Skinny jeans have been the go-to silhouette for a few years now so it's refreshing to see the easy, breezy culotte come back into style. I was always a big fan of culottes as a wee thing and can't wait to embrace it yet again. Later this week I'll share a couple of my own versions but for now I have a little RTW inspiration and suggestions on how to make it yourself.
How to Make Pleated Culottes
Step 1: Today's inspiration are the Kinney Culottes from Anthropologie (seen here with this adorable top). These pants feature a flattering fitted backside and two pairs of box pleats in the front plus a super cool triangle shaped leather feature on the waistband. These could easily be dressed up with a jacket and heels or down with a cardigan and sneakers.
Step 2: For the pattern I would use Vogue V1099 and crop the length to a few inches below the knee. I used this pattern once before for a pair of denim shorts that I love and wear often. This pattern as the fitted back and pleated front just like our inspiration plus a nice flair to the leg. By the way, I'd love to try making the jacket from V1099 sometime. It has the coolest sleeve and collar details.
Step 3: For the fabric, you could use a variety of different fibers as long as the drape is not too stiff. I'd try a cotton like this one or cotton/rayon blend.
Have you tried wearing or making culottes? What pattern and fabric did you use?
