By the 1950s, Italy had already influenced the short pin curl cut, the stand-up collar on crisp cotton shirts, and now the slim calf-length pants known as capris made their way west to the UK and US.
Italy’s island of Capri was a popular tourist spot during the 50s, and the traditional mid-calf style pants worn by the shapely Italian ladies drove the guys and the girls Capri crazy.
Pants (that’s trousers, not undies, for our British readers) on women were still considered shocking after their arrival in the 1930s, but became acceptable casual wear for girls in the 50s.
Capri pants followed the slim, body-conscious silhouette of the 50s, but offered ladies more freedom from the constrictive waists of dresses and poofy, crinolined skirts.
The Capri pant was slim and sophisticated, and back in the days when smoking was considered chic, the longer, ankle-length version were dubbed ‘cigarette pants’.
