Long story shorts

There was a time many moons ago when I would not have even entertained the idea of wearing a pair of shorts. I don’t know why, but so many people seem to feel self-conscious when wearing them.

I feel like with shorts you need to get the fit right and too tight shorts are really not the sartorial vibe we are going for. I love a comfy linen pair of shorts or a more looser style fit culotte, but recently I have been finding it hard to resist the lure of the athleisure short. You know the ones an Adidas style that seems to be everywhere at the moment. I first became familiar with this style worn for purely fashion reasons outside the gym when Carrie Bradshaw wore them on ‘Sex and the City’ with a pair of Manolo Blahniks.

Now the style is back with a bang and we are still taking inspo with how they were styled on the show.

I’ve not rocked the trend myself yet, but I have been doing my research and thinking about how I would work this trend into my own wardrobe. These shorts are actually super versatile and look great worn casually or even dressed up for nights out and dinner dates. I’m pretty certain with the right pair, you’re cost per wear could be incredibly low and as we can see, this is a very enduring trend, so you’ll have these for seasons to come.

There’s also a huge selection of colours and fits available so there’s one to suit all colour palettes and preferences.

I love the Adidas ones with a contrasting colour piping, but M&S have a great pair in both red and green and I’ve seen fabulous versions in Next and in Penneys, so also a pair to suit all budgets. Dare I say, with the right styling I would wear the M&S ones to work.

They are a slightly longer length than the Adidas ones and would look great for workwear styled with an oversized shirt and some flat pumps. Perfect for workwear dressing in this hot weather. You could also style with a t-shirt and blazer for an equally good workwear look.

An easy way to style this casually is with a simple t-shirt and trainers, but the structure of a blazer gives an unexpected styling twist and will earn you extra fashion points. Keep the look fresh with a simple flip flop or get that bit more dressy with a backless mule. The backless mule and shorts combination also works well with a fitted tee and is very much the Carrie Bradshaw inspiration.

Personally, I think I would go for something a bit more casual and style with an oversized denim shirt and perhaps go with a thong heeled sandal or wear with an oversized white t-shirt and some trainers.

I also love a bit of colour drenching with this look so think about pairing a red pair of shorts with a red and white striped oversized shirt and then styling with a great pair of Mary Janes or loafers.

Give the look a more retro early 2000’s feel with a mini shoulder bag and lash on the gold jewellery.

So, if you’ve been on the fence about rocking those shorts, just take the plunge and go for it.