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Boden does Fifties-style chic
Cropped Trousers. Very much ‘in vogue’ and, I feel, with somewhat of a male/female divide.
A couple of weeks ago, I bought a pair of cropped jeans. Only because I had seen endless pictures of girls flitting around town in cropped trousers, flat ballet pumps, jacket and a t-shirt and thought that would be my summer look. I bought them. I loved them. In fact, I wore them all the time. Until my daughter Lily took me to one side and said ‘Dad has asked me to try to tell you something. He hates cropped trousers’.
Men just don’t ‘get’ cropped trousers. They think they are unfinished, make legs look stumpy and it’s sort of a funny look. Or, again, my husband thinks it makes me look like I couldn’t afford a full length pair. They have a point. To be fair, I think you have to be super tall to carry them off – shorter legs look even shorter in them!! Yet, as women, we are very drawn to them …
Now there are cropped cargo pants everywhere – khakis are ‘in’, and cropped even more so. Should we go there?
I am now officially off cropped. Truthfully, the only people I see them on who look amazing are the girls who adorn the pages of the glossy magazines. Or my stylish friend Maxine (I’ve talked about her a lot before, though, and frankly she would look beautiful in a bin bag (even a cropped one).
Do you have a view? Where did they come from? Was it sailors in cropped navy trousers? Or early Fifties movies, in which actresses like Audrey Hepburn made them look sensational?
Views, please!
I totally agree, I think tall girls look awesome in them, I’m 5’6 and can’t really rock it too well.
Though I do where sporty ones at the gym.. but that’s where I draw the line.
I need balancing out.. these just don’t do it!
I do think they’re kinda yummy mummy a bit too though? maybe?
Not sure.. not convinced so I’ll steer clear.
Besides we’ll all be in full length jeans & trousers for the Autumn soon!
xx
I’m in the too short category, at only 5 ft 1″ there isn’t much ‘on trend’ fashion I can indulge in without looking even shorter or with legs literally the size of tree trunks. I’m not averse to the cropped look at all but believe it lives in the tall, thin realm of which I will never be part of. I do own a few pairs but they are loose fitting and worn solely on holiday as lounge wear.
How long they are has a lot to do with how attractive they are, if you’re short limbed it’s hard to find just the right length and as I think they should be worn with flats it tends to stumpify the leg even more.
I had never thought of the sailor connection before, I guess I’d associate them more with the seemingly effortless chic Hepburn & those of a similar era.
I’m interested in your mention of your husband not liking cropped trousers, it raises an interesting point. My partner detests a few items in my wardrobe that I insist on continuing to wear as I love them and they make me feel good (particularly shoes) and vice versa (she recently purchased a world cup football top that I’m not a fan of at all but she loves) Do you (or other couples) have a selection of clothing or shoes that your other half cannot abide, or vice versa? I guess I’m lucky that being female, the items the wife and I both love can be shared and as an added bonus we’re the same shoe size!
Okay girls – I disagree… I think it has NOTHING to do with ones height. I think the problem is the flat shoes. You want “non-flappy” cropped trousers, a well-turned out ankle, and a great pair of high-ish shoes. This combination avoids the shortening effect and actually lengthens the leg. I think it was Marilyn Monroe that first introduced the cropped trousers back in the 1950′s – they were rolled up Levi’s and she wore them with a gingham shirt tied at her waist for a photo-shoot on the beach during the filming of Rebel Without A Cause. I think as women we are so programmed to want to extend our height ( and indeed the length of our legs) that we innately shy away from anything that compresses them and gives the illusion of squatness. Flat shoes and cropped trousers are just wrong and the error is compounded if the crop is too loose. Try tighter trousers ad higher heels!!!
I think I have a pair of copped cargo’s in every colour, and love to wear them with a t-shirt or vest top with flip-flop’s, it’s such an easy summer casual look wether your going to hit the beach with the kid’s, or just out and about. I am 5ft8″ though and maybe crop’s on people who are a bit more petite are better worn with heal’s for a non-casual look.
To be able to ‘carry them off’ I think it very much depends on choosing the ‘right pair’ as some can be too near the ankles, (I have been known to alter on my mom’s sewing machine for shorter length) need to be fitted too, not baggy! Personally I am a big fan & wear cropped quite often, (have more than 20 pairs not saying exactly how many, I live up to my name!) in casual day wear, smart for evening meals out, even for smart work wear & I am not super tall, (5ft 5″) nor type off a glossy magazine, but have received compliments about them (from males& females) so they can look good. But it also makes a huge difference what’s chosen to complete ‘the look’, the WRONG footwear (never trainers/unless playing sport, not a fan of heels) can make a great pair look awful…
My tip would be to choose just below the knee length! ( & if you’re unsure Emma you could have a look on my face book pics, there are a couple showing on there ,1 of which I altered from a slim fit full length pair of jeans to cropped) please don’t give up on them completely.
Anything that puts in a horizontal line where nature hasn’t given you one (i.e. where you do not bend) is going to shorten or widen you. Compensate with a wedged heel or accept you will have a ‘dumpy day’ when you wear cropped trousers. Ankle skimming 7/8 trousers or ones that finish just below the knee are most flattering for those of us not blessed with legs that go on forever.
ok girls good variety of views there!! I do agree they looked amazing on Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe – and that whole era!! And…I agree you need the ‘right’ pair…but for me..it’s still a no. I still think that for me much though I want to look like Jennifer Anniston flitting down a malibu beach in a vest top, cropped cargos and flip flops…sadly I think I will leave it to others and go for the full length pair!!! But thanks for your comments – keep them coming!!!