Culottes vs palazzo: what is the difference?

What culottes are, and what a palazzo is

In women’s clothing, culottes are trousers designed to look like a skirt when you stand still. The leg is wide from the hip and the hem usually sits at mid-calf, so there is always a stretch of leg and ankle between hem and shoe. They hold their shape well in cotton, cambric and linen, and can also be made soft and swishy.

A palazzo keeps that width and carries it all the way down. Because the hem is near the ground it moves more and needs fabric that drapes. Our palazzo guide covers the cut, fabric and measurements in detail, and sharara, gharara or palazzo compares it with the dressier floor-length styles.

Side by side

The practical differences come from where the hem sits.

• Leg line. Culottes cut the leg at the calf and show the ankle. Palazzos give one long line from waist to floor, which lengthens the lower half.
• Weather and movement. Culottes stay clear of wet ground, stairs and bicycle chains. Palazzos give more coverage and catch more of what is on the pavement.
• Fabric use. Culottes need less cloth because the leg is shorter, which helps when a trouser piece is on the small side.
• Mood. Culottes read as casual and tailored. Palazzos read as relaxed and flowing, and dress up more easily.

The kurta length each one needs

With culottes, two proportions work. The first is a short kurta, hip to mid-thigh, which shows the whole trouser and suits co-ord sets. The second is a longer straight kurta to the knee or just below, with side slits, where the culotte shows as a wide band beneath. Keep at least a hand’s width of trouser visible under the kurta hem. What looks accidental is a kurta hem and a culotte hem that end within a few centimetres of each other.

Palazzos suit short and mid-length kurtas, hip to knee, where the width below balances the shorter top. A long, full kameez over a palazzo adds volume on volume. Kameez length and trouser pairings gives more combinations.

Shoes and where the hem sits

Culottes put the shoe and ankle on show, so the shoe becomes part of the outfit. Block heels, pointed flats, loafers, khussas and neat sandals all work, and ankle boots take over in winter. Because the cropped line shortens the leg, a little height in the shoe helps, especially if you are petite.

With palazzos the shoe is mostly hidden and its job is to set the length. The hem should skim the top of the foot in the shoes you will wear, so measure in them. Flats are fine if the trousers were measured for flats.

How to ask for either

On our quote form the wide style is listed as wide-leg. Culottes are not a named choice, so if you want the cropped version, choose wide-leg, give the exact length from waist to hem and add a photo; it is confirmed in the written quote. Mention the hem width too, since wide means different things to different people. The trouser size guide shows where to measure, and you can start from custom stitching or the stitching quote form.