Why Not Culotte?

October 13, 2016 | Filed in: Humans of MM

MM’s first foray into culottes is named for our stylist (and wide-leg pant enthusiast) Lena Ficchi. Here, her ode to her namesake.

I HAVE A PEAR-SHAPED BODY, so I like to wear loose-fitting bottoms with more tailored tops. As a plus-size, it’s hard to find pants that look clean and polished, so I often wind up wearing skirts to work—the Waverly is a favorite. However, the Ficchi culottes look very professional because of the material and the cut. The flat front looks smooth, the fabric is high-quality, and the shape balances out my figure.

Lena in the Ficchi culottes, the Didion top in eclipse, and the Cloud scarf in shell.

MY CULOTTES ARRIVED on a Friday, and I immediately took them out of the box and wore them at work all day. That Saturday, it was the annual homecoming game at my alma mater, Fordham—it’s really more like a big party on the lawn on campus—so I wore them with a long-sleeved Fordham T-shirt tucked in and a Cloud scarf wrapped around my waist as a belt. Then, on Sunday, I wore them around my house all day while I caught up on work. Thank goodness they’re machine washable!

I WEAR THEM WITH the Keaton turtleneck, which I’m obsessed with right now. That outfit epitomizes the balance I try to strike—fitted on the top and flowy on the bottom. It works especially well for plus-size pear shapes like me, but I think it looks great on straight shapes and even heart shapes as well. I’m a big fan of the Didion top, too. If you don’t like tailored shirts but are still looking to balance out a bottom-heavy figure, tucking in the Rowling or the Didion has that effect.

I LIKE OUTFITS that are very simple but include one key element that’s a little out there. For example, I’ll wear a scarf as a belt with an otherwise plain black skirt and top. I’m always toeing the line between what looks polished and what looks unique—and I think these culottes do that perfectly.