I Tried 7 Shoe Styles With Denim Shorts and These Won
A wardrobe basic, a summer staple, and tricky to wear: Denim shorts are all these things. Sure, denim is undeniably versatile, but shorts show a lot of leg, making the shoes that we wear with them somewhat of a head-scratcher. So I decided to put seven shoe styles that are commonly worn with denim shorts to the test.
I started with my newest pair of "jorts", which feature a mid-length inseam and a vintage feel thanks to the 100% cotton construction. With a 3.5-inch inseam, the cutoffs are longer than many shorts on the market, but they're still quite short, all things considered. While I stood away from super-high heels, a multitude of other styles in my closet was fair game, from two different types of sneakers to espadrilles. When it comes to the most flattering shoe style to complement the shorts, there was a clear winner in my mind. All that said, it's worth noting that the styles that didn't work as well for me could look amazing on you. Shorts style and length certainly plays a role, as does height (I'm 5'4", for the record).
Read on to see my ranking and shop the shoe styles, along with some of my favorite denim shorts on the market.
#7: Flat Sandals
I was a bit surprised to see just how unflattering the flat sandals looked with my shorts, especially since that's the shoe style I wear most often with them. This was the flattest shoe style I tested, so I'm thinking that's the culprit.
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#6: Ankle Boots
As I expected they would, the ankle boots cut my legs off, making them appear shorter. That said, the small block heel of these boots made them a little more flattering.
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#5: Athletic Sneakers
The soccer mom vibes were definitely stronger than I prefer with this combination, and the sneakers felt a little too clunky with shorts, but I love them with leggings.
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Available in sizes 5 to 11.
#4: Espadrilles
While I liked the South-of-France vibes that the espadrilles provided, I found that the ankle strap cut off my legs in a less than flattering way.
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#3: Loafers
I love the polished yet effortless look that loafers bring to denim shorts. Case in point.
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#2: Kitten Heels
I was surprised by how much I liked this combination, as heels are oftentimes a no-go with shorts, but the heel was high enough to be elongating and low enough to be tasteful.
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#1: Slip-On Sneakers
Slip-on sneakers were the winners in my book. These added a little height and balanced out the abbreviated hemline of the shorts while looking effortless, as everything in summer should.
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Shop Denim Shorts
Next, shop the five brands with the best plus-size denim shorts.
Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.
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