What Is a Divided Skirt Called? A Guide to Culottes

A divided skirt is usually called culottes : a garment with separate legs that can look like a skirt when you’re standing. Depending on its cut and length, you might also hear it called a split skirt or skirt pants, although those terms can describe a range of styles.

Check the product’s listed specifications when evaluating what is a divided skirt.

A conventional skirt has one open space around the legs, while culottes have a divided construction more like shorts or pants. That distinction matters when you’re choosing an outfit for cycling, sitting on the floor, or another activity where you may prefer separate leg openings without giving up a skirt-like silhouette.

Check the product’s listed specifications when evaluating how culottes differ from skirts.

Skorts typically combine a skirt-like outer layer with shorts, while culottes are usually recognizable as a single divided garment with wider legs. Gaucho pants are another related style, generally cut with wide legs and a cropped length, though the names can overlap in everyday fashion descriptions.

Check the product’s listed specifications when evaluating what are similar styles called.

When trying on culottes, sit down and take a few steps to see whether the waistband feels comfortable and the fabric gives you enough room to move. You can balance a wide-leg pair with a tucked-in top or a shorter jacket, and choose shoes based on the length and proportions you prefer.

Our Asymmetrical Pleated Knee-Length Skirt offers a different look from culottes, with an asymmetrical, pleated skirt design rather than the separate legs that define a divided skirt. If you’re deciding between the two, our team suggests thinking about whether you want the movement of a traditional skirt or the coverage of a divided garment.