This is a blog post I was fully convinced I’d never be able to write. No matter how many jean shorts I’ve tried on over the past few years, I could never find the perfect pair. There was always something about them that wasn’t quite what I was looking for, so I’d spend time in line at the post office returning pair after pair. The longer it would take to find a pair and the more times I’d fail, the more willing I was to increase my budget for this spring and summer staple. Even still, there were a lot of misses before finally hitting a home run!
I’m hoping this post will save y’all the trouble of ordering and returning time and time again and instead get you straight to the excitement I felt when finally finding the perfect pair of jean shorts. Now to be clear, this is the second time I’ve felt like I’ve found the perfect pair of shorts, and that’s because the two pairs I’m sharing with y’all differ a bit, but both are ones I’d recommend depending on what you’re looking for in your perfect pair of jean shorts.
The two pairs I’m sharing with y’all in this post and in a try-on in my Instagram stories are Madewell’s Curvy Relaxed Ripped Shorts (top in the image below) and DL1961’s Cleo High-Rise Jean Shorts (bottom in the image below). Both are over $50, but once you get it right with jean shorts think about how much time you’ll save no longer having to hunt for the perfect pair and take that into account (kidding, but only kind of).
Since I know everyone’s criteria differ when it comes to clothing preferences, I thought I’d share mine specifically to jean shorts below. If that’s not what you’re looking for then these shorts may not seem quite as perfect to you as they do to me!
My Jean Short Criteria
- -Long Enough To Feel Appropriate In Public: More power to any of you that feel confident pulling off short-shorts, but that’s just not me. I tend to lean toward the side of modesty in most things and short length is no different. I don’t want to have to be tugging on my shorts in order to feel comfortable wearing them in public and appreciate pairs with a longer inseam.
- -Non-Homemade Distressing: I don’t mind some distressing on jean shorts, but I don’t want them to be ripped up with holes that look like I did it myself with a pair of scissors. If the distressing looks intentional and doesn’t leave threads hanging all around on the shorts ,then I tend to be ok with them!
- -Waist To Actually Fit: The way my body is built has my waist size and leg size pretty disproportionate. Growing up I pretty much only bought pants with the adjustable elastic on the inside of the waistline (shoutout to The Children’s Place) so that I could get that area to actually fit snuggly when coupled with my bottom. While I know to expect some looseness in order to fit the next criteria, I don’t want there to be a ton of gapping.
-Loose Leg Holes That Allow My Thighs To Breathe: I’ve come to terms with the fact that my upper body and lower body look like they may belong to two separate people size wise which can make buying pants or shorts tricky. Growing up playing soccer for most of my life probably contributed to the fact that my legs are pretty built compared to my waist. This has been the biggest stressor when it comes to jean shorts since it made it nearly impossible to find a pair that fit loose around my thighs but is probably the most important criteria on this list!
Overall Thoughts: Knowing about the sizing of this pair is key to discovering how great they truly are. It’s important to size at least two sizes down on this pair of shorts, although I probably could’ve sized down three sizes and ended up with an even better fit. This pair is a really great length and I have never seen jean shorts with quite as breathing room for your legs. I love that they are comfortable and flattering when both sitting and standing, and the high waist makes them easy to wear with shirts front tucked. I didn’t know this when ordering them, but they have buttons instead of a zipper to secure them in the front. These are the BEST jean shorts I have ever tried on!
Overall Thoughts: While I still love these shorts for a variety of reasons, I think it’s safe to say that this pair is a better recommendation for someone who may be looking for something a little bit shorter and more fitted. The wash of this pair is great, but compared to the Madewell shorts above, they do fit tighter through the bottom and leg holes than those although overall are still relaxed. The waist of these has a bit more of a gape as well. Had I not just discovered the Madewell pair, this is what I would be recommending to y’all (and reaching for myself) all summer long!
Honorable Mention:
I know I told you I’ve tried a lot of shorts, and a more affordable option that worked decently was this pair from Old Navy. Had they been looser in the legs I probably would’ve liked them more, but if your body is a bit more proportional and you’re not quite as picky as me then I have a feeling you may like them!
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