry of their dresses blowing in the wind. There were officially pants that had that delicate feel society had wanted from women. De Lennart had made pants of versatility.
I can testify to their versatility as I have found myself wearing capris on numerous different occasions. I’ve managed to wear them with a sweater on a 50 degree spring day, but also have worn them with a sparkly top for a night out. Below I’ve provided just a few different ways you can style the capri pants.
Like previously mentioned Audrey Hepburn is the reason capris are as popular as they are today. The classic Audrey Hepburn way to wear capris includes, pairing them with a plain black long sleeve top, and sleek black ballet flats. This look is perfect for accentuating your figure and adding a touch of class to your daily outfit.
2. The Cardigan
A classic look is pairing capris with a simple white tank top with a cardigan of your choosing thrown over top, and of course, a ballet flat. This serves as a classy yet very trendy look as Gen-Z has been known to add a cardigan over any outfit and leave just the top button buttoned.
Attending a night out with friends was one place I didn’t expect capris to work, but to my surprise they have become my staple pant for a night out. Capris allow for you to feel comfortable while dancing all night long. Pairing them with a sparkly top and a pair of tiny heels makes them the perfect night out formula.
So, we’ve previously discussed black capris, but jean capris are quite popular as well and are very reminiscent of the resurgence of capris during the 2000s. Capri jeans are a more freeing way of styling capris, allowing room for movement. Pairing capri jeans with a summery tank top adds the perfect summery feel.
Whether you came upon this article with a love for capris or with a distaste to the cropped pant idea, I hope you at least realized the meaning these pants hold. As they are more than just a trend, but stand as one of the many reasons women are able to wear what they want today. Without capris, women would’ve never been able to be socially accepted wearing jeans, shorts or trousers. So next time you see capris, don’t look at them with distaste, instead remember, without them you may not have been allowed to wear jeans in public.
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Hi! I’m Hannah Planey, A Magazine’s editor-in-chief. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.
