Alteration questions: Culottes

Joy

I have a couple pair of pants that I'm considering shortening for culottes and would like your opinions. There is also a pair of EF viscose culottes that I picked up on clearance at The Rack in a size larger than I usually wear that I'm including for your opinions.
First are black JCrew Italian wool wide pants. I'm sorry that the black does not show up well.
1: Full length
2. -6: Trying to show some possible lengths. Should I cut these off? If so, how short?
7-9: EF culottes. Again, how short? Should they also be narrowed? Or should I return them?

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7 years ago

General

7 replies

Latest reply was from Joy

gradfashionista

(website)

Veteran

Nice finds! This isn't my area of expertise, especially since I tend to gravitate toward longer culottes, but I prefer the longer tailored length (my left leg) of the black culottes. The shorter length looked too short to my eye, though that might not be the case with summer footwear. For the EF pair, however, I might trying pinning them up to match the shortest length of the black pair. They seem less structured and more voluminous than the black, so a shorter length might be more suitable for your frame.

7 years ago

Cerinda

Veteran

Joy, I like the length in photo #4, or just a teensy bit shorter.

I loved the cream and black ones, too, but I simply couldn't style them (I looked SO big and gangly), so they went back.

I think their fluid structure and volume (GF has it all mapped out here) demand considerably less fabric. Give it a try, maybe even just below the knee (It's just pins, right?). I have a hunch you can pull this off.

7 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

What Cerinda says. I think the black ones should be about 2 inches above your ankle and the others could go higher -- they are more "skirt" like. I find for myself, the drape, fullness, and floatiness effects where the best length will be. In general longer is better (more like 2 inches above than 4) but very skirt-like ones can and should be shorter. But that is working with my own proportions.

7 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I agree with the others. I like a little longer length on the black ones--like the longer leg in photo 5. The print ones could be shorter. Will you wear them in winter, or are they more for spring and summer? I could envision them with some gladiator sandals.

7 years ago

Mirjana

Veteran

I am not specialist for that but agree with others, the black longer but the print ones shorter. The length of print ones try step by step at the mirror with foots you like to wear and the tops.

7 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I prefer the black longer, and the print shorter.

7 years ago

Joy

Veteran

I ended up returning the print ones in favor of looking for something that I can wear for winter. Thank you all for the help. Looking at the photos again, I liked the longer length best for the black.

7 years ago

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