SUMMER OF THE BIG SHORT

Think you can’t wear shorts? This season’s Bermuda styles are the most flattering ever

ShORTS: never has a garment promised so much and delivered something so dramatically different in reality. Like an idyllic holiday picture that leaves out the half-built hotel and kids fighting over spilt ice cream just out of shot. My mental moodboard is full of stylish shorts imagery — Jackie Kennedy yachting off Cape Cod in her crisp high

waisted Bermudas, Cindy Crawford bounding down the beach in her 1990s cut-offs and, more recently, the host of celebrities who’ve embraced the cycling shorts trend kickstarted by Chanel as a cool new take on ‘summer in the city’ dressing.

But, being short and curvy, attempts to wear them myself often end in disappointment. The bunching, the riding up, the unflattering back view, the styles that hit my legs in just the wrong place … I usually reach for a denim skirt or some capri pants instead.

However, this summer’s fresh selection might finally be the shorts normal women have been waiting for. The first piece of good news: they’re long. No hotpants here, thankfully. And the second? They’re fitted at the waist. This is key when it comes to finding a pair that flatter.

The new breed of shorts is also smart, rather than designed for slouchy weekend wear, which opens up a host of shoe choices, including heels — crucial if you need a leg-flattering boost. As I’m no Cindy, anything loose requires a low heel at least, instead of a flat.

The most flattering short length is an inch above the knee. I’ve got my eye on Boden’s belted white Bermudas (third from left). They’re long enough to verge on (very) cropped trouser territory, so they’re good to try before I move on to shorter shorts. Now get those screaming kids out of the way, I’ve got a yacht shot to capture.