Pedal Pushers Are Back In Fashion – And Celebrities Are Already On Board

One of my favourite items of clothing growing up was a pair of denim pedal pushers, a type of trouser that clings to the thigh, stops at the knee and managed to become quite popular – despite its unpromising vital stats – in the early '00s. Good for riding a bike because of the bare calves, but impractical in almost every other sense, they were rather like a summer crush - exciting but, ultimately, a disappointment that wasn't remotely worth 100+ messages on MSN (or the time you spent away from Snake).

I'm not sure what to think, therefore, about the fact that pedal pushers - or to use their other name, capri pants - appear to be carving out a calf-first path into the wardrobes of today's Insta-stars. Gigi Hadid has been wearing a pair that my pre-pubescent self, coming of age in the early '00s, would have cut out of a magazine and pasted in a scrapbook next to pictures of the Olsens. But styled with an otherwise lo-fi outfit of a black tank top and similarly neutral slingback pumps, she managed to make them look – and this is a word that has heretofore not been associated with pedal pushers – chic.

Having said that, they were a favourite of the most stylish woman on TV, Carrie Bradshaw, as well as the coolest person on the planet (then and now), Rihanna. Are they, in fact, a good idea?

It totally depends on your style preferences, of course. But if you're into baby tees and oversized blazers, I do think it could be worth taking a pair for a spin (the slim-fit proportions of the trousers will be meted out by the shoulders of the jacket, you see). Carrie's approach for summer - a breezy cheesecloth blouse with a bandana - will also strike a the right balance.

If, however, all of this is taking you on a trip down a memory lane you'd rather not revisit, fair enough. The next time you're riding your bike, just tuck the hem of your jeans into your sock and off you go.