Shorts you can wear to work? Shorts that actually flatter? Shorts a grown woman can look sophisticated in? We’ve got them all right here in the new paper-bag silhouette we’re making our summer uniform. These belted wonders hide a multitude of sins. Here’s how to choose and style them as your go-to summer outfit solution.
Paper-Bag Shorts Are Your Figure-Flattering Secret Weapon This Summer
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Published May 9, 2018
shopbop
De-accentuate Thick Thighs
A pair of basic black paper-bag shorts draws the attention up from your legs to zoom in on your waist, which looks positively sleek by comparison.
Club Monaco ($128)
Zara
Slim Your Hips
The front tie and pleats create interest in the center of the body rather than on the sides. Wear these with a tucked-in linen button-front shirt for a cool business-appropriate outfit.
Zara ($36)
Target
Stretch Out Short Legs
Throw away your preconceptions about shorts drawing attention to less-than-mile-long legs. Try on a paper-bag pair (in summery gingham, perhaps) and you’ll see that their fullness makes your legs look longer by comparison. Add heels for even more of a boost: pumps for a dressier office look and wedges for bopping around on your errands.
A New Day ($23)
asos
Balance Your Bust
Don’t want to appear top-heavy, but just want to throw on a T-shirt and be out the door? A crisp linen pair can even out your figure with a little bit of volume (just like a full skirt, but more casual).
Y.A.S. ($56)
asos
Reduce That Rear End
It seems counterintuitive, but wearing a cute pair of non-binding shorts—especially with vertical stripes—is going to make your rear end appear way more proportional (and feel way comfier) that a pair of binding trousers.
J. D. Y. ($29)
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Slenderize Your Waist
The nipped-in waist and pleats up top create the optical illusion of a slender midsection. Choose a pair that has a wide dark-contrast belt or add your own to really amp up the hourglass effect.
3.1 Phillip Lim ($275)
Barneys
Hide A Stomach Pooch
Maybe your tummy isn’t toned enough for those skinny jeans. The generous folds of a paper-bag waist disguise a temporary food baby or any extra pounds you’re carrying up front. (Material alert: Leather shorts? They’re so summery, in a cocktails-at-the-villa sort of way.)
Helmut Lang ($595)
