Timeless Wardrobe Classics: Culottes for Women

Culottes are another form of women’s bottom wear that has seen revival from the glorious past, similar to palazzos. These once-revolutionary outfits have brought back nostalgia and elegance, along with their unique appeal that somehow disappeared in the course of history. Now, women’s culottes are again in the fashion limelight despite polarizing opinions from various fashion experts. Some have hailed culottes for their incredibly bold and smart appeal, whereas others have tagged these outfits as “outdated.”

If we go by the French word “culot,” it is a pair of pants, panties, trousers, shorts, knickers, or breeches. The term itself denotes the lower half of something, which is the lower garment in this case.

The modern version of women’s culottes pants are comfortable, versatile, and ideal summer staple to take on the scorching heat.

History   
Culottes have had a long and rebellious history, which went through many changes over the years. While these days, the term culottes refer to women’s bottom wear, but historically they were men’s pants.

During the Renaissance period, men from the upper class used to wear breeches, which were referred to as “culottes,” which was a translation from English into French. That early versions of these outfits were completely different from the ones that women wear in the modern era. Back then, culottes were often cut from fine silk and fitted a little below the knee using a fastener, similar to a button or buckle.

During the French revolution in the late 1700s, wealthy men frequently donned these outfits, which symbolized their higher social standing. The outfits seemed so divisive during that era that revolutionaries were categorized as “sans-culottes” or “without culottes,” considering their opposition to aristocratic ideas. Instead of culottes, revolutionaries wore trousers, which created a stark visual disparity between social classes and their values.

The prominence of culottes did not end with the French Revolution. In fact, more events unfolded and intensified around culottes as they went through the transition from a symbol of male chauvinism and wealth into carefree and feminist outfits for women. This updated version looked like a skirt split into pants, which resembles the culottes that we see today.

Later, during the Victorian era, women became more active compared to previous generations, where they began participating in activities such as tennis, bicycling, and horseback riding. For these activities, culottes turned out to be women’s go-to attire as they were comfortable and easy to carry around.

In the early 1980s, culottes became more popular because of Lady Diana Spencer. The outfits looked similar to the knickers in the US, except that the latter are relatively loose in fit. 

How Culottes Have Fared in India

Despite various opinions on culottes being “outdated” or “unattractive,” women in India have embraced these outfits due to their comfort and carefree style.

Fortunately, today’s societies and the fashion world are more liberal and inclusive than before. These days, there are no fashion directives to wear or not to wear outfits based on personal discretion. Even after many decades, culottes still personify boldness in modern women, who unequivocally claim equality. As a result, culottes are visible in parties and social gatherings, pairing up with all kinds of tops, including strap sleeves, plunging necklines, and tight-fitting jackets. It seems that the status of quo of culottes has changed for better.

Before We Go
The most noticeable aspect of culottes is that these clothes are equally vintage and modern at the same time. The loose-fitting and bold appeal of these outfits carries a certain mystique, which often makes women indecisive about wearing them. Despite all this, the popularity of culottes is soaring than ever before, and have made their way to women’s wardrobe. Particularly, for the Indian summers, culottes are ideal attire to wear for their breathability. In addition, many women love to don these outfits to carry the legacy of such a high vintage fashion.

If you are looking for some unique and comfortable bottom wear, designer culottes, especially block printed culottes can give you plenty of options. Check out the rich collections of culottes pants online in breathtaking designs, patterns, and colours without having to step out from the comfort of your home.