Capri trousers are back! Here’s how to style this vintage trouser shape for 2025

What exactly is a Capri trouser? Let’s start there, because these are not pedal pushers – we’ll leave those to the year 9 school disco. A true Capri trouser sits somewhere between the knee and ankle, never above the knee, and often comes with a dainty little side split at the hem.

First designed in 1948 by the German designer Sonja de Lennart, and taken from her Capri Collection, they were her post-war attempt to create a feminine trouser that looked and felt fresh, sophisticated and still showed a bit of leg, rather than a pair more associated with uniforms and practicality.

By the 1950s and into the 1960s it was the trouser – loved and worn by millions of women, and made famous by Hollywood icons like Marilyn Monroe, who was regularly photographed wearing a black jumper and crisp white Capris in her daily life. Audrey Hepburn had quite a collection too, in gingham, black, baby blue – and, of course, that striped pair in Roman Holiday, forever etched in our cinematic memory.

Fast track into 2025 and Capris are appearing on catwalks at Louis Vuitton and Chanel, and are about to topple the voluminous palazzo pant from its pedestal as the trouser shape of summer.

Fitted but not clingy, smart but unfussy and with Google searches up from 21% last year, this is a shape you need to start considering. You might be sceptical, or rummaging through the back of your wardrobe thinking, ‘Didn’t I have a pair in 2006?’, but hear us out. These cropped classics are practical, polished and a welcoming change from the billowing, flowy shapes dominating now.

Also, they’re a style solution that works for bike rides, boat trips and seaside strolls, plus they won’t flap about or get caught in spokes. And because they’re usually made from breathable cotton fabrics, they’re ideal if you prefer leg coverage in the heat.

Our edit includes nostalgic gingham prints from Nobody’s Child and Next – also available in petite for those under 5ft 3in. For tailored cotton styles, head to Boden, Cos or French Connection, whose Carson Capri trouser has now been reduced to £24 (with an extra 20% off if you act quick). Regatta’s cream cotton-rich Capris are designed in a flattering tapered fit and feature pockets.

Styling wise, wear your Capri trousers with a crisp white shirt, a Breton top, or a waistcoat if you want to make them office-appropriate. With regards to your footwear, pop on a kitten heel if you’re feeling chic, or ballet flats on runaround days. Just keep the proportions right – nothing too oversized on top and let the ankle do the talking. Très chic!