A quick glance around the ELLE UK office or at any fashion girlie worth her salt's TikTok FYP for proof - capri pants paired with cute little kitten heels is the outfit recipe of summer 2025.
Like bloomer pants and ballet flats, or mesh shoes and midi skirts before it, capri pants and kitten heels is a style combination so reliable, we are becoming convinced we need more than one iteration of it.
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The capri pant, or pedal pusher, resurgence has been bubbling for a couple of summers now. Inspired by the likes of Brigitte Bardot and Sex And The City's fictional lead Carrie Bradshaw everyone from Alexa Chung and Amy Brewster, ELLE UK's own head of social is trying the trend in 2025.
However, the trouble with these three-quarter-length trousers is knowing exactly what shoes to wear them with. Thanks to their cheeky calf-lengths boots, trainers and probably loafers too are off the menu. While they can look cute with ballet flats and generic sandals, it's kitten heeled mules which work the best, thanks to their leg lengthening properties.
'Every year as soon as temperatures reach above 20 degrees my fail-safe capri pants come into my weekly outfit rotation and don't leave until October,' Brewster tells us. 'Comfier than jeans and giving the impression you've put way more effort into your outfit than you have, they're a saviour whether dressing for the office or dinner with friends. I team them with kitten heels for an elevated look - Mango's Thong Sandals are my go-to. On top, I usually wear an oversized shirt or a knitted polo. On hotter days a white tank keep things simple and chic.'
To take all the guesswork out of getting dressed we've put together eight capri pants and kitten heel combinations for you. You're welcome.
If it all feels a little intimidating, your gateway capris should likely be a simple, dare we say chic, black legging style. The more paired-back bottom means you can be a little more daring with your heel choice - channel Sabrina Carpenter with these edgy, pin-up styles.
Black Capri Pants And Kitten Heel Combinations
MANGO Ribbed top with asymmetrical straps
Arket Capri Leggings
Mugler Pierced Capri Pants
Mango Leopard-Print Kitten-Heel Sandals
ME+EM Off-The-Shoulder Top
Mango Bow Heel Sandals
H&M Oxford Shirt
Rotate Ruffle-Hem Capris
Zara Satin Kitten-Heel Sandals
For those ready to graduate to a more challenging look, we've got some denim, gingham, polkadot and even cargo styles. You can decide if you're going to pull it back with some more subdued heels, or go full throttle and clash away.
Capri Pants and Kitten Heels
Arket Berry Capri Jeans
Zara Leather Kitten Heels
Weekday Slim Fit Ribbed Cotton T-Shirt
Adriana Degreas Cotton-Blend Capri Pants
Prada 55mm leather sandals
La Redoute Breton Top
Manolo Blahnik Denim Mules
Faithfull Gingham Cotton Poplin Capri Pants
Zara Kitten-Heel Sandals
Whatever bottom half combination you opt for, there's one top (pun intended) choice when it comes to deciding what to wear on your upper half: the humble button-down shirt.
Our favourite has to be the poplin 'The Boyfriend' shirt from With Nothing Underneath, but if you head down to your local charity shop you're sure to find a cotton men's shirt that will work a treat.
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Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.
