Die Caprihose

What would you wear if you were standing right here?

It’s summer! What are you going to wear? Ready to talk Capri Pants?

I figured that Capri Pants are named after the island of Capri (left).  But I didn’t know much more than that, so I did some research. The best article I could find was in German, titled “Die Caprihose.”   It’s too good to paraphrase, so I will quote it directly:

What is a Capri pants?

In English they are called Capri Pants, in German they are called fisherman pants. This medium-length pants are actually designated by the way according to the Italian island of Capri and should probably give a relaxed and casual ambiance.  Invented it, otherwise read as often, the German designer Sonja de Lennart, and not the Italian Emilio Pucci. The designer was selling only pants he imitated de Lennart. Probably the misunderstanding arose about the origin of Capri pants, because Pucci Capri 1949 opened his first boutique, and there’s also sold counterfeit pants.

Modehit of the 50s

 The fashion hits of the 50s of course include the petticoat and skirt, silk stockings with seams, cocktail dresses, the controversial bikini and just the Capri pants. You are probably wondering you if you hear that it was almost revolutionary at the time. The tight, short pants fueled endless debates on morality and decency of their carriers and the morale of the youth in general to. Today we, the Capri seems far more provocative, but at that time, only the bravest dare to trend-setters on the street. Many mothers forbade their daughters to appear in the Capri pants on the road. Sunbathe on the beach but it was in the 50’s a fashion must.

Well, there you go.  Any case anyone needs more info, here are my Capri Pant tips. Actually it’s one tip:

• Try on the capri pants.  Only buy them if they look great on you.

Last year I started cuffing my capris, made them a little shorter and more current. Or not.

Do not buy capri pants because it’s hot and you need something to wear. Do not buy them because they are in style, or because everyone else has them, or because they or on sale.

If you are tall, make sure your capri pants are not too short (well-below the knee) or they will make you look gangly.  If you are short, maybe slim-jean capris will look good on you. Maybe not. If you have wide hips, be sure the leg isn’t too tapered, or it will make you look like an ice cream cone. A little flowly flare-calf action can look good.  If you think you have ugly ankles, take an honest friend shopping with you to see if she nixes the Capri Pants.  If she doesn’t, you have a hang-up about your ankles.  Get over it.

Avoid: Capri-pant suits, Capri pants in prints, tight white capri pants that show your underwear.  Evening capri pants?  I say no.  Unless you LOVE how you look and feel like a million bucks, don’t wear capri pants (especially not black ones — gah!!) when you’re dressed up. You’re a grown woman, go wear a dress.

More reading:

 Are Capri Pants as Ugly as Some Men Say?

 Blog Her: Tim Gunn Says no to Capri Pants

 Capri Pant Checklist — hazards and tricks

 Style List: 4 Rules for Wearing Capri Pants

Boden Straightleg Crop Pant in Crocus, $78. Does this look good on its own, or just because the Boden model is so damn skinny?

This looks great. It would not look better cropped. J. Crew Heritage Fit Chino, $39.99

If you are too hot for pants, wear shorts: Piece-dyed Bermudas in gray pearl, $39.50 at The Gap

What do you think? Woodrush Green, Banana Republic Crinkle Pant, $98

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What I wore this weekend and why I care

Afternoon birthday party: Purple floral ruffle tank from The Gap, navy capri pants from Dockers, brown embroidered flats

Aki once asked how my weekend style is different than my workweek style.  I don’t know.  If I have a genuine personal style, shouldn’t I be able to adapt it to different settings but still be “me?”

I used to think of Work Clothes as “dress up” and Weekend Clothes as “normal.” Whatever I did for work (nylons, blouses, heels) was a costume (imposed on me by Work). Out of costume, I reverted to jeans, sweats, t-shirts, men’s plaid flannel shirts.  This was “regular me,”  but not because I liked the way I felt or looked in these clothes.  It was just my Default Wardrobe, inherited from college, updated to include cuter t-shirts or jeans when I bothered thinking about it.

Sometimes, I’d want to look cute on a weekend.  But I wouldn’t want to wear my “work clothes.” Then I was stuck.   This is why:

To Church: Navy cap-sleeve cotton top, linen pants, brown embroidered flats

1. My work clothes weren’t “me” and I didn’t like them.

2. I had no sense of style or identity apart from my job.

3. I tended to panic, buy cheap weekend clothes that were too trendy or lame, and then get frustrated when they wouldn’t work (or at least not for long).

Work wear is where my “dress up or give up” moment happened, but I’m trying to expand it to the weekend.  Here’s what works: For times I want to look pretty but casual, cute cotton tops are working  (I also can wear these to work on a casual day).  Knits are good if I’m going to sweat and need some mobility (long walk) but I like how structured cotton is more deliberate and pretty.  If I’m going to be indoors and it’s okay to be dressy (church, bridal shower), linen pants with flats are good. For more active times (kids’ birthday party, Farm sightseeing), sturdy washable capri pants are good.  Shoes I choose by ground type: Cute flats for indoors or easy paved walking, cute walking sandals for parks or beach, and serious terrain shoes for serious terrain (Tevas for low mucky tide, hiking shoes for hikes).

Golf Course patio dinner: White Costco tee, brown J Crew Skirt, Alfani Petunia Sandals, turquoise medallion necklace. Inset is the cardigan I wore over it.

Also, I’m trying to wear necklaces all the time.  I like to take that extra moment to look in the mirror and say, “hey lady, you deserve an ornament where you’re going.”  It also turns a t-shirt into a look.

So here’s what I wore one sunny weekend in September.  I didn’t photograph what I wore to get bagels and clean out the garage, so you can imagine that same white t-shirt and brown capri pants.  Everything was comfortable, I felt confident and for the most part pretty. Most importantly, it was fairly easy for me to go where I wanted to go, because “what will I wear” wasn’t a big obstacle for me.

Also, isn’t the baby cute?

Beach picnic: Lands End Modern Fit tank, fleece jacket, Docker's Capri Pants, Clark's sandals

Full disclosure: White Costco t-shirt, pajama bottoms, slipper socks

Nothing but cute

 

 

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Wearing for the weekend

I’ve started taking pictures of what I wear each day.  I figure this will generate some blog content, and boy is it a good way to double-check whether you’re wearing something you really want to be seen in.  Also, sometimes people find out you have a fashion blog and they’re all “oh no you’d probably hate what I wear, I’m such a slob!” No dudes, we’re all just trying to make an effort here.  This is my honest recap.

 

This was a regular old warm-weekend — notable only because it was warm, I got out of the house more (and therefore wore more clothes) than I usually do, and that I took pictures of it.  For the record, here’s how it turned out.

Casual Friday: Brown jersey dress with cerise-and-white geometric flowers and apple-green camisole; Berry cardigan; Kate Spade Purple pumps ("If I don't wear these on the last warm day of the year I never deserve to buy shoes again"). Baby in Gymboree with Off-brand Crocs.

Friday date night: BCBG top, Classiques skirt (suit separate), Bandolino slingbacks. Kate Spade earrings and some crafty-store blue stone necklace. The closeup was taken at the end of the evening thus being particularly goofy.

 

 

 

 

Saturday Morning: Farmers Market. White shirred tee (Costco) with skirt (Target)? No. Brown scoopneck tee (Lands End) with skirt? No. This skirt is a problem! I knew this when I bought it. I settled on the brown tee and Gap denim shorts.

Saturday Night: headed to the movies with my sister (Extract with Jason Bateman). Bead necklace, brown tee, jeans, Clarks Indigo shoes.

 

 

Sunday: To the pool in an Ann Taylor Loft sundress over my swimsuit and Alfani Petunia flip-flops (left); heading to get groceries in Wisteria-colored Caslon tee, Dockers capris (these are drawstring-hem but I cuffed them, which is more “current” and also a better length for me) and floral-embroidered flats.

Note that my Date Night skirt now has a big grease stain — my daughter was so upset to have a babysitter that she cried on my lap until she regurgitated hamburger all over my skirt (and then ate it back up — not kidding!) And no, I’m not moving that vacuum out of the living room until someone cleans up the toys and uses it to vaccum.

 

Back to work!

 

 

 

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