Jun 27, 2005

Despite being widely regarded as an unflattering fashion don’t, everyone from Zac Posen to Old Navy is peddling shorts this summer as the new fashion do.  Should we buy into it?  Opinions in the fashion community are mixed. Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine, Oprah-endorsed authors of What Not to Wear, say “We feel shorts should be left for the beach and not be worn anywhere else.” Perhaps designers see this kind of thinking as a challenge.  Recent runways have seen shorts come a long way from casualwear status. Meant to be paired with dressy components such as heels and blouses, the chic new Bermudas are well-tailored and classy.  Still, some fashion police remain unconvinced.  The witty girls at celeb-style watchdog blog Gofugyourself.com take a hardline stance on formal shorts, saying “Such a creature does not exist.” I’m inclined to agree, though these smart designer looks could persuade me to adopt a dress/casual approach to shorts.

Chic shorts by Zac Posen, Michael Kors, and Carolina Herrera look quite lovely, though long legs are a prerequisite for pulling them off.  Think you can do it?  Give it a try with these streamlined basics:

White “Petal” shorts by Theory and Beige Bermudas by Necessary Objects.