They strode down almost every major catwalk during the spring 2014 shows and were even more ubiquitous for autumn, but culottes provoke extreme reactions – they're wardrobe Marmite. As they head to a shop near you, ready for test-driving, India Knight and Harriet Walker debate the pros and cons

"What's wrong with a skirt? India Knight is not a fan"

Whistles – and nobody loves Whistles more than me – has a ‘dungaree culotte dress’ in store at the moment. A dungaree culotte dress made of leather, to be specific. I keep going online and clicking on it, and then I stare at it for ages, agog. Plenty left in size 14, I note.

And, you know, it’s fine. It’s not for me, because I am agèd – though frankly I don’t think I was a dungaree culotte dress kind of person at 20, either. But the return of culottes is troubling me greatly. They’re the clothing equivalent of sporks, culottes: you think ‘Oh yes, haha, very ingenious and terrifically ugly’ and think no more about them. Nobody has a party and thinks, 'I must just go and stock up on sporks.' Equally, nobody thinks 'Yay, Spring! Must get myself some of those hot culottes.'

Except that clearly they do. And it’s baffling, is what it is. What’s wrong with skirts or, if you must feel bisected around the gusset area, trousers? Or shorts, even ('city shorts,' brr). Culottes are basically cropped palazzo pants. To me, that’s really not good at all. Worse, they’re cropped palazzo pants with vaguely Amish “modesty clothing” overtones. You’re safe in culottes: if there’s a force 10 gale blowing down Oxford Street, your trusty culottes means nobody will see your pants. Granted, that’s an advantage on a blustery day, but I refer you back to our old pal the trouser.

I’m wracking my brain thinking of something kind to say about them, and all I can come up with is that they’d be an acceptable part of school uniform – again, for knicker-related reasons. Handy for hanging upside down from trees, and for handstands. But otherwise no. No. A hundred times no. Skirts are skirts for a reason – the fabric flows down either side of your leg, and it looks nice, and it moves nicely. Whack in an extra load of fabric on the inside, and – no. Just no. Cropped palazzos! I don’t think so.

"An everyday piece with a hint of avant garde? I'm in, says Harriet Walker"

As a pale person inclined to pink during the hot months, I have to say, I’ve always loved culottes. They cover you up but maintain a draught - in much the same way as a skirt, you might argue, but I don’t suit a cutesy skirt. I’m too Northern and dour.

And as a lazy person inclined to comfort, I’m really very pleased culottes are now ‘fashion’ again. Because they're basically just the same as trousers, so will work with all your existing outfits.

Although there’s the thing: culottes always were ‘fashion’. In the proper way, beloved of the avant garde  – Yohji, Junya, Rei Kawakubo. Marc Jacobs has fielded several incarnations over the years too.

To my mind, there’s nothing better than a wardrobe piece that is fairly easily worn - slipped into and topped off with a jumper - but which earns you directional style points too. And you don’t even have to negotiate a third sleeve or dropped crotch.

So I am all for them. In fact, I never really stopped wearing them since my first pair, part of my old Brownie Guides uniform (thanks Jeff Banks!).

And now they’re trendy again, even better. Although for spring (where they first appeared on the catwalks) and autumn (where they remained, hammering home the message that they’re not going anywhere), they had undergone something of a reinvention. So if the word ‘culottes’ makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand tall, listen up.

They were slit along the sides at Hussein Chalayan – the sexy option. They were wide and white at Marni – the minimal choice. They were tailored at Marc Jacobs for spring, almost like boardshorts, and for autumn, Victoria Beckham made them up in chic and effortless monochrome.

There now. If they have the VB seal of approval, what are you waiting for? Unleash your legs from skinny jeans and restrictive trousers. Enjoy the freedom of this season’s strides in the knowledge that people will be focussing on your fashion credentials, not your knickers.