I think it's an interesting question. For while low-rise pants tend to flatter very few women, cropped pants can work well on a variety of figures, provided they follow a few simple guidelines.

Before we get to them, however, let me define exactly style I'm referring to, so that we're all on same page.

Cropped pants, also known as pedal pushers, clam diggers, and Capris, are a style of pants that ends somewhere between knee and ankle, usually at mid-calf. They've gone in and out of fashion several times since 1950's, and are currently enjoying renewed popularity.

They are not for everyone, however.

Because of where they hit on leg, they can emphasize several things. For example:

*If you're petite, they can make you look shorter.

*If you're bottom heavy, they can make you look heavier.

*If you have short legs, they can make them look shorter.

*If you have thick ankles, they can make them look thicker.

Notice that I said, “can” in every situation. This isn't a given. Much of it can depend on color, cut, style of hem, and shoes that you choose.

Let's look at these one by one:

COLOR

Dark or muted colors will make you look smaller, light or bright colors will make you look bigger. Small prints work better on small bodies, large prints work better on large or tall bodies.

CUT

by Jan-Olov von Wowern

The role and position of noblewomen in later medieval Europe is a subject about which comparatively little has been written. The noblewomen, particularly those of higher nobility, usually found themselves in a situation where it was taken for granted they would marry and strengthen position of family by forming a union with a man of similar (or better) standing. Then, as now, importance of continuation of family line was a constant concern. For gentlemen who were "upwardly mobile" marriage to a noblewoman of high standing could be means of getting estates and allies.

It was not unusual to find noblewomen holding and inheriting land and estates. She could have inherited them from her father, brother or a deceased husband, and in many regions this was fully accepted. The male line in a noble family could become extinct for a number of reasons: sons could die on battlefield, they could die of one of many diseases, some would go into Church and be celibate, etc. So in many cases continuation of entire family depended on succession through female line, which (certainly in case of absence of male heirs) was usually accepted.