Women's Health August 14, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Capris Comeback: The 2026 Style Hacks No One’s Talking About (But Everyone Will Be Wearing)

Remember those capris from your middle school days—those below-the-knee pants that seemed utterly passé just a few years after Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated” talent show performance? Yeah, me too. I swore them off back then, but guess what? Fashion has this wild habit of circling back, and guess who’s rediscovered capris with a fresh new vibe? This girl right here. It’s not just about resurrecting a trend—it’s about reinventing it so those cropped wonders don’t feel like a blast from the past but a timeless staple your wardrobe truly deserves. The secret? Striking that sweet balance and knowing how to style them so they elongate your frame and vibe with your personal style. Ready for some real talk on how to rock capris from casual weekends to office days? Let’s dive in!

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The earliest evidence of my relationship with capris is circa 2007, on stage performing Avril Lavigne’s ‘Complicated’ for my middle school talent show. I wore light grey capris styled with a longline Ed Hardy-esque graphic tee and ballet flats. While that fit was iconic back then, the below-the-knee length pants fell out of style quickly, and I’ve never looked back—until now. Fashion has a funny way of bringing trends back around, and with the latest resurgence of cropped pants, I decided to give them another shot.

Turns out, I really like them. I just needed to figure out how to make them feel more like a wardrobe staple and less like a trendy throwback piece. The trick? Balance. Let me elaborate: Pairing a tighter bottom with a looser top (or vice versa) generally looks more flattering, while low-profile flats and sandals tend to elongate the body when paired with cropped pants like capris.

Below, I’m sharing six outfits I’ve worn recently, from casual weekend looks to office-ready ensembles. Here’s how I’m wearing capris now.

The Classic Button-Down

A person taking a selfie in a bright bathroom wearing a striped shirt, shorts, and flip-flops.

Shannen Zitz

Person posing in a bathroom mirror, wearing a white oversized shirt and black leggings with white flip-flops.

Shannen Zitz

Grabbing a reliable button-down is an almost foolproof way to put together a chic outfit. Start with simple black capris (like the Aritzia Skyline Capri I reach for most often) and add a white button-down with the sleeves slightly rolled up and a few buttons undone for a really easy look. Or, you can go for a bit of contrast with white denim capris and blue up top to switch things up. I love kitten heels with an outfit like this one to elongate the legs and keep everything looking proportional.

Old Navy Oversized Button-Down Boyfriend Shirt

Now 20% Off

Credit: Old Navy

Aritzia Skyline Capri

Credit: Aritzia

Cushionaire Miami Kitten Heel

Now 56% Off

Add a Scarf

A person standing in a restroom mirror wearing a white shirt and black leggings, holding a phone.

Shannen Zitz

A person with long hair stands in a restroom, wearing a white top and black pants, holding a phone in front of a mirror.

Shannen Zitz

I always used to see fashion girls around NYC use patterned scarves to jazz up their ‘fits, and never felt like I could pull it off until I actually tried it. It adds a fun element to an otherwise basic outfit, and I think it looks so stylish tied around the waist over a plain white tee or button-down with basic black capris. Simply fold your scarf into a triangle and wrap it around your hips until the two ends meet, then tie it into a knot. I styled my two versions of this outfit with simple black flip-flops and kitten heels, but ballet flats would also work.

Madewell Northside Vintage Tee

Minidora Satin Scarf

Credit: Minidora

Old Navy Square Toe Flip-Flops

Now 50% Off

Credit: Old Navy

Go Monochrome

A person with long hair wearing a light outfit stands in a bathroom mirror, taking a selfie.

Shannen Zitz

Person taking a mirror selfie in a restroom, wearing a sleeveless black top and capri pants.

Shannen Zitz

Head-to-toe tonal dressing with basic black capris feels very ‘90s—very Caroline Bessette-Kennedy à la Calvin Klein. I love a high-neck, sleeveless top for summer, which looks super sleek and clean, but a black jacket like the example below is another solid choice as we move into fall. Another rendition? A monochrome white outfit, which feels a bit more relaxed.

Make Me Chic Capri Pant

Credit: MakeMeChic

EasyGala Sleeveless Mock Neck Tank Top

Roswear Long Bermuda Short

Now 32% Off

Snow Elve Oversized T-Shirt

Add Structure

Person taking a selfie in a bathroom mirror, wearing a black outfit and flip-flops, with white tiles and sinks visible.

Shannen Zitz

A woman taking a mirror selfie in a restroom, wearing a light blazer and black leggings with flat shoes.

Shannen Zitz

A blazer or jacket adds just the right amount of shape and structure to form-fitting capri pants. I recently styled my black capris with a basic white tank, a light brown blazer, and comfy ballet flats for the office and got tons of compliments. For an after-work event, I wore the same bottoms with a hip-length black jacket that tied at the waist and added kitten heels. You could recreate the same vibe with a leather bomber or a barn jacket.

Prettygarden Business Casual Blazer

Now 20% Off

Verdusa Capri Pant

Credit: Verdusa

Lumister Cropped Jacket

Layer on Cozy

Person taking a mirror selfie in a restroom, wearing a short cardigan, a white top, and black cropped pants with flip-flops.

Shannen Zitz

A person standing in a restroom mirror, wearing a cardigan and black pants, holding a smartphone.

Shannen Zitz

Once fall comes around, I’ll be living in cozy cardigans—and despite it still being quite warm here in NYC, I was excited by how cute my cardis look with capris. A more summer-appropriate version of this outfit included a short-sleeve cardigan layered over a white tank with my Aritzia Carmen Capri (a slightly longer, more flared silhouette) and black kitten heels. I also experimented with a buttoned-up, long-sleeve cardigan in a pretty oatmeal color with my faded black We The Free Dusk To Dawn Capri Jeans, and I was sort of obsessed with the combo.

Aritzia Carmen Capri

Credit: Aritzia

Prettygarden Short Sleeve Cardigan

Credit: Prettygarden

Free People We The Free Dusk To Dawn Capri Jeans

Credit: Free People

Gleeneat Button Down Cardigan Sweater

Now 33% Off

White and Gold

Person taking a mirror selfie in a restroom with white walls and sleek fixtures, wearing a white top and black leggings.

Shannen Zitz

When in doubt, a simple white top—whether that’s a boxy t-shirt or an oversized button-down—and some gold jewelry is an easy capri outfit combo to copy. Sometimes, the chicest outfit you can wear consists of well-fitting basics, and I love how clean a white top and black pants look with some dainty bracelets and necklaces.

Madewell Northside Vintage Tee

Striviio Gold Bracelet Stack

Now 38% Off

Make Me Chic Capri Pants

Credit: Make Me Chic

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Shannen Zitz is the Associate Style & Reviews Editor at Women’s Health, where she covers all-things sneakers and activewear. Previously, she was an assistant editor at Prevention. Shannen graduated from the State University of New York at Cortland with a bachelor’s degree in English. If she’s not reading or writing, you can probably find her frequenting the skincare and makeup forums on Reddit or hogging the squat rack at the gym.

Christian is the Style and Reviews Director at Men’s Health and Women’s Health, where he oversees shopping and style content for both brands. He started his magazine career as an accessories assistant at Vogue, and has since held editorial roles at Tatler Asia and The Manual. When he’s not online shopping, you can find him on long walks with his two corgis.