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" Culottes, gauchos, wide-leg cropped pants\u2014whatever you call them\u2014the retro silhouette of many &amp;#039;a childhood wardrobe is having a serious fashion moment right now. Our office had a bit of a debate about what actually makes a culotte a culotte (and what distinguishes it from a gaucho) and, after referencing our trusty Fairchild&amp;#039;s Dictionary of Fashion, the answer is simply this: a culotte is a garment that hangs like skirt, but is actually pants. A gaucho is a calf-length, culotte-type pant usually worn with a full-sleeved blouse, bolero and broad-brimmed hat\u2014in other words a culotte styled as a South American cowboy. I digress.   Last September during the spring shows this pant-as-skirt look was widely interpreted, but decidely a focus. Alexander Wang showed a louche take on the work trouser, paired coolly with a crop top. Proenza Schouler&amp;#039;s culotte had a &amp;#039;70s vibe with a high waist and military jacket counterpart\u2014while Hermes showed a luxe, belted leather iteration styled insouciantly with a trench coat. And having just wrapped the Fall &amp;#039;14 shows, the culotte is proving its staying power on the runway, too. One of my favorite looks from the new collections was this denim culotte (above) spotted on Frankie Rayder at the Michael Kors show\u2014I love it with the simple white shirt and gorgeous fur. But even though I loved the aforementioned ensembles on models\u2014as a spectator\u2014I am not convinced culottes and I should embark on any sort of sartorial relationship. First off, as a single woman I have to guess this full-legged shape does nothing to attract the attention of men. Second, I am inclined to think they are only flattering and &amp;quot;cool&amp;quot; on ladies like Rayder who are 5&amp;#039;10&amp;quot; and have legs for days. But the &amp;quot;real&amp;quot; girls spotted outside the shows in a range of culottes, colors and prints are making me rethink my platform. They all manage to look great in the skirted pant, and all have interpreted the look to fit their own personal style. Like many a tricky trend, the right styling can make all the difference. Maybe I&amp;#039;ll start slow and trade my ubiqitious black skinny pants for a black culotte version this spring, pairing them with a fitted white tee and blazer\u2014i.e. fuss free. If that goes well, I&amp;#039;ll be in denim gauchos and fur in no time.  What are your feelings on the culotte? Would you wear it? Tell us in the comments and shop the story below. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/trends/a1985/how-to-wear-culottes/>