Winter is Claudia Winkleman’s ultimate style season. She loves knitwear, long coats and boots - so when she finds a spring/summer staple she loves, we can’t help paying attention.
The Traitors host has now declared that "culottes are back" for 2025 as she was photographed in a beautiful pair by Jaeger in her role as an M&S Ambassador. These white culottes are a gorgeous option when you want the comfort of jeans, but need something smarter.
Smart-casual outfits can sometimes be trickier to put together than you think. So having some key pieces like this in your spring capsule wardrobe that feel a bit more elevated is an easy place to start.
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This pure cashmere jumper is an investment piece, but the neutral colour and timeless crew neck design mean that this will never go out of style. It appears to be the same design worn by Claudia Winkleman with the culottes and the cosy, relaxed feel of the jumper makes the whole outfit feel a little more casual.
With the volume of a skirt, but the practicality of trousers, Claudia's culottes are a gorgeous option for spring. They feel sophisticated but the billowing legs make them so comfy and you can throw them over everything from knee high boots to sandals or loafers. They have a touch of wool in the material which is great for cooler days.
Step out in style with these lace-up flats. If you love the way Claudia Winkleman styled her culottes with brogues, then these are an affordable option to get a similar look. They have classic cut-out detailing and a rounded toe. Pair with tailored pieces for a formal feel or with flowing dresses for a contrast.
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When you don't want to wear jeans but you want something equally neutral and easy to wear then you might find yourself reaching for these H&M culottes. They come in various colours but the beige tone is very versatile. The darted waist and crisp crease down the front give them a smart edge.
Comfortable and flowy, these culottes are perfect for warmer days. They are cropped and have an elasticated waistband, as well as front pleats and pockets. We'd style this with a simple white T-shirt and ballet flats before swapping to sandals when summer arrives.
Butter yellow is a huge 2025 trend and that's why these culottes caught our eye, even though they also come in several neutral tones too. They're high-waisted, with a front crease detail, a side zip and a wide-leg silhouette. When you're wearing yellow, we'd recommend going for white, cream and tans with the rest of your outfit.
Culotte designs can vary and Claudia’s Jaeger ones are voluminous enough to look like a skirt if you didn’t know any different. The dramatic wide-leg shape is so flowy and beautiful for the warmer months and also makes them feel quite feminine and elegant.
Digital Fashion Ecommerce Editor for woman&home, Caroline Parr, agrees with Claudia’s caption that "culottes are back" and she particularly loves this wide style.
"I tend to agree with everything Claudia Winkleman says, but she's definitely right about culottes. You'll have heard a lot of talk about skinny jeans being back this year, which is all well and good, but sometimes what you need is a loose, flowy silhouette, especially when the weather is sunny but still a little chilly," she says.
Caroline adds, "For me, the wider the cut, the better. I want them to almost look like a skirt for a really fresh and fluid silhouette. These are spot on."
We find wider pieces so comfortable as there’s nothing worse than being out for the day and your jeans or trousers digging into your legs. Some culottes are less billowy and more trouser-like, but whichever style you look at, they’re so chic.
Claudia Winkleman’s culottes are made with a touch of wool and are cropped. The deep box pleats help to give them plenty of movement and there’s a handy waistband adjuster at the side.
Pockets are another practical detail and the TV star chose to balance the smartness of her culottes by wearing them with a slouchy grey Jaeger knit. Her lace-up brogues added extra structure to contrast against her trousers.
This was a very Claudia way to wear them, but it’s not the only option. A fitted top or shirt would work well too, and ballet flats or your best white trainers can dress them up or down.
Ultimately, because of the volume and silhouette, you can style culottes as you would a midi skirt or tailored trousers. It’s lovely to see the presenter embracing them for spring 2025 - especially as Claudia Winkleman tends to prefer more tapered trousers or leggings, like the Spanx Seamless leggings she wore so much on The Traitors.
Culottes are a different look for her and she’s not the only one to step out in them recently either. Queen Mary of Denmark wore tailored culottes in Paris and we wouldn’t be surprised if more people agreed with them - and us - that culottes are well worth trying.
