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They're not long enough to be bell-bottoms, but they're not short enough to be culottes, either. The cropped flare — a marriage of both well-received trends — is a breed all its own. Hitting at the ankle with a slight bell shape, the silhouette draws from the wide-legged trousers of the '70s and from fashion's recent infatuation with culottes and suit dressing.
The abbreviated pant length dominated pre-fall and fall lookbooks and runways at luxury labels like The Row, as well as in collections from more affordable brands like Mango and Zara. Its versatility was demonstrated by the vast number of ways we saw cropped flares styled: Stella McCartney played with proportions by offsetting a pleated pair with a structured duster coat, while Mary Katrantzou updated the classic 9-to-5 work pant in a feminine, billowy silhouette. Tibi presented a more laid-back version by coupling the trousers with a basic blue sweatshirt and platform sandals, and Roksanda went in an elegant direction with a pleated leather top and playful pumps. See 20 iterations of the cropped flare in our gallery above, all shoppable now.