Breaking Down This Season’s Breakout Lengths

From culottes to capris, we’re embracing awkwardness and making it essential to our outfitting.

We all have that one outfit we wore as a kid that we can’t forget, even if we tried. Visualize it for me…now tell me how long your bottoms were. Were they somewhere at your knee?

Of course they were. We rocked our gauchos, graphic tees, tunics, and capris with all the pride in the world. But what if I asked you to picture wearing those outfits today…

Don’t worry, a cringe is the right initial reaction. Those awkward-length bottoms? No. Way.

I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this: they are back. Yep, everything from capris to culottes.

Before you abandon me and say “absolutely not,” walk with me for a sec. While it seems crazy to revisit these nostalgia-infused silhouettes, I think it’s actually a really fun way to refresh your bottoms collection.

I sense you may need some convincing, so let me break it down for you:

DEFINE “AWKWARD”

Generally, awkward has a pretty negative connotation. However, we’re turning the word on its head here at FP. We love referring to these stand-out lengths with awkward. Used interchangeably with “around-the-knee” or “mid-length” internally, it represents how unique these styles are to our selection. It’s not midi, it’s not mini, it’s the perfect in-the-middle. And who better to explain that difference than our talented stylists! I’ll leave that to them.

As you can see from this sneak peek, the silhouettes lend themselves to endless out-of-the-box styling, giving you a fresh, creative approach to outfitting as the weather warms up.

OUR AWKWARD-LENGTH PICKS

On that note, I think you’re warming up to this concept of embracing the awkward – I can feel it. So the next step is to show you the styles we are beyond excited about. Don’t worry, there’s a pair for every aesthetic, too! Femme, heritage, city-sleek… you name it, there’s an awkward length out there waiting for you.
Not only are they so comfy, but they really give your outfit that…dare I say, je ne sais quoi even? And who can argue with je ne sais quoi?

WHAT TOPS TO STYLE WITH AWKWARD-LENGTH BOTTOMS

One of those caught your eye, I’m sure. But with what tops do you style your new new jorts or mid-length skirt? The options are truly endless (as they are with any outfit, I know), but there’s something about an awkward-length bottom that gives these styles some extra purpose. From tunics (hi, other awkward length from our past!), to tees, to tanks, the top of these outfits feels intentional, and help morph any around-the-knee option to be fit for any occasion. Think a slouchy sweater or tee for laidback moments, a tight knit option for nights out, or a longline style for when you want to really have fun playing with proportions.

WHAT SHOES TO PAIR WITH AWKWARD-LENGTH BOTTOMS

According to our stylists, the shoes are the most vital part of any awkward-length outfit.

Julie, our resident mid-length expert, says:

“The key to embracing any awkward-length bottom is to style it in a way that elongates the leg. An easy-grab shoe to do this would be a heel or a mule – its backless nature accentuates the smallest part of the leg (aka the ankle). From there, you can’t go wrong!”

Backless? Say less. Try these shoe options on for size, ranging from casual to elevated for any occasion dressing.