Capri pants

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A man wearing black capri pants

Capri pants ("capris") are a style of pants usually worn in warm weather. They are designed to end mid-calf or just below the calf. More recently, the length of the pants has been shortened to just below the knee in some designs. Though capri pants are most popular with women, they have become popular among young men in several European countries and in the United States.

Capri pants were first designed by Italian fashion designer Emilio Pucci in the 1950s and they became popular in the US during the 1960s, largely due to the influence of the popular television series The Dick Van Dyke Show. The character of Laura, the young housewife played by Mary Tyler Moore, caused a fashion sensation – and some mild controversy – by wearing snug-fitting capri pants during the show's run. After a drop in popularity during the 1970s through the 1990s (though Uma Thurman wore them in Pulp Fiction), capri pants again became a dominant trend during the 2000s.

The silhouette's moniker originated from the Italian isle of Capri, where they were first made popular in the late fifties and early sixties.