Black trousers may be one of the most basic items in any wardrobe, long thought of as a sturdy workwear staple or the building block for any formal ’fit. This season, however, they’ve had a subtle upgrade that’s instantly made them much more chic.

By hacking off the bottom few inches, the trusty black trouser has turned into a capri pant, and designers including Alexander McQueen, Kenzo and Comme des Garçons have all sent them down the catwalk. Driven by the continued love for Y2K fashion, punters have contributed to a 300% increase in searches for the cropped style on social media fashion platform LTK, solidifying the ankle-baring style’s status for summer.

The capri pant has enjoyed a similar style revival to kitten heels, cord necklaces and styling dresses over jeans This season, though, we’re leaving the bold prints and colours in the wardrobe as sleek black styles are garnering the most attention.

The original capri pants came from German designer Sonja de Lennart in 1948 and were named after the Italian island off the coast of Naples where they were particularly popular. Early adopters of this style in the 50s and 60s include Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, who leant into gorgeous gingham and white fabrics and styled their capris with skintight tops and cute cardigans. In the early 80s, Princess Diana revived the trend, aided by Like A Virgin-era Madonna.

Now, decades on from the inception of the capri pant, the ways of styling them have shifted. I asked four incredibly stylish women how they’re wearing capri pants in 2024, and neutral colour palettes, light layering and chic silhouettes all stood out as the common denominator.

5 ways to wear capri pants that makes them look as effortless as they are elegant