I Tried Hundreds of Denim Shorts and These 4 Are the Best

When I was scrolling through Tumblr in college, I saw a story about Alexa Chung's preferred travel uniform. Her answer has always stuck with me, even all these years later. As it turns out, she wears denim hot pants on the airplane. Denim. Hot. Pants.

My immediate thought was that “hot pants” is a far superior term to “shorts.” My next thought was that if Alexa Chung can wear denim shorts on a long flight, so can I. The major issue is that I never wear denim shorts normally—even when I’m not crossing international waters.

In general, I'm a skirt girl. A dress girl. I don't feel like myself in pants. I'm not sure why exactly, but pants—especially jeans—intimidate me. They often feel too casual for someone as extra as I am, and I've never been able to style them with the effortless ease of someone like Alexa Chung. I spent years trying on denim shorts with no success and eventually gave up. Maybe, I thought, I just wasn't meant to be a hot pants kind of girl.

But then summer 2025 crept up, and the first big thing on my calendar was Primavera Sound in Barcelona. Unlike festivals like Governors Ball or Coachella—which are all-day affairs under a blazing sun—Primavera runs from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. and takes place by the water, where a light breeze is constant. The conditions felt ideal (minus the sleep deprivation), and for once, I could have fun with my outfits. I didn't have to stress about sweating, and suddenly, packing felt exciting. Maybe this was my chance to finally make denim shorts work.

Denim shorts have long been a festival staple. I grew up on Tumblr, saving images of girls lounging in the grass in sequinned or studded cutoffs, dreaming of the day I'd do the same. But when I finally made it to those festivals, I always chickened out—too worried about the heat, the discomfort, or just not feeling like myself in them. So at Primavera, I wore denim shorts not once, not twice, but four times. All it took was identifying four ideal pairs of denim shorts—by Levi's—and not letting the unfamiliar intimidate me.

Below, I outlined how exactly I became the denim shorts girl I always knew deep down I was destined to become—and the exact four pairs of Levi's that helped me do it.

High-waisted denim mom shorts were made for cheeky pink cardigans and sassy little Mary Janes:

I fell in love with the silhouette and wash of these Levi's shorts. They're aptly named the '80s mom shorts, and that's exactly what they look like. I love that they're high-waisted but still teeny. Since they have a retro vibe to them, I leaned into that for this look with a vintage Blumarine pink cardigan set and my favorite baby blue Carel Mary Jane heels with a little sun and moon on the toes.

Longer men's shorts don't have to be basic—they can be “brat”:

I love the look of longer shorts, so I wanted to style these loose Levi's men's pair that hit just above the knee. Up top, I kept it more basic with Levi's Dreamy Tank Top (which is incredibly soft and comfortable—it really lives up to the name). Together, they made the best, most uncomplicated base that's easy to dress up.

I threw on my favorite chunky Chopova Lowena necklace, a pair of tall Labucq Joan boots, a B-Low the Belt grommet bag, and a bright green Maryam Nassir Zadeh scrunchie worn like a tiara. Why be basic when you can go full Charli XCX Brat instead?

White go-go boots and heart-shaped bags are too extra for most things (but not denim shorts):

Something I quickly realized on my denim shorts journey was that, because they're so simple, they're the perfect base for over-the-top pieces. I love my white Kiki boots by Maryam Nassir Zadeh and my heart-shaped Coach crossbody bag, but they usually feel like too much when paired with a funky dress or skirt. With longer Levi's shorts, though, they strike the right balance—especially when styled with a vintage D&G top.

You can still be a princess in cutoffs:

The biggest misconception about denim shorts, I've quickly realized, is that you have to wear them with a perfectly worn-in vintage band tee. Why not a Molly Goddard tulle top? I've truly never felt better than I did in this outfit. The denim-and-tulle combo is so fun—it's unexpected, and the textures balance each other out. The only thing that felt right to add was a pair of old Miu Miu Mary Janes and some fun little socks.