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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Morwenna Ferrier

Scared of shorts? Here are 53 perfect pairs for every occasion

One man and three women shoot from the shoulders down, wearing outfits with shorts
Shorts, from left: £84, axelarigato.com; £36, riverisland.com; £32, asos.com; £27.99, hm.com. Styling: Melanie Wilkinson; grooming: Sarah Cherry; photographer’s assistant: Georgie Wilding; models: Charlotte at Milk, Amy at Diversity Agency, Larraine at Body London and Alan at Nevs. Photograph: Dan Matthews/The Guardian

Happy shorts season. Not happy for everyone, though, is it? It’s probably not a stretch to say that for many of us, wearing shorts is up there with getting into a swimsuit or showing your feet for the first time that year. A watershed moment of dread that, unlike most scary things – eating out alone, caring what other people think – only gets worse as you get older.

But it’s also summer, and sometimes only shorts will do. Plus, this year, there really is something for every leg. Culottes are back, except they’re structured and called bermuda shorts – and you can even wear them to work. So are 1970s sports shorts, if your summer reference is more Ridgemont High. It’s not unseemly to wear boxer shorts, especially if you’re on the beach, just try them in seersucker – or if you prefer the freedom of a skirt, how about a skort? Hate all shorts? Try jean-shorts or “jorts” – they’re better than they sound. Here is a foolproof guide to getting over shorts fear.

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