Culottes
Culottes are the best choice in the morning when you can’t decide between trousers or a skirt. They feature all the comfort and simplicity of trousers, but are also just as elegant and feminine as a skirt. No wonder they have reclaimed the international catwalks. With culottes, you'll show your absolute flair for trends and join the ranks of famous women wearing them, from Coco Chanel to Victoria Beckham.
How do you wear culottes?
Culottes, a pair of breeches originally worn in the 17th and 18th centuries, are characterized by their wide-cut, flowing trouser legs. This makes them look like a skirt at first glance. The length usually varies from the knee to the ankle, but now shorter mini styles are also available. Culottes are often reminiscent of cropped wide leg trousers.
This unusual cut makes culottes what they are – an absolute trend piece – but also presents some difficulties in wearing and combining them. At the same time, thanks to the various styles that differ in design, fabric and slight variation in cut, it is suitable for every type of woman.
Worn incorrectly, culottes may quickly look unflattering. They are bulky or make the wearer look short. However, with the following styling tips in mind, you will be on the safe side. As a general rule, avoid too much volume on the upper body. The look will otherwise look overloaded in combination with the wide legs.
Narrow crop tops or a short shirt that you tuck into your trousers are better. This accentuates your waist beautifully and the top acts as a counterpoint to the voluminous culottes. This is especially important for women with wide hips, to draw the eye to the upper body. Culottes in an A-line shape also conceal problem areas.
While high heels are not a must per se with culottes, they do stretch the leg and thus make your silhouette look slimmer - especially if you go for pointed pumps in a nude shade. The wider the trouser legs, the more important will be shoes with a high heel. Small women should also look for a high cut waist and pleats. This further stretches your appearance.
Furthermore, culottes are a versatile item that can be styled and combined differently depending on the mood, taste or occasion. Sporty and casual in your everyday life for example with a sleeveless print shirt or elegant and ladylike with a silk top and short blazer in the evening. Culottes even work for business: pair them with a classic white shirt-style blouse and roll up the sleeves a bit. Victoria Beckham has also styled her culottes like this.
The culottes for stylish moments
Culottes combine the best of both trousers and skirt with their wide-cut trouser legs. Not only are they light and comfortable, but they look feminine and elegant at the same time. In midi length, they emphasize the ankles, usually the narrowest part of the legs, and therefore look good on every woman. Even if you don’t wear size zero, culottes are a real alternative to trousers and skirts – be it at the office, in everyday life or at an evening event. Breuninger has different designs, for example, in navy style or plain monochrome by Marc O’Polo. Simply follow our styling rules and fully exploit the potential of culottes.
