I hate shorts. Hate is a strong word, I know, and I never use it for that reason. But I haven’t found a pair of shorts to love since 1980. I was 8. I don’t like the way shorts look on me (my thighs are exceptionally large ;)) and anyway, I’d just always rather wear skirts – long ones – which I’ve never had a problem with; even in the Texas heat. Truthfully, I wish more women would wear skirts and not shorts – if I see one more ass hanging out of a pair of booty shorts, I’ll scream…
Moving on…lately I’ve had the itch to try and find a pair of shorts I want to wear (I tried these shorts on by Splendid and I kind of liked them, but they were pretty short). I haven’t yet, and probably won’t until I lose my next 25 pounds, but I do think I know the kind of shorts I would like to wear when I feel comfortable: slouchy, drawstring or elastic waist, slightly flared leg, or at least not tight on the thighs. And since I’m short, with super-short legs, I know that shorter shorts (not knee-length) would look better on me:
1 Geometric petal print short | $49 at LOFT
2 Stitched hem linen shorts | $54 at Anthropologie
3 Paige jimmy jimmy short | $169 at Piperlime
4 Enza Costa belted linen shorts | $118 at Shopbop
5 Women’s print girl shorts | $12.90 at Uniqlo
6 Print shorts | $19.90 at Uniqlo (uh. I kind of love these, might have to order them right now…)
A few more shorts I kind of like…
Do you wear shorts? what kind are you most comfortable in??
Once I turned 30 I opted against shorts in favor of just-above-the-knee skirts in the summer. But then I became a mom and stayed home with my child for 2 years and I realized that skirts were not going to be the best thing to wear while crawling on the floor after a baby or chasing after a toddler on the playground… so I went back to shorts. I cringe when I see super short (and/or too tight) shorts on women but I think done right they can be a casual but still polished look. I also have short legs, so while I don’t love them either I usually go for a 4″-5″ length and wear them with flat sandals or sneakers.
I’m due with my second child very soon and being pregnant in the summer is not fun. I tried to turn to maxi dresses but it’s too much fabric in the humid hot weather. I managed to find some shorts at the Gap and Old Navy in the maternity section which are coming quite in handy!
I am definitely not a fan of shorts. Either the ones that fit me well in the waist are the wrong length, or the correct length ones don’t fit me in the waist. I feel like I have a hard enough time finding pants that I like and fit the way I want them too, and dealing with the length of shorts just amplifies the issue. Plus, where I live (coastal Northern California) there isn’t a ton of great shorts weather, so I really only need them when I go on vacation.
Looking forward to hearing what options you try and like!
Growing up I had a complex with the way my legs looked and refused to wear shorts and most dresses unless I was wearing boots. As I’ve gotten older my attitude has changed to this is the only body I’m going to get and I have to learn to embrace what I’ve got. Plus it is just too damn hot in the summer to be covered up.
I can totally understand your dilemma and it’s just a matter of finding the right pair that makes you feel comfortable. I know they are out there! Oh, and I saw a pair of harem shorts on The Outnet today. That would be totally up your alley minus the bright blue color. I think they were Alexander Wang and I’m not big on harem pants but loved the way the shorts looked.
LOVE harem shorts 🙂
i pinned these the other day: http://pinterest.com/pin/188940146839999472/ – i love them so much…i’d totally wear those since they cover my knees 😉
i’m going to really search for some shorts that i feel comfortable in – i have a feeling i’ll find something!
i saw the AW shorts on the outnet, i don’t like those as much as ones that are tighter at the knees. i have a pair of harem capris from sweaty betty that i pull up to my knees that i love.
have missed you BTW!!
this is my problem too – it’s hard enough finding good jeans/pants. let alone shorts!
we’ll be doing a family vacation in july though, and i’d like to find a pair for just running around parks, lake, etc. in – that’s what has me looking.
I have a few pairs of shorts for the summer, but I generally prefer wearing lightweight or full-legged trousers, or crops, or long skirts. There’s really nothing much wrong with my legs, they are fairly shapely, but I am uncomfortable with having them bare, I feel like I need to protect them from getting banged up or something. So usually if I am wearing shorts, I’m wearing them over a bathing suit.
I always think I want uncomplicated shorts like men’s shorts but then when I try them on I think I look awful, so my favorite pair is white linen with a drawstring waist and full legs that I got from–of all places–Land’s End. But they’ve lasted forever and look cute. I also have a chambray pair from Target and another one from Old Navy. I do like the cute girly shorts like the ones you’ve posted, but I just feel like they are TOO SHORT on me! I don’t like the feeling of having my thighs exposed.
So, cutting to the chase, I am just NOT a shorts-type girl, I guess.
This week I LOVE shorts!
I’m 37 and for some reason this year they look good on me! My favorites are Theory and Rag and Bone. I also bought the greatest ones at Target it’s a linen blend. Also just ordered 7 for all mankind and I think they will be my all time favorite. The trick for shorts is to buy a size up I think ( except for my 7s I had to size down) they all look great with nice tops and you can actually dress them up with summer heels!
bloomingdale’s link
theory link
**note from grechen – i just edited the links because they were too long and running off the page!!
i love both of those pairs. and i agree with the sizing up suggestion, the splendid shorts i tried on were larger and definitely fit better.
also going to try target! thanks for the suggestions!!
i don’t like my thighs exposed either…i’m not sure i could ever do shorter shorts, but i do like the way they look better than longer ones, on me anyway, because of my short legs.
I love WEARING shorts on hot summer days, but I hate the way they LOOK on me! I once saw a video taken from behind (gee, thanks, Dad 😉 ) of me wearing loose-cut linen shorts from LOFT. I NEVER wore them again!!! But at home, I do wear my GAP boyfriend shorts and a tank top with no bra on particularly hot and muggy days! (Quel horreur!)
Topshop have a pair that look ok. They are light denim, slouchy, drawstring waist with big thigh slimming (i think) pockets on the front. I think I’ll try a pair and size up as, like you, I sort of hate shorts(on me). But this year I do have a mission to find a pair.
my dad does that too…gets super-close-ups when i have no idea! horrifying.
lol at your no bra statement, i’d rather not wear a bra most days, luckily i’m so small i can get away with it most of the time, at least if my cami has a built in bra…
I definitely can NOT get away with it. But I do it anyway, to the complete and total humiliation of my youngest daughter who is still at home (“No Mom!!! I’ll answer the door!”)
And I learned something new: There really are harem SHORTS???
haha! yes. i mean, they’re really just slouchy shorts…but i love them, because they’re much more forgiving than “normal” shorts.
I am also an avowed shorts-hater. By my calculations I went SIX YEARS without buying any shorts before I finally broke down and got a pair last summer. I figured at that point I might as well go all out, so I got the AG ex-boyfriend shorts. Super expensive even on eBay but I admit it, I like them.
I don’t think they are selling my pair this season- they seem to have been replaced with the shorter “Hailey”, but if you can track them down they are pretty great and can be worn a variety of ways:
http://www.shopbop.com/boyfriends-shorts-ag-adriano-goldschmied/vp/v=1/845524441895394.htm
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/ag-adriano-goldschmied-ex-boyfriend-shorts-in-17-years
i got those on gilt a couple days ago!! http://www.gilt.com/look/?s_id=316f86679322b74388372fef6af95d06267d652b369f4de42cfb407d4454aa13_1371295843044_1011318694&size_id=10251
i figured they’d be easy to wear shorter or longer, and i like how denim fits around my waist/hips, so…they’re “extended delivery” so they won’t get here for a while (hate that!), but i can’t wait to try them!!
No way! I hope you like them 🙂
I just looked at your Pinterest link: Cute harem shorts! But the real question is: “How do they film from behind?” ;-0
terrible, i’m sure 😉
slouchy/harem pants are not cute from behind. do i care? not much…but i’m sure i’d feel differently watching a video of me from behind…
Just teasin’ ya’! You look great, so I’d have no fears. Now, me on the other hand….