This is serious. Cropped trousers. I need RULES.

[HuffwardlyRudge]

Or capri pants or 3/4 length trousers. Whatever you want to call them.

I wear these. They are very practical. I think I probably look a bit arty and fey and whimsically kookie in them.

However, it has come to my attention that other than myself, the only women to be seen wearing cropped trousers are overweight and in their 50s, usually with dreadful haircuts and flowery tops.

I also have a dreadful haircut and a penchent for flowery tops.

Please explain the RULES of cropped trousers.

well, you can't wear them if you're a short-arse apparently

I don't think you can wear them if you're tall either.
(especially not with 3/4 sleeves)

You need a decent arse.

i think capri pants are ok? I mean the tight ones. Or are they called something else?

Baggy are shit and make everyone look fat anyway. Knee length are good as make calves look foxy.

You need slim legs and long ones. SHort legs nO NO NO.
I think you need to try on lots of diffo styles and lengths and straight versus flared, basically whatever normal trouser style suits you will suti you here.

"I think I probably look a bit arty and fey and whimsically kookie in them"

Is that really a look you aspire towards? Capri/cropped trousers might not be your best approach, tbh. Try a jumpsuit.

also not cankles. and they will draw attention to your feet so your shoes must be nice and your feet presentable.

Get a pedicure

flared 3/4 lengths? Are you serious? Do they even exist?

Cross posted with fishie - great minds...

wtf are cankles??

on that note what do people wear when its really hot and they're doing stuff where skirts just wouldn't cut it.

"aspire towards" is a bit of an overstatement tbh. I "aspire towards" leaving the house with not too much vomit on my shoulder / snot on my knees.

Right. My cropped trousers are baggy. I have horrible legs. My feet are well groomed, but not attractive. I wear horrible shoes.

I should probably give the cropped trousers a miss I think.

It's weird though, I have one pair that look great. The others look shite I think. I can't see what's different about them.

not to be worn with socks and shoes.I kid you not i have seen this with my own eyes,

Imho, you need

A. Long legs
B. Or a long top (covering bum) to suggest you have got very long legs.
C. Cool flat shoes, not too high.

Cropped trousers are very difficult. They have a serious tendency to be deeply frumpy!

Ballet flats or flat sandals only.

Rules:

Nice black capri pants = good. Cargo/combat cropped trews in beige or khaki = bad - ON ANYONE.
That's all folks.

Huff - I have jeans like that. One pair makes me look slim and lithe, the other makes me look like I need to get to a gym pronto. I have even lined them up on top of each other to see what the difference is, and there is no difference. I'm getting quite obsessed about it .

Some chap on TV said that you had to be skinny and at least 5 foot 7 to carry them off or you'd look like you had stumpy legs.

Oh god. I am wearing a pair of these today.
I am short. I do not have slim legs. I do not have a nice arse. I may even have cankles (if I knew what they were.)

I thought I looked ok (well, everything is relative of course.)

I am just off to change...

Yes agree about combat ones or linen ones

Skirts are actually a lot easier sometimes, unavailable...

cankles

i have the opposite affliction, my ankles are dead skinny and make my calf muscles look hefty.

I think you can get away with them if you're short, but NOT if you're short and a bit tubby. Would agree that baggy ones are a bit much for anyone to pull off - you really need slim-fitting ones. I think that channeling Audrey Hepburn in black capris with ballet pumps is probably the only way to go.

The most important thing, though, is to make sure that they finish at the slimmest part of your leg, otherwise you will look mega-stumpy, however lithe and willowy you are. Just below the knee is probably the best length.