the shorts edit
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As someone who spent their youth hiding their legs, due to insecurity, shorts have always been an item of clothing that I avoided. After a lot of work on self-acceptance, I’ve embraced them (and mini skirts) as a tool to make my shorter stature of 5 foot 4 seem a little taller. (I talked about how anything around that midi length can often make you appear shorter in a recent video). This discovery came about when I tried my first pair of high-waisted shorts. I’ve also embraced a looser fit, especially around the leg. If I’m going for a more fitted style, like a biker short, I make sure they’re not digging in, and lay smooth over my leg. All these tips can be found in the video if you’re looking for visual examples. I’ve linked the original ‘choosing the right shorts for you’ video down below, as well as a selection of styles that you can scroll through that I’d recommend!
shop shorts
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seamless sporty leggings - I own the mango full-length leggings and I love them! I find the quality great and the fit flattering.
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pleated twill Bermudas - I love these in the Sand colour, and find them not too long for Bermudas.
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ruffled fluid short - this style is great if you’re feeling a little tummy/fupa conscious
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twill shorts - very similar to the ones I’m wearing in the video, and super affordable!
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poplin shorts - I’ll probably be ordering these tbh
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vintage Sunday shorts - the fit of these is fantastic for a more laid-back look
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high-rise dad shorts - I don’t normally reach for a denim short, but these, I would
video transcript:
‘shorts and I have had a hate relationship - not even a love, just a hate. That is, until I discovered shorts that I felt comfortable in. These aren’t them. The shorts just fit. They’re too low rise on me, this line is a horizontal line drawing the attention to the widest point of my thigh. I’ve had very little luck with shorts over the years, because in order to fit my waist, they would dig into my thigh causing like a double thigh. You know how we have like a double boob if the bra’s cutting the wrong way, well I had a double thigh.
All that to say, here are some tips for choosing better shorts for your body.
I’m well aware that these need an iron, but it’s winter here and I don’t need these. High-waisted, lengthening the leg; ample room in the leg, makes my own leg look proportionally smaller to the short. These shorts I bought like three sizes too big and I cinch them in with the belt, in order to get the proportions that I want. Because I don't own tight shorts, I thought I would kind of cinch them in myself to show you a side by side comparison. Look at the difference: well fit shorts between ill-fitting shorts. It’s not you - it’s the clothes.
Here’s another bad example: these low-rise shorts aren’t really suiting my body’s proportions, the bright pattern is drawing a lot of attention to an area where I’m personally a little self-conscious, and again horizontal line going right across the widest point of my thigh. Comparatively, these are a similar fabric short, but they have a lot higher of a waist, and they fall below the widest point of my thigh, lengthening my body, following the fashion rule of thirds, and they fit my body.
Just to reiterate: your body does not need to fit into clothes, clothes need to fit your body. Let me know what insecurity you might want styled next, and follow for more practical confidence boosting style tips.’
