How To Wear Capri Pants? | 10 Useful Tips When Styling Capri Pants!

Love capri pants but not sure how to style it? Here's everything you need to know about how to wear capri pants and exclusive tips on styling capri pants! Check it out!

Are capri pants in style as of 2022?

Capri pants were fad in the 2000s and the capri pants trend is back in full swing in 2022 as well. Capri pants did fade out for a little while but it's definitely in style today!

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I absolutely loves wearing capri pants. They're super comfy and so stylish! But a few years ago it went out of style and so my capri pants sat idly at the back of my wardrobe. But recently I've noticed capri pants are making a come back! And Im all for it!

One thing I realised with capri pants is that it can either look really really good or it can look really bad - and it all boils down to how you style your capri pants.

So whip out capri pants too cause I'm going to show you how to rock those capri pants and still be comfortable wearing them all day long!

Tips to styling capri pants: Quick Glance

• Wear capri pants with high heels
• Match the color of your shoes to your pants
• Wear a shorter top with the capris
• Wear capris with tapered legs
• Try capris in different fabrics
• Wear colourful capris with different prints
• Follow the standard 1/3rd - 2/3rd rule
• End your capri pants at the slimmest part of your legs
• Try capris is high or mid-rise waistlines

How To Wear Capri Pants

There is a set of rules that you can follow if you love capri pants:

Wear High Heels

Capri pants does have a reputation of making you look shorter cause of the reduced length of the pants. So my solution (and a stylish one at that!) is to simply wear a pair of classy heels! It's a simple solution (I agree not the most comfortable solution but if it's a matter of a hours, why not?)

My favourite way to dress up a pair of capri pants is to wear high heels. You can wear any kind of heels, be it stilettos or pumps or even wedges. My favourite type of heels to wear with capri pants is the ankle strap chunky heels.

No matter how narrow or wide the legs are cut, high heels always make the outfit look sexier, so this is a rule you can apply to your pants as well.

In fact, high topped booties are also a good choice of shoes to pair with capri pants. You can, of course, wear flat shoes if you are tall or have long legs. 

But to be honest, sneakers look just as cool with capri pants!

It doesn’t end here, though. The colour of your shoes also matters, bringing us to rule #2.

Match The Color Of Your Shoes With Your Capris

If you choose your shoes in the same colour as your pants, you give the illusion of one long silhouette.

The more you incorporate different or contrasting colours, the more you start defining certain aspects of your legs, which can make you look shorter. 

Check out the image below:

Style Your Capris With Shorter Tops

Oversized tops and boyfriend fit sweaters might be in vogue now but that’s a definite No for your capri pants.

These are going to make you look shorter. Oversized or long tops go really well with long skinny or tapered fit pants, and the reverse applies for short capri pants.

Wear a top that is either cropped or long enough to skim your waist. It can be fitted or slightly loose or even oversized as long as it isn’t very long.

You can even pair these capri pants with a black leather jacket for a youthful look. This trend is especially great as capris are usually associated with older women. And new styles and materials like denim capris or pairing it with leather gives you a fresh look.

In summer months or in the warmer weather, you can substitute the jacket for a nice white shirt.

You can even switch out your leather or denim capris with linen capris. This fabric is more breathable and good for nicer spring weather. Linen capris are also the ultimate sun protection piece.

• Related: How to Look Style Leather Pants

Wear Tapered Legged Capris

I love those wide legged pants because they are oh-so comfortable, especially in the hot and humid seasons. But, this does not always look good.

Go for a cut that follows the outline of your legs and one that tapers. This will make your legs look longer and slimmer.

But, if you are slim or skinny, do feel free to wear wide legged capris that will accentuate your slim silhouette and add some fullness to your figure. 

While there are different fabrics that these trend pants are made from, stretch material is a good choice as its comfortable to move around in. 

Let Your Pants End At The Slimmest Part Of Your Legs

Where the pants end is the portion of your body you will be drawing attention to. I don’t think you want to show off your calves if they are chubby or too muscular, right?

Get capris that show off the slimmest part of your legs, whether they are just above your ankles (called cropped pants) or just below your calves.

If you have legs that are slim throughout, you can also wear pedal pushers that just about skim your knees. 

Check out the link below for some attractive pedal pushers capri pants you can choose from:

Follow The Standard ⅓ - ⅔ Rule For Dressing

Even if you are as blind as a bat when it comes to figuring out fashion trends, there is the ⅓ - ⅔ rule you can follow as a thumb rule to make sure that you don’t completely look frumpy. 

This again goes back to wearing a shorter top that forms ⅓ rd of your torso while the capri pants form ⅔ rd's of your body.

This rule is something you must follow no matter what you wear to look slimmer and taller.

A good and really simple way to ensure this is by tucking your top or shirt into the waistband of your capri pants. 

Try A Different Waistline

Where the pants sit on your waist makes all the difference in how you look. There are high waisted capris, mid waisted and even low rise ones, but which one should you pick?

Wear mid waisted capri pants to appear taller, if you are short in height.

However, if you have legs that are short, you want to make them look longer, so go in for a high waisted set of pants. 

As an additional tip, choosing pants that have vertical stripes also gives off the illusion that you are a long legged lass!

Plain Or With Details

The capris in the market are designed with pockets, waistbands, drawstrings and lots of fancy embellishments. They certainly look really nice and quite tempting to wear but this might not really work well for the wearer.

How plain or detailed your capri pants should be depends on your body type and size. If you are on the heavier or bulkier side, I suggest you go for plain capri pants without too many details.

Extras like drawstrings, bulky pockets, etc draw more attention but look good on those who are slimmer. 

Keep It Colourful

Choose capris in bright and brilliant colours, making that the statement piece of your outfit. Capris are all about fun, so might as well go for something that screams it!

They are also great colours for the summer and spring, which is when you will most probably be wearing them.

However, if you aren’t really one for vibrant colours, choose a pair of capri pants in subtle or earthy tones. Wear these with a white or black printed top. 

Choosing The Right Fabric Of Your Capri Pants

Now, we certainly do want to make a style statement but it’s also equally important to love the fabric you are wearing.

Ankle pants now come in so many different fabrics, moving these from the “casual” rack to the stylish party rack.

You can find capris in flowy chiffons, sexy faux leather and even suede, and not just in cotton or other regular synthetic fabrics anymore. Wear your favourite pants for just about any occasion now. 

When do Capri Pants become unflattering?

A lot of people consider capris to be one of those outfits meant for older women. This is probably because often we have this image of a middle aged woman wearing a pair of capri pants and sweater, tending her garden. This needn’t really be the case if you just style your pants right, and wear ones that make you look good. Here are some of the most common reasons behind pants becoming very unflattering:

The Length of the Capri Pants

Capris come in various lengths, starting from just below the knee to just above the ankle. They also come in various widths. Depending on the fabric and cut, not all suit everybody. 

Capris that end in the middle of your calves can be unflattering, especially if you are a normal human being without modelesque toned calves. These pants highlight the calves and are to be worn only if you have muscular or toned calves that you want to show off. 

The Fabric

Secondly, some capris, depending on the fabric can give the illusion of shortening your legs, which is exactly what we don’t want. Every woman wants to show off long legs and a pair of capris can sometimes do just the opposite. Having said that, it does not mean that if you are short you cannot wear Capris. In the article below I have listed some options which are different versions of the Capris that you can rock if you are on the shorter side. 

Styling them all wrong:

Thirdly, what you wear the ankle pants with makes all the difference in the world. Yes, they are so hard to style but ask yourself a few questions. Are you wearing them with flats or with heels? Are you wearing your capris with a cute top or a tee-shirt? How are you accessorising it? Read on to find out what Capri work and how to wear them right.

Keep in mind, not all ankle pants are tailored to perfection and not all suit all body types. Longer pants, jeans or trousers, no matter what fabric they are made in, are easier to style and suit most sizes and body types. So it’s important to choose the right cut and fabric so that it highlights your best features.

What to wear instead of capris?

• Boyfriend Jeans
• Tapered jeans
• Regular Jeans
• Ankle length pants
• Culottes
• Cargo pants

Lastly, wear your pants with confidence. Remember, just because you want to wear “Capri Pant trend”, it does not mean that you have to wear something that sits in the middle of your calves in a cut that does nothing to accentuate your best features. Be wise about the pants you choose and what you pair them with! 

Also read

• How to wear Wide Leg Trousers