BlogHer - How to find the perfect shorts (do it now while the selection is still good!) - Comments

OMG, Alyssa!

Susan Wagner — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:31:24 -0500

My seven-year-old is wearing SHPANTS today! Although his are the result of a gigantic growth spurt, but STILL!

So funny.

No shorts for me

alyssaroyse — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:23:14 -0500

Can't stand 'em, don't know why. Skirts all summer long. But, becasue everyone needs to laugh, my favorite Arj and Poopy video. SHPANTS! (Toolong to be shorts, to short to be pants, they're shapnts!)

(Totally g-rated cartoon about a goofy stoner and his cat, and his shpants.)

___________
Alyssa Royse
JUST CAUSE: A Web Site To Save The World

Start Her Up: A blog for Women Entrepreneu

3 for Skorts!

MealMixer — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:13:47 -0500

I spend the summer in skorts. Never white though...don't want folks trying to show a movie on my backside...

I love skorts too! I also

Sue Walsh — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:45:49 -0500

I love skorts too! I also love capris and bermuda type shorts. The better to hide my flabby thighs! LOL!

Wedding Tips

As Stacey and Clinton say...

missbritt — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:31:52 -0500

A good pair of "walking shorts" is a must!

(Ah TLC, you make my world go round.)

Miss Britt

http://www.miss-britt.com

"Dignity is Overrated"

Front flap pockets will make

Keilexandra — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:19:33 -0500

Front flap pockets will make your hips look wider, which really is never a good thing.

Not always true! I have practically no hips (~1 cm difference between my waist and my hips, I swear) and I'd welcome pockets if they made me look like I actually have a figure.

Guess I better get shopping!

Colored With Memories — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:12:48 -0500

And I must say...shorts are my least favorite thing to shop for, but in Texas they are a must have, so thanks for the helpful tips!

Kerry @ Colored With Memories www.justusgibsons.blogspot.com

Thanks!

delectual — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:26:56 -0500

Thanks for linking to me!

Sincerely,

Sarah-Jean Ballard

(The Fashionable Housewife)

Skorts!

Alanna Kellogg — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:43:40 -0500

They're my all-summer uniform.

Alanna Kellogg
Kitchen Parade &
A Veggie Venture

How to find the perfect shorts (do it now while the selection is still good!)

Susan Wagner — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:45:26 -0500

Ah, spring, when a young man's fancy turns to love, and a woman's fancy turns to shorts. Or perhaps not so much her fancy, as most women I know seem to avoid shorts like the plague. Still, as the weather warms, it is hard not to think about wearing shorts, either because you love them or because you've given them up and are wondering if just maybe this is the year you will bring them back.

I have no overriding opinion about shorts, but I do have some strategies for looking your best in them. The first strategy is to shop now for shorts -- yes, now! Today, before the weather is hot and the shorts -- or at least the really cute ones, in the right sizes -- are all gone. I know that some of you are still digging your cars out in the morning, but the retail industry says that summer is here, at least the wardrobe part of it, and if you wait until the actual change in weather, you will have waited too long.

And nothing is worse than greeting that first day of shorts-appropriate weather without a pair of properly fitting shorts.

How do you KNOW if your shorts fit properly? Simple: think about them as pants, but with less leg. In other words, start with the way they fit your waist and hips and thighs. Shorts, like pants, need to fit the most difficult part of your lower half in order to REALLY fit. If you have wide thighs, look for shorts that don't pull across the rear; if you have a little extra in the middle, look for shorts that don't give you muffin top. A flat front is the most flattering for every shape; pleats are the least flattering.

Look for shorts that fall straight from the widest part of your hips; unless you have very boyish hips, skip shorts that taper at the knee. Avoid cuffs, as these will cut your legs off at the hemline.

Shorts with pockets are practical, but don't settle for any old pocket. Rear flap pockets will make your backside look bigger, which is only a good thing if you have a very very flat backside. Front flap pockets will make your hips look wider, which really is never a good thing. Opt for button-welt pockets in the back. Side slant pockets are a fairly safe choice, as long as they don't gap at the hip. Cargo pockets are best on women with slim thighs, as they will add bulk to the sides of your shorts.

Okay, you're saying, but what about length? How short -- or long -- should my shorts be? A good rule of thumb is that your shorts should hit no higher than mid-thigh, and no lower than the tops of your knees. Ideally the hem of your shorts will fall right to the slimmest part of your thigh; that draws the eye to that particular spot and makes your leg look long and slim. Contrary to popular belief, a longer hemline is not necessarily the most flattering or slimming; going slightly shorter will emphasize your curves and make your legs look more shapely.

Don't go TOO short, though. Mid-thigh, please.

If you have short legs, or a long torso, think about shorts with a shorter rise and a higher waistband. The combination will draw the eye up and make your legs look a mile long. Conversely, if you have very long legs try a slightly lower waistband, for a more proportional look. But not too low -- no one wants to see your underwear.

In the end, the right shorts are all about proportion. Be prepared to try on as many pairs as it takes to find the right fit and cut. And then, when the snow melts and summer really arrives, wear them with abandon.

Shorts pictured here are available at Nordstrom.