The Fashion Memo

Trending Now: Capri Pants

Summertime white, classic black or daring denim, à la Alexa Chung (center): there’s a Capri-pant look for every occasion

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

Words Colleen RossFashion editor Millie Parry
Fashion

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.

Black Capri pants are the new LBD for eveningwear this season – just add chic tailoring and a pop of color or a black sweater and open-toe mules, as seen here on Bella Hadid

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.

  • KHAITE
    Poppi cotton and silk-blend blouse
    $1,610.00
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  • BOTTEGA VENETA
    Lauren 1979 Intrecciato leather clutch
    $4,270.00
  • GUCCI
    Jacquard-knit straight-leg pants
    $1,129.00
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  • LOEWE
    + Paula's Ibiza leather sandals
    $1,010.00
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    35 - out of stock
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For a laid-back off-duty vibe, accessorize with thong sandals or flip flops

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 LOTAN
    Leroy denim jacket
    $1,010.00
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  • PRADA EYEWEAR
    Rectangular-frame acetate sunglasses
    $415.00
  • MAISON MARGIELA
    Numerical printed cotton-jersey T-shirt
    $368.00
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  • POSSE
    Effi Capri crocheted lace-trimmed linen slim-leg pants
    $270.00
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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'IRINA
    Hazy Nipple gathered cotton shirt
    $425.00
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  • PUCCI
    Printed triangle bikini top
    $200.00
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  • ALIX OF BOHEMIA
    Aletta Mandala crochet cotton capri pants
    $679.00
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  • SAINT LAURENT
    Icare beaded wood tote
    $4,587.00
A breezy blouse will add instant Riviera-style glamour to your vacation look
Capri pants are ideal for summer workwear – Alexa Chung (right) even does denim

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 MARA
    Linen blazer
    $537.00
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  • CHLOÉ
    Capri mid-rise slim-leg organic jeans
    $850.00
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  • KHAITE
    Liria leather sandals
    $1,055.00
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  • GOD'S TRUE CASHMERE
    Cloud Light Tartan cashmere shirt
    $2,575.00
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