We'll show you how to wear culottes in summer but first: a history lesson.
The last time I had a pair of culottes in my wardrobe, I was taking street dancing classes on a Saturday morning and wearing them with split sole dance trainers and a Tammy Girl baby tee. I was nine.
Thankfully, fashion has moved on considerably since then if you're wondering how to wear culottes in 2026. Think softly tailored pairs worn with ballet flats in Copenhagen, brushed denim styles teamed with romantic blouses in Paris, and slouchy knee-length silhouettes styled with tank tops and tiny sunglasses across every Fashion Week street style gallery currently clogging up our saved folders.
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Did you know the history of culottes is linked to class struggle and female liberation? What we know today as a swishy, skirt-like, cropped trouser actually has quite a nebulous definition, as it's been used to describe different garments over time. From the late Middle Ages until the early 1800s, culottes were the knee breeches worn by men from the European aristocracy and upper classes. They were so associated with money that, at the time of the French Revolution, revolutionaries of the lower classes were known as “sans-culottes” due to their long trousers. But, if you're reading this, you're probably more interested in the feminist history of the garment.
During the Victorian era, split skirts came into use for women for the purpose of horseback riding. (Since trousers for women up until this point were quite scandalous, and in some instances, illegal!) Quite literally skirts split in half, their legs were made up of flowing fabric, a precursor to today's culottes. The point was that it looked like a skirt, but allowed women more flexibility of movement, particularly when sitting on horseback. The garment was adapted for other activities like cycling, gardening and cleaning, but was not yet mainstream.
In the 1910s, the jupe-culotte (literally meaning skirt-pant in French) was associated with women's suffrage. In 1911, the doctor and feminist Madeleine Pelletier was quoted in a Vogue article titled The Distracting Jupe-Culotte saying: “Liberty of movement is conducive to liberty of thought.” We also can't leave out the contribution of Paul Poiret: while his harem pants are slightly different to the culottes we know today, it was one of the first times women in Europe wore trousers as a fashionable garment. Trousers for women also became a bit of a necessity due to the First World War, when women filled the gap in the workforce left by conscripted men.
Then, in the '20s, the hedonistic flapper mood brought with it a relatively more free attitude to fashion and gender, so it only made sense that culottes grew in popularity as a fashionable garment. Fashion designer Coco Chanel was particularly fond of them, often wearing flowy trousers known as “beach pyjamas” from the late 1910s. Elsa Schiaparelli, another seminal fashion designer of the era, dressed tennis player Lilí Álvarez in culottes in 1931 for Wimbledon, which caused some pearl-clutching at the time.
As the decades progressed, trousers for women became less of a shock and more a normal part of the female wardrobe – due to factors like wartime pragmatism in the 40s and the cultural revolution of the 60s. Fast forward to today, where culottes on women would not raise an eyebrow in the slightest. (Perhaps they're even something your mum or grandma might wear!)
Culottes are a great way to add movement to your outfit, while being just as practical as traditional trousers – makes sense, considering their history. So, how to wear culottes in winter? As Chanel showed us 100 years ago, they look great in the summer on the French Riviera – but rest assured that they can be styled for the colder months, too.
Ahead, how to wear culottes in summer.
With denim culottes and a ruffled blouse
Denim culottes are the best way to switch out your jeans for summer if you're not into wearing short shorts. A romantic ruffled blouse softens the structure of heavier denim and gives the whole look a distinctly French-girl energy that feels incredibly chic for summer.
Rather than opting for fitted silhouettes or anything overly structured on top, keep things slightly undone. Think airy cotton fabrics, delicate lace trims and relaxed sleeves balanced against structured denim below. Finish with leather sandals or woven accessories and you’ve got an outfit that works equally well for city weekends and holiday evenings abroad.
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With ballet flats
Ah, the ballet flat. If there’s one shoe capable of making culottes feel instantly elegant rather than overly sensible, it’s these. The combination works because both pieces sit in that sweet spot between practical yet put together - particularly when paired with softly tailored culottes in neutral shades like cream, navy or black.
A slightly cropped culotte that hits mid-calf allows the shoe to remain visible, which keeps the overall silhouette feeling light for summer. Add a breezy knit, crisp poplin shirt or simple vest top and the result feels far more Fashion Week than Year 8 geography teacher.
With a striped top and mini sunglasses
There’s a reason fashion people return to Breton stripes every single summer: they make almost anything look more expensive. Styled with culottes, they bring a slightly undone Parisian feel to a silhouette that can otherwise look overly polished.
The easiest way to wear the combination is by keeping everything relaxed. Opt for an oversized striped tee with tailored culottes and simple accessories - think slim sunglasses, leather sandals and a slouchy tote rather than anything too prim.
Summer dressing always benefits from a little texture, and crochet styling gives culottes a softer, more bohemian edge without feeling too festival-coded.
A delicate lace blouse or crochet cap paired with clean-cut tailored culottes creates the perfect balance between romantic and minimal. It’s particularly effective in tonal shades like ivory, butter yellow or soft oat tones, which help the overall look feel expensive rather than overly busy.
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With relaxed tailoring and open-toe sliders
One of the easiest ways to make culottes work for summer in the office is by treating them like relaxed tailoring rather than a full on suit. Pleated styles in lightweight wool or linen blends naturally lend themselves to cleaner styling: oversized shirts, simple jewellery and barely-there leather sliders.
Open-toe sandals stop culottes from feeling too heavy in summer, particularly when paired with softer tailoring and lightweight fabrics like linen or brushed cotton. The key is keeping the styling clean and unfussy - a simple vest, oversized shirt or relaxed poplin layer is more than enough. Done right, it has that understated luxury feel the street style set always seem to master during heatwaves.
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With a white tank top
Fashion’s obsession with elevated basics works perfectly with culottes because the silhouette already does most of the styling work for you. A simple white ribbed tank creates a clean contrast against wider cropped trousers, making the overall outfit feel sleek rather than oversized.
This is one of those combinations that benefits from subtle accessories: slim belts, leather flip flops, delicate gold jewellery and a great pair of sunglasses. Playing around with silhouettes has been a feature of fashion recently, evidenced by the popularity of bubble skirts, capes and powerful shoulders – not to mention abstract shapes on the runway from brands like Jean Paul Gaultier and Alaïa. So, now is the time to have fun with it.
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With a polo shirt
Preppy styling has quietly crept back onto the fashion agenda this year, and a fitted polo shirt paired with culottes feels like one of the easiest ways to wear the trend without looking overly collegiate.
The structure of the polo balances the volume of the trouser particularly well, especially when tucked in slightly at the waist. Stick to classic colours - navy, cream, forest green or burgundy - and pair with loafers, sporty trainers or sleek sandals depending on how polished you want the final look to feel.
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With a blazer
Most of these looks would work quite well for the office, but if you really want to go for corporate chic, why not pair your culottes with a blazer? The flowing fabric of the trousers contrasts beautifully with the more structured suit jacket. Pair with a lightweight shirt or tank top underneath, plus some shoes and accessories of your choice – there's no going wrong with this formula, so it's really up to your personal taste! For the most fun-loving of fashion disciples, layering a lacy blouse underneath brings more depth to the outfit and taps into the recent trend for lingerie.
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