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Recently (okay three weeks ago but I've been BUSY and I just got around to watching the TIVO'd episode), Tim Gunn and Veronica Webb made over SAHM Nicole, who is trapped in a tee shirts and capri pants rut that many of us are familiar with (particularly those us with small children). Nicole's Mom Uniform is doing nothing for her, and Gunn and Webb wind up banning capris from her closet. Gunn's argument is that because Nicole is petite (she's 5'2") her capri pants make her legs look even shorter. In the end, he recommends that she opt for higher waisted, full length trousers, to give her a long leg line.
And while he's right about that (he IS Tim Gunn, after all) I'm not so sure about the ban on capri pants. Capri pants are NOT universally flattering, but they CAN work, if you're wearing them right.
Any Taylor narrow pintuck ankle pant, on sale for $54.99.
Be honest about your shape. If you carry most of your weight in your hips and thighs, capris may not be your best look; the cropped hemline may wind up making you look like an ice cream cone.
Choose the best length. Capris are most flattering when they hit just above the ankle bone. Want something shorter? Choose a walking short that hits just above the knee. Anything in between is difficult for most women to pull off.
Calling them playful doesn't change the fact that they're the wrong length: Chico's Playful Boston crop pant, $88.00
Width matters. If you are tall and very slim, a slightly tapered capri may work well for you, but for most women, a slightly wider leg will be better, one that falls essentially straight from the widest part of the hip. The idea is to create a balanced line, rather than drawing an arrow from your feet to your hips.
Avoid cuffs. Cuffs will cut your legs off, no matter what the length of the pants. Cuffs on cropped pants are like drawing a big wide line across your calves; the cuff draws the eye right to the widest part of your lower leg.
Casual capris: Ann Taylor Loft stovepipe pants, $49.99
Don't forget the shoes. An open shoe -- a ballet flat or sandal -- or a shoe with a pointy toe will also elongate your leg. Shoes that cover the entire foot (Chuck Taylors, for example) shorten your leg because they cut off your foot.
Starting to think that capris may not work for you after all? Keep in mind that shorts don't have to show off your entire leg, and that a skirt is always cooler than any type of pants.
Feel like you can work the capris? Take yours from summer to fall by pairing with a turtleneck or a lightweight sweater. Dress them up with a kitten heel or a pretty flat. Pair with a tee and skimmers, but add a necklace or some terrific earrings for an little extra something.
I'm not the only one thinking about Tim and his ban on capri pants:
Lavidaboca wonders about what she will wear if she tosses her capris.
Style for the SAHM wonders if Tim Gunn has any idea what moms do all day.
High Heeled Mama thinks she just might pull out a skirt. And maybe blow dry her hair! Why not!
I say do it.
Susan Wagner writes about fashion at Friday Style and The Working Closet, and about everything else at Friday Playdate. She can often be seen wearing capri pants.
