Trending Now: Capri Pants
Capri pants have become every cool-girl’s go-to staple for spring/summer ’26. Here, we break down this season’s chicest styles and how to wear them from day to night
Fashion’s tastemakers can’t get enough of Capri pants, with It-girls Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber and Emily Ratajkowski all adding a pair to their regular rotations. The style – created in 1948 by German designer Sonja de Lennart and named after her affinity for the Italian island – grew in popularity throughout the ’50s thanks to their flattering, figure-hugging fit. Audrey Hepburn was an early adopter (she first wore a pair in the 1954 film Sabrina) sparking a trend in Hollywood embraced by fellow screen sirens Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe.
Cut to the 2000s and Capris (also known as pedal pushers) had their first major makeover, with celebrities from Beyoncé to Jennifer Lopez accessorizing denim and cargo styles with slinky chain belts, cropped jackets and glittery going-out tops. Dare we say, the less elevated of the two eras but certainly the most fun. As for this season’s cohort, they feel the chicest they have in a long time – brands including Versace, Ralph Lauren Collection and Proenza Schouler all presented an array of scene-stealing styles on the spring/summer ’26 runways, ranging from sleek and minimal to bright and statement-making.
For evening
If you’ve relied a little too heavily on your favorite LBD recently and want to mix it up, consider a pair of black Capris instead. They’ll deliver the same level of elegance but offer a little more versatility in the terms of styling – their close fit means you can play with different silhouettes and textures on top. Jacquemus’s ‘Le Pantalon Arlesien’ pants from the spring/summer ’26 runway, complete with corset-inspired detailing at the waist and invisible zips at the cuffs, will go with pretty much anything, but look especially strong paired with Khaite’s flowing silk ‘Poppi’ top (a NET-A-PORTER exclusive) and Loewe + Paula's Ibiza’s open-toe mules for dinner dates in the city.
KHAITEPoppi satin blouse$1,900.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size02 - low stock4 - out of stock6 - out of stock8 - out of stock10 - out of stock12
BOTTEGA VENETALauren 1979 Intrecciato leather clutch
JACQUEMUSLe Pantalon Arlesien crepe skinny capri pants$910.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size323436 - out of stock38 - out of stock40 - out of stock42 - out of stock
LOEWE+ Paula's Ibiza leather sandals$1,025.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size35 - out of stock36 - low stock37383940 - low stock41 - low stock
Off-duty
The coolest way to wear Capris this season is with casual separates for an easy, throw-on-and-go feel. That being said, a few sleek accessories are a must to prevent the look from falling too far into activewear territory (note: sneakers are a no-go). Kendall Jenner perfected this recently, styling her Capri pants with a layered white tee, ballet flats and a leather tote. With Posse’s lace-trimmed ‘Effi’ pants as your canvas, throw on Maison Margiela’s ‘Numerical’ T-shirt in soft cotton-jersey (size up for an even looser fit) and Nili Lotan’s ‘Leroy’ jacket for brunch at the weekend, tying it all together with A. Emery’s leather flip flops and Prada Eyewear’s rectangular-frame sunglasses.
NILI LOTANLeroy denim jacket
PRADA EYEWEARRectangular-frame acetate sunglasses
MAISON MARGIELANumerical printed cotton-jersey T-shirt$690.00View Product DetailsSelect a Sizex small - out of stocksmall - low stockmedium - low stocklarge - out of stockx large - out of stock
POSSEEffi Capri crocheted lace-trimmed linen slim-leg pants$405.00View Product DetailsSelect a Sizexx small - out of stockx smallsmallmedium - out of stocklarge - out of stockx largexx large - out of stock
Vacation
Since Capris were originally designed as resortwear (Sonja de Lennart wanted a pair of pants short enough to wear at the beach), it makes perfect sense to add them to your vacation packing list. Crocheted entirely by hand in soft ecru cotton, Alix of Bohemia’s ‘Aletta Mandala’ pants evoke the Riviera-style glamour of the ’50s and look ultra chic paired with loose, breezy shirts and a bikini. Just add a floppy hat and Saint Laurent’s beaded ‘Icare’ tote for walks into town.
LES VACANCES D'IRINAHazy Nipple gathered cotton shirt
PUCCIPrinted triangle bikini top
ALIX OF BOHEMIAAletta Mandala crochet cotton capri pants$1,040.00View Product DetailsSelect a Sizex smallsmallmedium - low stocklarge - out of stockx large - low stock
SAINT LAURENTIcare beaded wood tote
Summer workwear
Denim Capris probably aren’t the first thing that springs to mind when you think of workwear, but when Alexa Chung stepped out at the Chloé show earlier this year wearing a pair with a shirt and a boxy blazer, all bets were off. Suddenly, they were giving tailored pants a run for their money. Style Chung’s exact pair (a highlight from our NET SUSTAIN edit) with Max Mara’s impeccably cut linen blazer and they’ll feel elevated enough for the office. Khaite’s ‘Liria’ sandals in caramel leather and L’Atelier Nawbar’s diamond-encrusted ‘Warrior Lock’ earrings are the perfect finishing touches.
MAX MARALinen blazer$1,770.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size4 - out of stock6 - low stock8 - low stock10 - out of stock12 - out of stock14 - out of stock1618
L'ATELIER NAWBARWarrior Lock 18-karat gold diamond earrings
CHLOÉCapri mid-rise slim-leg organic jeans$985.00View Product DetailsSelect a Size24 - out of stock252627282930 - out of stock31 - out of stock32 - out of stock
KHAITELiria leather sandals
The people featured in this story are not associated with NET-A-PORTER and do not endorse it or the products shown