Cropped pants and culottes are two very popular trends in the fashion industry, but they often create confusion among people. Both offer a variety of styles and can be paired differently to create casual, formal or dressy looks. We will explore the key differences between these two types of pants, as well as the best pairings for each occasion.
Cutting Differences
1.1 Cropped pants（straight cut cropped pants）
Cropped pants are characterized by their shorter length than traditional pants. They usually end between the knee and the heel, creating an effect of lengthening the legs if chosen carefully. They have a straight or slightly flared line, but generally retain a tighter cut around the thighs and hips. This cut makes them very versatile and suitable for a variety of styles.A pair of light blue denim cropped pants with a straight cut. This is a very popular style for summer and can be worn casually.
1.2 Culotte（high-waisted linen culotte）
Culottes have a much looser and more floating cut. They have a shape similar to a skirt, but with a leg parting. They usually have a cocktail, which is a pleat at the knee that gives them a more voluminous and sometimes even more formal look. The cut can vary from high-waisted to low-waisted, depending on the model. Beige linen culottes with a high waist and a cocktail. It is a perfect model for a work day or for an informal event.
How to Style Them: From Casual to Elegance
2.1 Cropped Pants: Versatility Without Limits
Office Look（Black Cropped Office Outfit）
Pair a high-waisted black wool cropped top with an oversized white shirt and a structured blazer. The oversized shirt contrasts with the slimmer cut of the cropped pants, offering a modern and casual look. The structured blazer , on the other hand, gives a more formal and professional look, making the outfit suitable for the office. Complete the look with a thin belt to slim the silhouette. The thin belt emphasizes the waist, creating a comparison with the bottom of the pants and elongating the figure.
Casual Urban Style（street style cropped outfits）
Try a ripped denim cropped top with a white fitted turtleneck and a brown leather jacket. The ripped jeans offer a casual and trendy look, while the fitted turtleneck highlights the upper curves, creating a contrast with the looser fit of the jeans. The brown leather jacket adds a touch of style and personality, making the outfit perfect for a night out on the town or a meeting with friends.
Summer Evening
Opt for a beige linen cropped top with a lace crop top and block heel sandals. Beige linen is a neutral and elegant color, perfect for summer. The lace crop top adds a touch of femininity and romance, while the cut of the crop top creates a contrast with the longer cut of the cropped pants. For a touch of glam, opt for statement earrings and a gold clutch. The gold clutch is an accessory that gives a luxurious and elegant look to the outfit, making it perfect for a summer evening.
2.2 Culotte: Transforming Simplicity into Luxury
Formal Events（silk culotte evening dress）
Black silk culottes paired with a structured draped top and stiletto heeled booties create a red carpet look. Black silk is an elegant and sophisticated color, perfect for formal events. The structured draped top adds a touch of modernity and elegance, while the cut of the top contrasts with the looser cut of the culottes. Add a metallic belt to define the waist. The metallic belt is an accessory that adds a luxurious and elegant look to the outfit, making it perfect for an important event.
Bohemian Style（tweed culottes office outfits）
Try floral chiffon culottes with an oversized tank top and flat sandals in woven leather. The floral chiffon culottes offer a bohemian and romantic look, while the oversized tank top creates a contrast with the wider cut of the culottes, offering a casual and comfortable look. Complete the look with a wide-brimmed hat and an ethnic maxi bracelet. The wide-brimmed hat is an accessory that gives a look of sun protection and bohemian style, while the ethnic maxi bracelet adds a touch of personality and originality to the outfit.
Modern Office
Pair grey tweed culottes with a blouse with a bow and a camel trench coat. The blouse with a bow adds a touch of femininity and elegance, while the camel trench coat gives a more formal and professional look, making the outfit suitable for the office. Loafers with hardware detail and a portfolio bag complete the outfit. The portfolio bag is an accessory that gives a look of professionalism and style, making it perfect for the office.
Golden Rules for Choosing the Right Model
For Shorts: Opt for high-waisted cropped pants and midi-length (below the knee) culottes to elongate your legs.
For shorter people, high-waisted cropped pants are a great choice, as they elongate the legs and give a slimmer appearance to the figure. Midi-length culottes, on the other hand, create an effect of continuity and lengthening, without breaking the silhouette.
For Tall People: Calf- length culottes and cigarette cropped pants enhance your height.
For taller people, calf-length culottes can be a great choice, as they take advantage of the length of the legs and create an elegant and sophisticated look. Cigarette cropped pants, on the other hand, emphasize the slenderness and modernity, enhancing the height.
For Pear Shapes: High-waisted culottes with volume balance the hips, while flared cropped bottoms create harmony.
For those with a pear shape, high-waisted culottes with volume can be a great choice, as they balance out the hips and create a more balanced look. Flared cropped pants, on the other hand, create a harmonious effect between the upper and lower body, offering a more balanced look.
Color and Fabric Combinations
Monochrome Combinations: An all-white look with linen cropped pants and an oversized jacket is perfect for summer.
Monochrome total looks are a very popular trend, as they create a sophisticated and coordinated look. A white total look with linen cropped pants and an oversized jacket is a great example of how monochrome can be used to create a summery and elegant look. Linen is a fresh and light fabric, perfect for summer, while the oversized jacket creates a contrast with the more fitted cut of the cropped pants, offering a modern and casual look.
Bright Patterns: Vertical striped culottes + oversized solid-colored sweater slim the figure.
Bold patterns are a great way to add interest and personality to an outfit. The vertical striped culottes are an example of a pattern that has the effect of elongating the figure, while the oversized solid color sweater creates a contrast with the culottes pattern, offering a modern and fashionable look.
Contrasting Fabrics: Try shiny leather culottes with a cashmere sweater for a bold mix.
Contrasting fabrics are a great way to create a unique and original outfit. The shiny leather culottes are an example of a fabric that has a luxurious and elegant look, while the cashmere sweater offers comfort and a warm feeling. The mix of these two fabrics creates a bold and original outfit, perfect for those who want to express their style.
Style Differences and Pairings
5.1 Cropped Pants（casual matching cropped pants）
Casual Style: For a casual look, denim cropped pants can be paired with a white T-shirt, a destroyed denim jacket and sneakers. This is a very popular look for relaxed days.
Formal Style: For a more formal look, cropped pants in a dressier fabric like linen can be paired with a silk shirt, blazer, and heels. This is a great look for the office or a formal event.
Summer Style: In summer, the lightweight cotton cropped pants with floral prints can be paired with a short-sleeved blouse and sandals. It's a fresh and colorful look.
5.2 Culotte（casual matching culotte）
Casual Style: The lightweight linen culottes can be paired with an oversized cotton shirt and ballet flats. It is a very comfortable and casual look, perfect for a walk or a day of shopping.
Formal Style: For a formal look, tweed culottes can be paired with a tweed blazer in the same color, a silk shirt and heels. It is a very elegant and professional look, perfect for the office or an important event.
Autumn-winter style: In autumn and winter, flannel culottes can be paired with a turtleneck sweater, a leather jacket and boots. It's a warm and fashion look.
Cropped pants and culottes are two very different types of pants, but both have their own charm and can be worn in an elegant and fashionable way.
