HOW TO ROCK CULOTTES IN THE OFFICE

How to style culottes in an office ready way.

Culottes (and cropped leg trousers in general) aren’t a new obsession of mine, if you trawl back through the outfit archives (please don’t) you’ll find a whole host of  culotte drenched looks ready and waiting for a click. I’ve embraced many a style of culotte over the years from my Zara striped culottes which became my summer obsession, to my classic camel culottes which joined the squad this year, to some seriously old school yellow culottes (their burgundy counter part and of course the ever dependable navy edit), so I think it’s fair to say I’m well versed in the sartorial style and a huge coveter of the cut. But as with many slightly ‘edgy’ trends, finding ways to style it for work can always be a challenge, but in my opinion the cropped leg trouser and culotte was made for a girl boss, work ready, sophisticated ensemble.

HOW TO STYLE CULOTTES FOR THE OFFICE

Everyday Office Wear

The beauty of the culotte is that they’re easily thrown on and simple to style, in my opinion the perfect ‘everyday’ office look has to be a tailored culotte teamed with a comfortable and effortless t-shirt. In this case I’ve gone for a slogan tee, but if you need something a little more office like, a white t-shirt was made for this. Dependent on the vibe of your office, you could easily opt for a converse or a chic heeled boot like these suede heels from Zara.

Important Pitches

Culottes can be dressed up or down, there versatility is perhaps more significant than you realise. Quite naturally it depends on the type of pantaloon you’re investing in, but most the time, if you opt for a classic or nude colour palette then they can make a very smart, chic and professional work outfit. Personally I often opt for a trouser when I have important work meetings or pitches, the culotte teamed with a crisp white shirt and a stiletto is always a winning combination, or if you really fancy braving it, a culotte jumpsuit can look incredible (I actually styled this one for my Cannes Lions talk –  a bargain too) .

Day to Night

And finally, my favourite looks always allow a smooth transition from day to night, without a whole load of restyling required. The culotte makes the perfect ‘from office to post work drinks’ outfit, all you need to do is swap flats for heels, a shirt for a cami, or simply pop on a serious red lip and you’re quite literally ready to party. The art of the transition from day to night is always making subtle upgrades through accessories or makeup, as opposed to literally getting dressed up for a night out. Effortless style is always the winner in my humble opinion.

Et voila … the culotte or cropped leg trouser may feel daunting, but they’re easy to style, totally versatile, chic and sophisticated but also super comfy too. I have a whole collection in my wardrobe and I rely on them so much for work and weekends. Have you given the trend a go yet?