What are Capris?

Capris are a style of pants with the bottom hem ending at mid to lower-calf. Capris are also sometimes referred to as pedal pushers, clam diggers, or simply cropped pants. Capris were originally designed to be worn by women, but in some cultures have recently become popular for men to wear in warmer weather. Capri pants were initially designed in the 1950s by Pucci, an Italian fashion designer, and became increasingly popular in the United States in the 1960s.

Typically, capris are reserved for warmer weather seasons however some styles of capris are worn in cooler weather and paired with boots. There are many various styles of capri pants ranging from tailored and slim fitting to low-rise cargo styles. While their initial wave of fashion popularity in the 1960s constituted some wild patterns, the fashion comeback of the capri in the early 2000s saw mostly solid colored varieties.

The comeback of short pants that dominated Spring and Summer fashion lines during the early 2000s instilled many modifications to the earlier style pant. The addition of buckles and drawstring around the hem along with side-leg pockets, wider flared legs, and varying lengths are just some examples of the different styles of modern capris. Different length capris that were adjustable by using buttons became another popular style in 2005 and 2006. Though mostly worn by women, the men’s style of capris, also sometimes called board shorts, were fashioned differently than women’s capris and designed to be worn loose-fitting.

Capris have been constructed of various materials over the years from rayon to cotton to twill, denim, and even in fleece. They have always been most popular in warm weather, paired with an open-toed sandal or shoe and a form-fitting top. Initially, capris represented a cool, summer resort style that suited the golf course or a leisurely day of sailing. Later, the pant became so fashionable it was appropriate for nearly any casual occasion.