Not-too-short shorts are much more flattering than their micro cousins
Ivery seldom wear shorts for the simple reason that I hate showing my knees. There was a time when I liked my legs and didn’t mind flashing a bit of knee, but these days I feel very differently about them, as well as other parts of my body that don’t need to go on show, such as the cleavage, upper arms and midriff.
So when I do wear shorts in the summer they tend to be men’s, in a simple, plain cotton and a solid colour. I find men’s are best because they are readily available, easy fitting (particularly around the waist) and are usually long enough to reach the knees so I don’t feel too exposed.
Many years ago there was a military surplus store in north London (long since closed) and the shorts from there were great. I still have a pair of ex-naval shorts that I wear to this day. They are rather baggy but look great belted over a T-shirt or a pretty cotton blouse.
Women’s shorts, on the other hand, are usually too short to wear to go out; they seem mainly designed for beside the pool – or simply for women far younger and more lissom than myself.
But not being at an age to get away with hot pants – or even lukewarm pants – doesn’t mean one can’t wear something cool and practical in the heat. While on holiday in Cornwall last week experiencing heavenly weather, I noticed that not many women over 40 sported shorts, choosing instead easy trousers to just below the calf, or pedal-pushers – those flattering just-belowthe-knee Capri pants made popular by Audrey Hepburn in the 1950s and 60s and still looking good today.
But it is possible to successfully shop for shorts (or cropped trousers) if you follow a few golden rules. The first is don’t buy pleat-fronted if you are on the curvy side, as they will make you look bigger than you are; the higher the waistline, the more flattering, as long as you don’t have a figure like an ironing board. Light fabrics will be cooler but more likely to stick and cling in the heat; while patterns are best worn by the slender. In terms of length, look for one that doesn’t cut off at the widest part of your calf or thigh as this will accentuate exactly what you’d rather disguise. As for shape go for something slim-fitting if you’re slim and something looser if you’re more sturdily built.
And finally – perhaps most importantly of all – choose a pair made from a non-stretchy fabric such as cotton, which will not cling in all the wrong places, particularly around the crotch area. This applies to any trousers or shorts. After all, there is nothing less attractive than seeing a woman tugging at her trousers to release the crotch-clutch.
Anna Harvey is the author
of Timeless Style: Dressing Well for the Rest of Your Life,
£18.95, Double-barrelled Books.