Parachute Pants for Women: The Soft Utility Trouser, and How to Wear It Now

Parachute pants are loose trousers in a light, crisp fabric, gathered at the ankle with a drawcord, so they balloon softly through the leg. The grown up version is in cotton, and Scanlan Theodore cuts its Parachute Pleat Trouser in parachute cotton with pleats and a mid rise. Find it with our edit of designer trousers.

Key facts

• The name comes from the light nylon of 1980s parachute pants; today the look is made in cotton, silk and technical fabrics
• The defining detail is a gathered, drawcord ankle
• Wear them with something close to the body on top, a fitted shirt and a cropped jacket
• Cargo pockets, cargo skirts and utility jackets come from the same family
• Parachute pants women is searched about 18,100 times a month worldwide, cargo skirt the same

What makes a parachute pant

Three details: a light, slightly stiff fabric that holds volume, a full leg, and a gathered ankle. Pleats at the waist add more volume and make the trouser look tailored rather than sporty. The fabric decides the mood: nylon is street, cotton is everyday, silk is evening.

The Scanlan Theodore utility pieces, compared

Our picks

1. Parachute Pleat Trouser in White

The parachute trouser in white cotton: mid rise, front pleats and a drawcord at the ankle.

2. Linen Soft Cargo Skirt in Dark Jungle

A full length cargo skirt in a linen and viscose blend, with zipped pockets at the hip and a soft elastic waist.

3. Linen Textured Cargo Skirt in Creme

A knee length cargo skirt in textured linen with snap pockets.

4. Double Cotton Cargo Jacket in Safari

An oversized, sleeveless cargo jacket in double cotton with gusset pockets and a gathered high hip.

5. Italian Herringbone Short in Dark Jungle

A below the knee cargo short in Italian herringbone, with adjustable waist tabs.

6. Simkhai Freya Parachute Pant in Sea Turtle

A parachute pant in a soft sea turtle green.

7. The Frankie Shop Villeron Cropped Cargo Pants in Dark Olive

A cropped cargo pant in dark olive.

How to wear parachute pants without looking like 1985

Balance the volume. Wear a fitted top, a tucked shirt and a cropped jacket so the waist shows. The Parachute Cocoon Sleeve Shirt is the exception that works, because white on white turns the volume into a single soft line. Add a slim belt, a flat leather sandal and gold earrings. Keep sneakers for the weekend; a heeled mule makes it evening. For the skirt version, see our cargo skirts guide.

Fit

Parachute pants should sit at your natural waist and gather just above the ankle bone. If the drawcord ankle hits the floor, the trouser is too long. Scanlan Theodore sizes in Australian numbers, which match UK sizes: an AU 6 is a UK 6, a US 2 and an EU 34; an AU 8 is a UK 8, a US 4 and an EU 36; an AU 10 is a UK 10, a US 6 and an EU 38. Full conversions are in our Scanlan Theodore size guide.

Wearing it around the world

Scanlan Theodore designs in Melbourne, so its spring and summer pieces land in November, when the Gulf is at its most comfortable and the northern hemisphere is planning winter sun. In Dubai, Riyadh and Doha the lightweight fabrics here suit the cooler months outdoors, and long sleeves and full lengths cover easily for the souq, the mosque visit and the family lunch. In London, Paris and Milan they pack for a January escape and come back out in May. In New York and Los Angeles they cover resort season. US shoppers subtract four from the Australian size; Europeans add twenty eight.

Frequently asked questions

What are parachute pants?

Loose, full leg trousers in a light, crisp fabric, gathered at the ankle with a drawcord.

Are parachute pants still in style?

Yes, in a quieter form: cotton and silk, a pleated waist and neutral colours rather than shiny nylon.

What shoes go with parachute pants?

A flat sandal, a ballet flat and a low mule all sit neatly under a gathered ankle.

What is the difference between parachute pants and cargo pants?

Parachute pants are defined by a gathered ankle and a light fabric; cargo pants by patch pockets on the thigh. Some styles have both.

What is parachute cotton?

A light, tightly woven cotton with a crisp hand, named for its likeness to parachute cloth. Scanlan Theodore uses it for shirts, shorts and trousers.

Read next: Cargo skirts, Linen trousers for women, Satin cargo pants, The Scanlan Theodore linen edit.

By Coveti Editorial. Updated 15 November 2026. Product details are taken from each house's own garment and care notes.