WIW 08.12 [big volume culottes]

After reading Angie's post this morning and realizing that I wear all of those not-yet-mainstream trends, I couldn't decide which of them I should wear today... then decided to go with a fringier one, culottes, and style them in an also fringier way, volume-on-volume.

I'm sure it's no surprise to many of you here that I LOVE culottes! I've been waiting and waiting for them to filter down, and this season there are finally some good non high end options that appeal to me (low rise, wide hem opening). I'm hoping to add a winter weight pair this fall, too. Super excited to finally be able to sport a silhouette I've been after for several years. We've got a brief period of cooler weather this week, so I thought this would be the perfect time to debut a pair that I bought recently at one of the Seattle meetups (we'll have plenty of cool weather coming soon, so I've been taking advantage of short-shorts weather while it's here!). Lots of ideas are swirling in my head, but for a muggy and warm day like today, pairing with oversized linen was the way to go.

So. This is a very voluminous and slouchy look (even more than comes across in the photos), probably further unhelped by the fact that I didn't iron these culottes before wearing, oops! Will sort that out for next wear. It's also not classically flattering proportionally, although the culottes length is perfect. That all said I feel perfectly happy and at-home in this: the fabrics all feel divine, I love the swooshy feeling from all the softness, and of course the big 70s appeal. As far as structure there's more than enough for my own comfort level -- bare skin (arms, legs, neckline), semi-tuck, and refined pumps. I could add an additional structure element by putting my hair up, but I was going for soft so down it is. Very simple accessorizing today, oversized white hoops and rose gold watch with better-than-nude peachy lip color.

Ridiculously high happiness factor with this one, though I know it won't be to everyone's taste :D Available items collected below. Comments, critiques, thoughts and questions welcome.

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39 Comments

  • kerry replied 9 years ago

    LOVE this! More so because I could never pull it off but you do beautifully :)

  • Nicole D replied 9 years ago

    You look great - these are gorgeous culottes.  Nice colour.

  • UmmLila (Lisa) replied 9 years ago

    These are so cute. I am impressed that you got just the right length for your height, too. That's what's keeping me away from a lot of the culottes I come across.

  • Karie replied 9 years ago

    Absolutely stunning! Very '1920's Great Gatsby-esque' fabulous!

  • Transcona Shannon replied 9 years ago

    Breathtaking! I'm honestly at a loss for words...

  • pil replied 9 years ago

    Spectaular!

  • frannieb replied 9 years ago

    Agree not everyone could pull off this look. You do it beautifully. 

  • Angie replied 9 years ago

    Killer to the power of Killer. xo

  • Sal replied 9 years ago

    Wonderful look.....I can see these culottes being worn in so many ways...I think you carry off the volume beautifully!

  • Diana replied 9 years ago

    I LOVe this. So glad you got the culottes!

  • Caro in Oz replied 9 years ago

    LOVE!!!

  • Joy replied 9 years ago

    Your culottes have volume but you carry it off with style.  I love the soft tones and silhouette on you.  Really beautiful.

  • E replied 9 years ago

    You own this look! Just perfect. Can't wait to see how you style them next time too. :)

  • Sara L. replied 9 years ago

    Great look!  I think the pumps are the perfect shoe with this outfit.  I wore culottes (or gauchos) quite a bit a few years ago.  They were very common in the office I worked at - all the ladies wore them so they never seemed like a fringe trend to me.  I just got rid of the last of mine a couple years ago.  Now I'll have to find some new ones.

  • Gaylene replied 9 years ago

    YES! To my eye, this is how to look fabulous in culottes! You nailed it, Aida.

  • Suz replied 9 years ago

    Are you joking? This is absolutely fantastic!! No wonder you felt happy! WOW!!!

    Thanks for showing us how it is done. I want to copy. 

  • annagybe replied 9 years ago

    Welcome to cool culotte club!

  • Jaime replied 9 years ago

    LOVE! May not be everyone's taste she says. Well ok, but you look gorgeous to me and quite a few others it seems. I love how your reined in the volume just a bit with the heels and semi-tuck. Keep the culottes coming Aida!

  • Sveta replied 9 years ago

    You wear culottes with the best of them! And also volume on volume - something not easy to pull off but you did it brilliantly!
    Now I want culottes too... 

  • Debbie replied 9 years ago

    Love the culottes! That outfit is perfect on you.

  • Gigi replied 9 years ago

    I don't know how you manage to pull these things off, Aida...if I had tried this, I would have looked like I had bought a one-way ticket to Frumptown. But you make it all work!

    I had already seen those culottes at Anthro and was wondering what they looked like IRL. It's great to see them in action!

  • Alana in Canada replied 9 years ago

    Stunning. I am so glad that therewill be more culottes in your future for us to see. You look down right mischievous in your sideways shots!

  • Sharon replied 9 years ago

    Gorgeous! I love it.

  • fuzzylogic replied 9 years ago

    Ridiculous love from me!!!!!  You have defined this look for me!

  • lyn67 replied 9 years ago

    Wow! &That assimetric faux tuck is making all the difference!:-)

  • viva replied 9 years ago

    You are gorgeous in this look, Aida.

  • pil replied 9 years ago

    Had to pop back in to say this outfit made quite an impression on me - you look glamorous and casual at the same time.

  • Lisa replied 9 years ago

    I've been a nay vote for these for myself, but you really pull off this look.  The colors, the drape, you nailed this 70s look but it has a 'today's feel to it.  I think this is one of my favorite's yet.  Superb!

  • replied 9 years ago

    You are rocking those culottes Aida! Amazing look.

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 9 years ago

    What a fantastic culottes look, Aida. You could have stepped out of a fashion magazine. Gorgeous!

  • Neel replied 9 years ago

    This is absolutely surely 100% my taste!!!! I am totally inspired! *fanning*

  • Aida replied 9 years ago

    My goodness ladies, what a lovely surprise to read all these wonderful comments! Happy to be wrong in expecting this to be a less-liked look. I needed several boost buttons for many of these comments, thank you all so very much <3

    Regarding both volume and culottes: I do think that we can all don these thing, and even at the same time. It's just a matter of finding our sweet spots, (or in the case of culottes, sweet lengths). Here's hoping that anyone who likes these trends will give them a shot, and if there's trouble making them work I for one would be more than happy to help troubleshoot.

    Ummlila, I wouldn't worry to heavily about the length of the culottes you find -- that's what hemming is for! As long as the leg shape doesn't change too far from what you want, hemming is an easy option to make too-long culottes work for you.

    Sara, I think gauchos are shorter than culottes, more of a wide-leg long short yes? The longer length is what you're after for the current look. I think you'd rock it!

    Anna, happy to finally be a member! A round of culottes for all :D

    Gigi, I tried both the regular and the petite version of these (I'm 5'3"); the fit is nearly the same on both (often the petite is smaller all around, but these seemed very similar) but shorter by a couple inches. If it hadn't fit the same, I'd have kept the regular and gotten them hemmed to this length. If you like these, the petite is worth trying for sure.

    Pil, YES that is just what I'm going for with my casual outfits: casual with a touch of glam ^^

  • Fuchsia_pink replied 9 years ago

    You look wonderful! I also love culottes and am so happy they're back. I had questions about the length (I am only 5' tall, and everything needs to be hemmed :( ) but I love this length on you and I am hoping to emulate it :)

  • abc replied 9 years ago

    Wow. This has to be one of my favorites of your outfit posts ever. It's such a departure from what I wear but I really love it nonetheless. Inspirational.

  • Tanya replied 9 years ago

    Simply gorgeous!  You look like a movie star.

  • jackiec replied 9 years ago

    I've been anxiously awaiting the debut of these culottes!! They look absolutely fab on you! Love the volume on volume look - you totally nailed it! Had to laugh when you said you needed to iron them :)

  • Jen W replied 9 years ago

    This is such a beautiful look on you! Elegant and easy at the same time. LOVE!

  • Aida replied 9 years ago

    Thank you ladies! Sorry for the late reply I just noticed I had missed the new comments.

    Fuchsia_pink, yes the culottes sweet-spot length definitely varies depending on ones height. Those of us on the shorter end generally do best with a shorter length like I have here, unless you've got proportionally long legs. Small heels also go a long way with these.

    Jackie, would you believe that I just got an iron within the past month? >< I'm not yet in the habit of using it ;)

  • dawn replied 9 years ago

    Those are adorable. I have bad memories of having to wear those when I was younger because my mom wanted me in outfits that were appropriate for a child, but you make these look awesome. Your confidence makes your outfit incredibly alluring and one of a kind! You are someone I admire, your ability to blend together pieces that are not mainstream makes you unique and incredible! I hope that I keep seeing you on YLF and that you keep inspiring us all to be a little bit more daring and willing to express ourselves! Thanks Aida.

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