Capri pants are back! How to wear summer’s most divisive style

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They’re short, they’re slimline and they’re very, very Nineties .

Capri pants are back, baby.

Thought they were a passing fad?

Think again.

Eagle-eyed fashion watchers at the SS26 shows will have seen these cropped trousers make an appearance on the Versace, Isabel Marant and Ralph Laurent catwalks, as well as on celebrities like Bella Hadid , Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber.

With the weather rapidly turning towards summer , now is the perfect time to dig yours out of the wardrobe — or, indeed, invest in a pair to begin with.

But styling something like the Capri is a bit of a tall order.

Rising to prominence in the Noughties, Capris were a common sight during Tom Ford’s tenure at Gucci, as well as at Calvin Klein.

Both designers championed the Capri-and-slingback-heel look, which remains surprisingly timeless today — and both were inspired by the minimalism of the Nineties rather than the bling and excess that came to symbolise the later 2000s.

Back in the day, celebs like Madonna, J-Lo and Sarah Jessica Parker were all spotted wearing Capris.

While they made their return to the fashion spotlight last year, the Capri is one of those comeback trends that has remained slightly controversial.

Essentially, aren’t they just glorified pedal pushers, the go-to style for every kid who grew up 20-odd years ago?

Banish the thought!

Styled the right way, they can actually look surprisingly chic (as proved by influencers galore, including Bella Stovey above).

Here’s how.

Unlike shorts, Capris usually hit between knee and mid-calf when it comes to length, which means that they can crop the leg in a rather unflattering way if styled wrong.

On the plus side: they’re much more office-friendly than shorts, and can be layered in all sorts of ways.

Key to making a look work are a lot of basics that are likely already in your wardrobe.

I’m talking white T-shirts, shirts and long coats.

Pair a simple black Capri with a black fitted top and a trench coat (see our list of the best high street trenches here ) for something that looks effortless and put together, or (if it’s summer) then a button-down over your cropped trousers also works wonders.

Want to add a bit of colour?

A black trouser, paired with a white top (if you’re looking, Cos is the place to be) and a red jumper tied around the waist (ideally with a trench over the top) also balances out proportions perfectly.

Or match a fitted black top to your trousers for the ultimate minimalist, Nineties look: Reformation has a lovely black knit top that would work wonders here.

If you’re sick of all that black, then good news — capris do come in other colours.

Nobody’s Child does a lovely green and white polka-dotted set, which looks custom-made for lazy summers spent strolling around Italian cities, while Peachy Den does some lovely red or checked takes on the look that feel like the ultimate attention grabber.

Or, for the ultimate flex, then pair your trousers with a good, preferably oversized, blazer and cropped top, a la Gigi Hadid.

To lengthen the leg, it’s also a good idea to pair your Capris with some kind of heel or sandal — think flip-flops (which also had a moment last year) or even a heeled shoe.

Small London brand Realm does a number of lovely, Nineties-inspired minimalist heeled sandals, as does everybody’s cool-girl staple, Vagabond.

Or, if you want to hide your toes, then a nice ballet flat is always a good option.

For extra statement points, consider investing in a pair of the Speedcat Sneakerinas , which will round off the entire look nicely.

Which places do the best Capris?

A good place to start is probably Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims , which does a tightfitting, high-waisted black number that moulds itself to the body rather effortlessly, as does LuluLemon’s take on the style.

For something a little bit more tailored and less, um, stretchy, M&S also have a great version : slimline, all in black and with a little front pleat that elevates the look to something slightly more office-wear suited.

As mentioned above, Peachy Den also do a great version of the Capri in check (with a matching check top) that you can expect to see on everybody come festival season.

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Or, if you really want to embrace the full Noughties look, then consider investing in a pair of denim trousers.

Both Levi and Aligne do fun takes on the look: the Levi look is slightly more classic and comes down to just over the knee, while Aligne’s take boasts a nice little flare that gives a bit of dimension to the leg.