University of Fashion’s newest lesson (click to watch a lesson preview): Drafting a Side-Pleated Culotte (Image credit: UniversityofFashion.com)

Our new lesson will teach you how to draft a women’s side pleated culotte using your basic pant sloper as the foundation. We will teach you how to draft two front pleats, a waistband, a back zipper and inseam pockets.

Fun fact: Did you know that during 1940s, culottes gained popularity as part of two-piece outfits during wartime fabric rationing?

History of  Culottes

Women’s culottes have experienced multiple waves of popularity throughout fashion history. In fact, they were originally worn by European aristocracy beginning in the 1500s. Culottes eventually broke from their class-bound history and became a symbol of female resistance. The concept of divided skirts for practical purposes, such as riding horses or cycling, offered women more freedom of movement. And, their popularity began to challenge traditional gender norms through fashion.

Fun fact: the word ‘culot’ is based on the brash Latin translation of ‘cul’, meaning backside.

Claire McCardell’s culotte dress 1947 (Image credit: artsandculture.google.com)

In 1931, designer Elsa Schiaparelli created a revolutionary “divided skirt” that shocked the tennis world when worn by Lili de Alvarez at Wimbledon. During the 1940s-1950s, culottes became more mainstream, with designers like Claire McCardell creating adaptable, versatile versions. By the mid-20^th century French designers began experimenting with the idea of “split skirts”, leading to the creation of culottes as we know them today.  

Fun fact: Culottes maintain a more skirt-like appearance compared to their close cousin, the gaucho pant. 

Designer Anne Fogarty’s 1967 linen culotte ensemble (Image credit: fashionencyclopedia.com)

The 1960s-1970s saw a resurgence of culottes when designers like Anne Fogarty featured culotte ensembles in fashion magazines and celebrities like Bianca Jagger wore culotte jumpsuits. Culottes experienced another surge in popularity in the 1990s, where they were considered a standard fashion item.

In 2015, Rihanna, Kendall Jenner and Chrissy Teigen promoted a culotte comeback. (Image credit: fashionencyclopedia.com)

Culottes made another major comeback in 2015 when celebrities like Rihanna, Kendall Jenner and Chrissy Teigen sporting the style.

Today, culottes continue to be a fashion staple, appreciated for their versatility and comfort, while retaining their historical significance as a symbol of social change and women’s liberation.