How to Wear Shorts (for women with boyish shapes) - Nada Manley

It’s funny how some things stick with you. Years ago, I remember reading an interview with Heather Locklear where she said she always wore short short skirts on Melrose Place because it was more flattering to her skinny legs. Now Heather and I do not have much in common, but skinny legs we both have. I also have almost nonexistent hips and no butt. And I’m short. But enough about me. : ) A couple of summers ago, I bought a couple of pairs of really nice Bermudas from Tory Burch and Catherine Malandrino, and quickly learned that Bermudas are not my best look. They make me appear even shorter. Fortunately, I’ve hemmed them so they are much more flattering! So here, tips on wearing shorts for those of us without hips:
1. Look for fullness and flare: Subtle pleating, full flowy silky shorts, and those with wider swingy legs create the illusion of hips. And the wider the short, the skinnier your leg will appear in comparison.
2. Choose your length carefully: If your legs are superskinny, like mine, defy the usual rules and pick a length that hits at the wider part of your thigh, to create the illusion of shape. That’s why, for me, shorter shorts work much better. They make my legs look long, and show off the area of my leg which is a little fuller.
3. Choose heel height carefully: If your legs are skinny, you can wear flats or heels. If your legs are a little fuller, then go with heels, which lengthen and slenderize.
4. Short waist? The hem of your shirt should extend to your hips, without being too huge or overwhelming so that it swallows you up.
5. Small-hipped women can go crazy with prints and with thicker, bulkier fabrics.

Here, the ideal outfit for someone like moi. (How fun is this?)

Ella Moss Swingy Lace Shorts, $128, Anthropologie: I love the girly lace, which adds texture, and the light color, which can add a little dimension (I hope) to my hips! And there’s the Ella Moss quality and comfort to love!

Stripe Sunburst Tank, $31.60, J. Crew: This pretty tank is pieced together, taking it up a notch, style-wise. The stripes keep it light while grounding the frilly lace shorts.