Rumour Has It

It’s true. Culottes are back in town. After a resurgence about four years ago I honestly thought that culottes would be a fashion moment that had gone again faster than you could say ‘surely not’. They lack the elegance of a full-length, wide leg pair of pants, and have none of the potential sexiness of a mid length skirt. And they definitely hold some horrible hangover memories from the eighties. As a fashion choice they present as the very epitome of a trend that you would be hard pushed to imagine seeing the season through.

So what exactly is their mysterious allure? I have to confess that as soon as they re-appeared last time, I threw myself into the look with gusto. You didn’t see me for dust as I gathered my collection. I started with a cheap polyester white pair, which when worn are semi-disguised as an A-line skirt. Hmmm, not so bad I thought as I realised the wind wasn’t going to whip them up and expose my undies as has happened in heavily populated areas on more than one occasion. Then, when the UK supermarket chain Tesco launched their suede collection I was first in to secure a pair of those babies. Much less full than the others (well for 70 quid they weren’t going to be generous with their chamois leather) – they actually looked more like knee length shorts, but still just managed to sneak in under the culottes’ umbrella. And then, the piece de resistance, that caused more than a few raised eyebrows, a leather pair of Sass & Bide ones. These were found right at the back of the store, and reduced to such a ridiculously cheap amount that it was clear no one else had been prepared to take the plunge. Yet despite being so voluminous that I look as though I could re-configure them into a one-man tent, I actually loved them.

Then about 18 months ago I looked at my culottes’ collection and surmised that this was a trend that had done its dash. I mean, it was lucky to even get invited back to the catwalks as it was. So I passed on my polyesters, I took the sewing machine to my suede pair and turned them into a skirt (it was either that or a tote bag), and I relegated the leathers to the collection of ‘what in the name of all things holy was I thinking.’ And then it happened. Culottes are back. A curse on the fashion gods – just when I was least expecting it… now I’m going to have to start all over again.