How to Wear Culottes: The Fall Edit for Older Women
This week is all about how to wear culottes because I think whether you call them cropped pants or culottes, they can be a wonderful option. If you think they just don’t look good on you, then I might suggest digging a little deeper about “why” they don’t look good.
Could it be the proportions with the top? Is it the length or width of the pants? Because not all culottes are created equal.
Quote of the day: “I’m trying hard to see people in a different way, that THEIR way may not be MY way, but that’s absolutely fine! I hope future generations can go through life being less hard on themselves and each other.” Donna Mallard
This quote is from one of my readers in an email exchange we had the other day. One of the best things that she and I have learned in our midlife years is how judging others is detrimental. There is NO one right way. Whether that’s how we live our lives or how we style our clothes.
This means, even though we show two different variations with tops as part of how to wear culottes, your opinion could be conflicting with my thoughts, yet that doesn’t make it wrong!! In fact, in my example, Lesley commented that she liked the belted version better.
Lesley tried a trend she hasn’t like in the past.
Insider tip: Don’t get caught up in the “name” of the piece. Sure, I’m calling these culottes, but you could call them cropped pants or even capris. It really doesn’t matter what you call them, but how you feel in an outfit.
Culottes: Lola Jeans ~~Top: Lauren Jean Company~~ Boots: Universal Thread~~ Earrings: Charming Charlies ~~ Purse: thrifted
Tucked or Untucked
Proportion is the same issue we talked about with our midi skirts. Maybe if you don’t love how culottes look on you, the issue could be that you are wearing your top untucked and creating a half and half proportion. Not that this is the worst thing in the world. But maybe you look at it and think it’s not as wonderful?
If you like the 1/3 to 2/3 proportion better but hate tucking in your tops, here are a couple of other ideas.
1-Buy crop tops. Now I know you’re thinking you’re too old for crop tops. But many of the “crop” tops aren’t super short (again, not all are created equal), and they could actually hit you at your waist instead of your crotch.
2-Try the half-tuck (remember it doesn’t have to be in the front of your body. Charlotte has showcased it on the side.
3-Use an elastic (either clear one or hair elastic) to make the top end where it looks good to you.
4-Have your top altered shorter so you can leave it untucked and like the proportions.
5-Or try my trick and wear a tunic so the top half is the 2/3 proportion.
Belt It
I’ve showcased a couple of posts comparing/contrasting using a belt. While they can be a wonderful extra, they aren’t always needed or helpful.
If you are thinking of how to wear culottes, and you’ve tucked in your top, a belt can add the finishing touch. Sometimes it can cut you in half. What’s the difference? In my mom’s example, I think the white belt actually looks like the white stripes of the top so it blends in.
Belt Comparisons
Simplified Belt Style Depending on What You Like Best
Accessory Style Challenge: When to Wear a Belt
A Pop of Color
How would you accessorize this outfit?? Since there is so much blue and white already, I asked my mom to bring in a different color with her accessories. And did you know that green accessories were seen all over the Met Gala this year? I think the green and blue together are fabulous and even though the purse and earrings don’t match exactly, they both give off that green vibe.
There are so many other pops of colors that would be fabulous with the blue and white outfit.
1-Yellow, just like Lesley wore recently.
2-Pink, both light pink or bright pink
3-Orange
4-Red
What would you pick?
Charlottes and How to Wear Culottes: The Denim Version
These culottes are a perfect example of how you can tailor them to make them better for you. When my mom first got these (see that post here), they were much longer. So she decided to shorten them which makes them almost the same length as her midi skirt from a couple of weeks ago.
In fact, back in the 1970s, my mom had made a brown wool pair of culottes, which she changed into an A-line skirt 10 years later.
Insider tip: I’m learning it is much more sustainable to fix/upstyle/alter your clothes than to purge them. Even if you can’t make the changes yourself, it’s usually less expensive to pay someone to do it than buying a whole new clothing item.
Denim is such a staple in our lives now. In fact, if you ever go shopping in the younger kids’ stores, you’ll notice that jeans are predominant for females and men alike. Not that we need to look like the youngsters, but denim is ageless!!
How to Wear Culottes with Ankle Boots
You saw my mom wear these same culottes with navy boots recently. A taller boot leaves no bare skin exposed for when it’s colder. Yet a shorter boot works fabulously when there isn’t a big nip in the air. Ankle boots give that nod to fall, yet don’t give you heatstroke during the Indian Summer of fall.
These white, cowboy ankle boots are ones that can be worn with almost anything. In fact, you can see how my mom wore them as a contrast to an outfit over 2 years ago.
Just because you have a cowboy-style bootie does not mean the entire outfit needs that same vibe. If you are looking for a modern cowboy style look, you would want to revisit Nancy’s outfit.
Thank you
If you’ve enjoyed this, I hope you will look around the site and…
- find out more about the blog here. Including behind the scenes of our relationship here.
- you can see all the categories of past posts here
- feel free to use any discounts or deals that I share here.
- make sure to sign up for emails to enjoy fun features in every email PLUS get my recent eBook here.
- follow me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest.
- and if you ever want to reach out or have any requests, feel free to email me at JTouchofStyle@gmail.com
If you enjoyed any of this information, I would appreciate if you would share, share and share wherever you can!! You can do this by saving an image to your Pinterest board or sharing this post on Facebook. Or send this post to your friend, and make sure they sign up for the emails.
Why should you sign up for the emails below? I include some personal tidbits in these emails along with other happenings, sales, information, and links. So I hope you join me on this journey.
