Hi guys! How is your summer going? It’s been hot here in Hawaii, but nothing unbearable for me yet. I know there have been heat-waves going through the US States over the course of the summer, so I bet you were all digging in your closets for the most comfortable shorts! I’ve been on the hunt for new affordable denim shorts that are versatile and fit me well. Living in Hawaii where we have an endless summer, so shorts are a year-round staple in my closet.
With total transparency here – a lot of my pants and shorts do not fit me anymore. I’d like to think that it’s due to the fact that I’ve been exercising more and learning to lift with weights over the last year (thanks a lot, booty gains). At the beginning of this summer I went through my closet and got rid of about half of my clothes. I parted ways with clothing items that I did not feel my best in, which ended up being the clothes that didn’t fit me right.
I saw a post recently that said, “Clothes are meant to fit us, we are not meant to fit in clothes.” TRUE THAT! My whole adolescent life I’ve been trying to fit in a size that was not meant for me and even hanging on to clothes that I hoped to fit in one day. I felt shame to size up, especially with a lot of my childhood trauma stemming from fat-shaming by people close to me. My recent realization has led me to buy my correct size in clothes and it has helped me to feel good in my daily outfits. When I’d try to squeeze in clothes that are too small to me, it made me feel bad about my body and the shorts would be very revealing (say hello to the world, cheeks). Now that I wear clothes that fit me well, I feel more comfortable physically and mentally. Who cares what number I fit into?! The clothes are meant to fit to me!
Anyways, today I’ll be sharing a few of my new denim shorts finds that I wear every week. Like I mentioned before, sizing and fit was everything to me. I wasn’t too picky about style, I just wanted to find shorts that would be new staples in my closet. I searched all over, but a lot of the shorts that I tried on were too short, or did not fit around my butt (thanks again, booty gains). Keep in mind, I am about 5’9” or 5’10, so length is important to me. Another factor that was important to me was price. I can’t see myself breaking the bank for a single piece of clothing. I’d rather spend my money on a nice meal or saving up for a trip. Luckily, I was able to find denim shorts that I liked for less than $25.
The first pair of shorts I found was from TJ Maxx! These black mid-rise shorts are Old Navy’s boyfriend shorts. TJ Maxx is my hidden gem to find the deals on name brand items. I’ve seen American Eagle jeans there and even Free People at once! When I put these on, I was so happy with it. The length is nice and not too revealing, the cuffs are surprisingly not restricting on my thighs and don’t rise when I walk in them, and the mid-rise has nice coverage and comfortability. There is slight distressing on the shorts, but nothing too crazy. I was able to score these shorts for $12.99 at TJ Maxx. Online, I saw that Old Navy is selling them for $30.00. Maybe when there’s a better sale, I’ll buy more in different colors.
The second pair of shorts I found were from Nordstrom Rack. This brand is called Abound, and they are a sustainable denim brand. At first I grabbed my usual size, but the fit was a little snug for my liking. I wanted something a little more loose that wouldn’t fit tight when I ate a big meal. The rise is EVERYTHING! I love how high it comes on my waist, especially because I have a long torso. Usually “high-waisted” doesn’t come as high as I’d like it to. I also like that it is a bit longer than the shorts I usually go for. The coverage in the back is not revealing, and it accentuates my curves well. I love how blue this denim is, and the quality feels very good. It doesn’t have much stretch, and the denim is thicker. There is also some distressing on one side like the Old Navy shorts, but again nothing too crazy. These are my favorite shorts! I was able to score these for $15.00, and I’ve been debating on going back to Nordstrom Rack to find different colors in this style!
The third pair of denim shorts are from a Levi’s outlet when I traveled to Las Vegas over the summer. These “Levi’s Ribcage Women’s Shorts” are a slightly lighter blue wash that says “high-waisted” but these come at about a mid-rise on me. This pair is the most distressed because the hem is a raw hem and there are some threads hanging down. These shorts have a nice stretch to them, and the color pairs well with a lot of items in my closet. I do admit that I would’ve liked to size up because of the coverage in the back, but I wasn’t able to try these on or return these because we were traveling. These were the most expensive that I got at $22.00. Not bad right? These are cute when I want to add a bit more texture to my outfits with the raw hem.
I have a few other honorable mentions that I didn’t take photos of, like a dressier pair of twill shorts that I bought from H&M last summer, and a pair of light-wash denim shorts from Cotton On. During my move I realized that I had way too much clothes for a girl who barely goes out. I decided to downsize and keep staple items that I can use in many different outfits. When I do buy clothes now, I try to think of comfort, versatility, and how well it fits me. I’ll still be on the hunt for new clothing items that fit my curvier body better, but until then I’ll be enjoying my denim shorts in basically all of my non-work outfits. Until next time!
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