Outfit Of The Day (A Short Scalloped & Leathered Story)

If you've been a long-time reader of my blog you probably know how much I love shorts. Especially short shorts--and before you get all weirded out and huffy and COVER YOUR LEGS  DAMNIT WOMAN about it, let me do some 'splaining.

As a vertically-challenged person with a freakishly long torso and even freakishly shorter legs,  shorts can be incredibly leg-lengthening and flattering.  They can!  You just need to know how to do them the right way.

Here are a few of my tips:

1. Shorts do not have to be dowdy, denim, or insta-Camp-Anawanna.  Stick with shorts in soft, drapey fabrics like silk, chiffon, and linen.  Pair them with ruffly or lace blouses to dress them up, or with a basic cotton T and a statement necklace for a casual-cool vibe. Jeweled flats and pretty heels can also help take them from frumpy to insta-fabulous in no time.

2. Not a fan of your lower half?  Much like jeans, not every pair of shorts is going to look great on every shape or body size. There are lots of options out there and sometimes it takes trying a few different pairs to figure out what works best for you! From frilly to ruffly to peplum-hemmed to sequined to draped to pleated to all of the above (and all at the same time), there are tons of fun shorts out there to try. I personally love shorts with ruffles or  pleats around the pockets, as they give rulery-shapes like me the much-needed illusion of hips and curves. 

3. Don't like wearing shorter inseams?  No problem!  There are lots of shorts out there with longer inseams. Just make sure to stick with a higher rise, especially if you're petite or have short legs. Low-rise shorts do nothing to help lengthen legs or shorten torsos (and put people like me into immediate oompah-loompah territory).  Higher rises draw the eyes up and are almost always the most flattering.

4.Self tanner, self tanner, self tanner.  Lots of it. 

5. And last but not least, an old styley rule--keep things classy and show off one body part at a time. If you are going to go super short with the shorts, try to keep your arms and chest (mostly) covered. This rule is (obviously) null and void if you live on a beach, anywhere where it's over 90 degrees, and/or in South Dakota.

I also happen to really like my legs, so this is a no-brainer for me. In our society it is much more common to hear about things that we don't like about ourselves (and oh, my list is long), but I am going to go ahead and say it--I really like my legs.  I like them, woo-ha!

So!  Here are two pairs of shorts I've recently gotten my hands on that I will be wearing lots this summer; the first being a pair of leather shorts.  Leather shorts started to pop on to the scene last summer, but now they're everywhere for this spring. Leather shorts are really fun to wear (they give any outfit a bit of edge) but remember to keep them slightly big/over-sized because if there's one thing we've learned from watching MTV's highly educational TV series about the oddly tan indigenous tribes in New Jersey, tight leather shortie shorts are never flattering. 

I decided to keep my outfit here simple with jewelry and instead play up a coral lip and nude "mannequin nails" (added after I snapped these pics, but this will give you the idea).  The shorts I'm wearing are from Urban Outfitters, are super duper supple and soft, and I'm wearing a size up from my normal size.

Also showing off the new Miu Miu's, meep:

 Top: Ann Taylor (buy it here) (similar style here)

Shorts: Urban Outfitters (buy them here + take 10% off with "THEMUSICISSUE") (similar style here)

Bag: J Crew Galaxy Bag (similar style here) (and here)

Shoes: Miu Miu (buy them here) (similar style here) (and here for under $100!) (and here on sale) (and here + take 25% off with code "MIN125")

 Nails (not shown): OPI Samoan Sand (buy it here)

Lip color: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte in Tender Peach (buy it here)

On to the second look, which includes a pair of scalloped shorts.  Scalloped shorts were also a trend last year that has lasted right into this year, so if you already have a pair hooray for you! If you don't, definitely check out these cotton scalloped shorts from Urban Outfitters.  The rise is perfectly high and the pleats give this short a little bit of shape, too!  I'm wearing them in my normal size here (x-small) but be warned - when I first got my hands on these, I freaked and thought there was no way they'd fit around my waist, let alone my upper arm.  The waist is extremely tiny, but thankfully extremely (extremely!) stretchy. These are supposed to fit comfortably tighter around your waist.

My only problem is that my brain literally shuts down over the color navy (I have a  grand total of 3 navy-hued pieces in my closet for a reason, apparently) so...this is as good as it gets for now. It is not my most exciting outfit, but you get the idea here, hm?

I need something to spice this outfit up, like a bold lip color. Or a fancy turquoise belt.  Or a blingin' ring.  Or a baby tiger cub named Mooses McGee to carry carefully in my purse:

Blouse: ASOS (buy it here on sale!) (similar style here)

Shorts: Urban Outfitters Pins and Needles high Rise Scallop Shorts (buy them here + take 10% off with code "THEMUSICISSUE") (similar style here) (and here)

Belt: J Crew (similar style here for $12)

Bracelet: Forever 21 (similar style here)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin Maria Ballet Kitten Heels (similar style here) (and here for $130) (and here, on sale for $50)

Bag: Fendi B Bag (similar style here) (and here)(love this, too)

How do you like to wear shorts?  Do you have any tried & true tips or tricks on wearing them? Share in the comments!