For style-loving women who are not built like fashion models, shorts can represent the cruelest of ironies:
Shorts feel so good, but they can look so bad.
Well, before you call off your rocky relationship with the breezy summer wardrobe staple, consider this:
Maybe you’ve just never met the right pair of shorts.
“Different styles flatter different body types,” said Heather Casella, manager of women’s clothing at Macy’s, at the Layton Hills Mall. “Lengths, cuts, colors and details can all make a big difference in how you look and how you feel.”
Trends that are hot this season include denim in light and dark washes, and distressed or not; shorts that fall just above the knee; a sleek, tailored fit; neutral colors and flesh tones; nautical-look shorts in blue and white; “boyfriend shorts,” which are denim, in any length, with a rolled cuff; and rompers, which are shorts and top, in one dress-inspired piece.
We talked to experts, who share their advice on finding flattering shorts.
Length
Shorts get a new name for every couple of inches of length, said Alicia Richmond, owner of Chic on a Shoestring, a Salt Lake City fashion consulting business. Richmond appears on KTVX Channel 4’s “Good Day Utah.”
Shortest are short shorts, which may have an inseam of just an inch or two. Mid-thigh shorts fall to, well, mid-thigh. Drop a few more inches, to the knee region, and you’ve got Bermuda shorts. A few inches lower, and you’re talking capris, and two or three inches before you hit the ankle is crop length.
• Short shorts. “These are typically better for girls in their teens or early 20s,” Richmond said. “As you get older, it is harder to wear the hot-pants style, and most older women would feel uncomfortable in them.”
• Mid-thigh shorts. “These are great for women whose legs are their asset,” Richmond said.
• Bermuda shorts. “These are probably best for women with long or average legs,” Richmond said. “If a petite woman wears Bermudas, she should keep them above the kneecap. Below that would shorten her knee-to-ankle ratio, and make her legs look shorter than they have to.”
Alison Prokop, a buyer for the Dress Barn store chain, said in an e-mail interview that Bermuda shorts can go to the office.
“Bermuda shorts are very versatile. Not only do they work well for plus sizes, as a straight fit can cover problem areas, and with the right shoe create length, but they also can have a dressier look which can be worn in the workplace. Dark colors in dress pant material will not only keep you cool, but when paired with a heel or fancier sandal or strappy shoe, they are quite work-appropriate.”
• Capris. Jason Walthour, manager of Macy’s in Layton, said capris can work for almost anyone.
“They are made to flatter most body types,” he said. “They are the most universal of all the shorts out there.”
• Crop pants. “Crop pants are flattering to women who carry weight in their legs,” Richmond said. “A lot of women say they have no definition in their ankles, what can they wear? Crop pants are a great option. Sometimes capris are too fitted. Crop pants are a little looser, and they hit above the widest part of the ankle.”
Crops are not a good option for short women, Richmond added.
“Petite women don’t look good in crops,” she said. “On them, crops look like floods” — those too-short long pants.
Width
Tapered pants, which includes most capris, can help or hurt a figure, Richmond said.
“For women who have wide hips, tapered capris can make the hips look fuller than they are,” she said.
You want to avoid making your legs look like turkey drumsticks. Richmond said straight or slightly flared legs are often far more flattering. Straight legs give you a silhouette as wide as your hips, at a width that falls straight down in a clean line.
“Tapered pants are good for women who want to look like they have more curves than they do,” Richmond said.
Casella said women who are very thin should avoid pants with excess width.
“They might think the extra bulk is hiding their skinny legs, but it makes them more noticeable,” she said. “Fitted Bermudas work really well on thin people.”
Tailored shorts that skim the body are a fashion trend this year, and are visually slimming, Casella said. Extra bulk — from a wider than necessary cut, thick fabric or chunky waist details such as drawstrings — is unflattering, she said.
Color
Denim is everywhere this summer, and neutral colors, such as grays, browns, khakis, black and olives, are always a good fashion choice.
“Brighter colors draw the eye, so it all depends on where you want people looking,” Casella said. “A lot of people choose a neutral pant color, then a brighter shirt, or a blouse with embellishment or other interesting details.”
Details
Universal law: Pleats are not your friend.
“If you have a pear shape, avoid a lot of pleats and pockets, which add bulk to your hip and stomach area,” Casella said. “If you are pear shape and you need pockets, consider side pockets at an angle, and maybe a lower rise,” to minimize bulk, she said.
Pleats pooch out and give the impression of a round belly, Casella said. Flat-front pants are more flattering.
If you’re choosing shorts with back pockets, check your pocket placement, Prokop said.
“Small pockets that are spaced away from the center seam will make a large bottom look bigger. If the bottom is your concern, look for shorts with simple back pockets, nothing too industrial or bulky.”
Diversion tactics
So what do you do if you’ve selected the best length, width, cut and color of shorts for your body type, and you feel wonderfully cool and comfy, but still a wee bit self-conscious.
Draw people’s eyes away from your figure-friendly shorts with an eye-catching accessory.
“Cinderella said it best when she said, ‘Never underestimate the power of a good pair of shoes,’ ” Walthour said, with a laugh, referring to the play. “Cool wedges and funky heels are the hugest trend right now, and bright-colored heels are fun.”
Pretty summer sandals draw the focus down, and a colorful belt draws the focus up, he said. Bright or embellished tops draw focus higher up, as does jewelry, he said.
The final test for nervous shorts shoppers: Check your emotional comfort level.
“People usually know when they look good, because they feel good,” Casella said. “If you try on shorts and you can imagine yourself wearing them all the time, in different situations, you’ve found shorts you will be happy with.”
