The New Shorts

Add an electric shock to summer's favorite staple with cool colors and fabrics . . .

I’m sure your legs are tired of being covered up all winter long in woolly trousers and knitted tights. Take your legs out of its winter hibernation and show them off this spring! Hemlines were rising on all the spring runways, but the new shorts of the season are far from the basic denim bottoms we’re used to sporting. Shorts were covered in playful patterns at Mulberry and made luxurious with silky, light-reflecting fabrics at Matthew Williamson. Some were made to be worn cinched high on the waist, while some were meant to be worn slouchy and long. Denim was still a trend, but in a different form.

A denim revolution began when a pair of utilitarian Alexander bloomer shorts were stitched with a diamond patchwork pattern and emblazoned with a tough zipper in the front. To follow suit, find a pair of shorts in a classic and vintage shape like Wang’s that are reworked in unexpected patterns or embellishments. The team at Louis Vuitton even created a pair of faded denim shorts imprinted with the brand’s logo all over. You can even take the fabric paint and embroidery thread and go to work at updating your shorts yourself! With all the possibilities of innovation, there is no longer a reason to suffer from the denim blues.

Basic cargo and chino shorts were even included in the ranks of spring’s new summer shorts. They are made less militaristic with infusions of a wide variety of color choices and exaggerated shapes. At Rachel Comey, the models wore oversized chino shorts that hit mid-thigh and bloomed outwards at the hips. Instead of khaki, they were worn in rich hues of rusty orange and over-the-top wallpaper prints. Comey’s utility pocket shorts were made new with a front panel flap and covered in a diamond pattern similar to Wang’s denim shorts. Don’t be afraid to wear your summer staple in a new way this season. Let whimsical prints, shiny textures, and vibrant colors lead the way when it comes to decorating your bottom half. It’ll make all the difference in an outfit when the summer heat rolls upon us and we feel like there’s absolutely nothing to wear. The season’s new updated shorts speak for themselves and don’t need much else to stand out, so keep everything else simple.

Take a look at a few of these budget-friendly twists on summer’s favorite wardrobe piece that will keep you looking dainty and chic this season.

Published on April 20, 2010 on LVCMag.com