When I used to be scrolling via Tumblr in faculty, I noticed a tale about Alexa Chung‘s most well-liked shuttle uniform. Her resolution has at all times caught with me, even most of these years later. As it seems, she wears denim sizzling pants at the plane. Denim. Hot. Pants.
My rapid idea used to be that “hot pants” is a a ways awesome time period to “shorts.” My subsequent idea used to be that if Alexa Chung can put on denim shorts on a protracted flight, so can I. The primary factor is that I by no means put on denim shorts typically—even if I’m no longer crossing world waters.
In basic, I’m a skirt girl. A get dressed girl. I do not really feel like myself in pants. I’m no longer certain why precisely, however pants—particularly denims—intimidate me. They incessantly really feel too informal for somebody as further as I’m, and I’ve by no means been in a position to taste them with the easy ease of somebody like Alexa Chung. I spent years attempting on denim shorts and not using a good fortune and in the end gave up. Maybe, I believed, I simply wasn’t supposed to be a sizzling pants more or less girl.
But then summer time 2025 crept up, and the primary large factor on my calendar used to be Primavera Sound in Barcelona. Unlike gala’s like Governors Ball or Coachella—that are all-day affairs underneath a blazing solar—Primavera runs from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. and takes position by way of the water, the place a gentle breeze is continuing. The stipulations felt perfect (minus the sleep deprivation), and for as soon as, I may have amusing with my outfits. I did not have to fret about sweating, and all of sudden, packing felt thrilling. Maybe this used to be my probability to in the end make denim shorts paintings.
Denim shorts have lengthy been a competition staple. I grew up on Tumblr, saving photographs of ladies lounging within the grass in sequinned or studded cutoffs, dreaming of the day I’d do the similar. But after I in the end made it to these gala’s, I at all times chickened out—too fearful concerning the warmth, the discomfort, or simply no longer feeling like myself in them. So at Primavera, I wore denim shorts no longer as soon as, no longer two times, however 4 occasions. All it took used to be figuring out 4 perfect pairs of denim shorts—by way of Levi’s—and no longer letting the unfamiliar intimidate me.
Below, I defined how precisely I was the denim shorts girl I at all times knew deep down I used to be destined to turn out to be—and the precise 4 pairs of Levi’s that helped me do it.
High-waisted denim mother shorts have been made for cheeky red cardigans and sassy little Mary Janes:
I fell in love with the silhouette and wash of those Levi’s shorts. They’re aptly named the ’80s mother shorts, and that’s the reason precisely what they seem like. I like that they are high-waisted however nonetheless teeny. Since they have got a unfashionable vibe to them, I leaned into that for this glance with a antique Blumarine red cardigan set and my favourite child blue Carel Mary Jane heels with a bit solar and moon at the feet.
Longer males’s shorts shouldn’t have to be elementary—they are able to be “brat”:
I like the glance of longer shorts, so I sought after to taste those free Levi’s males’s pair that hit simply above the knee. Up peak, I saved it extra elementary with Levi’s Dreamy Tank Top (which is extremely cushy and comfy—it truly lives as much as the identify). Together, they made the most efficient, maximum clear-cut base that is simple to decorate up.
I threw on my favourite chunky Chopova Lowena necklace, a couple of tall Labucq Joan boots, a B-Low the Belt grommet bag, and a brilliant inexperienced Maryam Nassir Zadeh scrunchie worn like a tiara. Why be elementary when you’ll pass complete Charli XCX Brat as a substitute?
White go-go boots and heart-shaped baggage are too further for many issues (however no longer denim shorts):
Something I temporarily learned on my denim shorts adventure used to be that, as a result of they are so easy, they are the easiest base for over-the-top items. I like my white Kiki boots by way of Maryam Nassir Zadeh and my heart-shaped Coach crossbody bag, however they most often really feel like an excessive amount of when paired with a cool get dressed or skirt. With longer Levi’s shorts, despite the fact that, they strike the appropriate stability—particularly when styled with a antique D&G peak.
You can nonetheless be a princess in cutoffs:
The largest false impression about denim shorts, I’ve temporarily learned, is that you need to put on them with a superbly worn-in antique band tee. Why no longer a Molly Goddard tulle peak? I’ve in point of fact by no means felt higher than I did on this outfit. The denim-and-tulle combo is so amusing—it is surprising, and the textures stability each and every different out. The handiest factor that felt proper so as to add used to be a couple of previous Miu Miu Mary Janes and a few amusing little socks.