Put Aside Your Denim Cutoffs—These 4 Shorts Trends Are Way More Elegant
Nylon, linen, lace-trim and suit shorts—it seems we've got a winner in each category.

I'm nothing if not a creature of habit. From shorts and skirts to dresses and jeans, I wear some form of denim at least five days a week. (Living in Southern California, I can luckily get away with this even in the dead of winter.) Lately, however, I've been pushing myself to expand my horizons and temporarily ditch the denim. When it comes to shorts, in particular, there are so many chic non-denim options out there right now.
One of my colleagues even dedicated an entire story to one of these trends: lace-trimmed satin shorts. While I'll admit that they do resemble pyjamas, they're simply too pretty not to show off in public. Reformation and Old Navy are just two brands that are on board with lace-trimmed satin shorts. Many designers are churning out extra-short silhouettes, but if you prefer a longer pair, these knee-length versions by Free People will do the trick. Scroll down to shop this trend plus my three other favourite non-denim styles of shorts.
4 Summer Short Looks:
1. Summer Suiting
Style Notes: Right now, I'm on a quest to find the perfect pair of tailored shorts to wear with matching blazers or vests. Veronica Beard is one designer who's particularly fond of this trend—I counted no less than eight variations of shorts suits on the brand's website.
Shop the Shorts:
2. Colorful Nylon Shorts
Style Notes: I credit J.Crew Creative Director Olympia Gayot for putting me on to this trend. When she posted a casual mirror selfie wearing J.Crew's Summerweight Nylon Shorts, I knew I had to have them in my closet.
Shop the Shorts:
3. Lace-Trim Satin Shorts
Style Notes: Haven't you heard? Innerwear is the new outerwear. The delicate shorts you used to reserve for bedtime are trending in a big way this summer.
Shop the Shorts:
4. White Linen Shorts
Style Notes: This one's a no-brainer. Linen is the perfect fabric to wear during the summer because it's breathable and wicks away sweat. I'll be wearing white linen shorts with white tees for a monochrome look.
Shop the Shorts:
Erin got her start as aBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing intern over 14 years ago—back when the site only published a single story per day. (Who What Wear has since increased that number twentyfold.) She graduated magna cum laude from USC, which is how she ended up moving to Los Angeles from her hometown of San Diego. In college, she also interned at Refinery29, where she was promoted to editorial assistant and then assistant editor. After nearly three years at R29, she came back to WWW in 2015, where she currently holds the title of Associate Director of Fashion News (as well as the unofficial title of resident royal expert—in case you haven't noticed her numerous Kate and Meghan stories). She spends her days trying to incorporate her idols, Anna Wintour and Roger Federer, into as many stories as possible.
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