If you are coming over from Instagram stories, hi, hello! For this post, my original goal was to share multiple ways to style denim shorts… but then I got carried away and wanted to also talk about my favorite jeans for Spring and Summer. So, that’s what I’m going to do, both of those things!!

On the left side of every picture, I am wearing probably one of my favorite Boyfriend Denim Shorts (similar pair here and here) of all time. They are a great Medium wash, light distressing, great stretch and a good inseam length. And then on the right side of every picture, I am showing a different style of short that I love (all different colors and amount of distressing). And under $30? That’s pretty dang reasonable!

1. Denim Shorts with Tie Front Blouse

Top (XS) // Left Shorts (8) (similar pair here and here) // Right Shorts (29) // Bag // Shoes // Watch // Necklace

For this first look, I am styling denim shorts with a front tie blouse.  I love front tie blouses because they are usually loose and comfy for hot Summers, you could also tuck in the blouse to shorts with a front tuck or half tuck, but if the fabric is long enough, I like unbuttoning the bottom two buttons and tying them up.  Or there are many tops that already come with a front tie built in to it!

The right pair of shorts is a new one that I have recently purchased and is the biggest SPLURGE on distressed shorts I have ever spent.  I honestly had some shop credit which is why I took the plunge, but the reviews are outstanding on them so I had to give them a shot. They are the AGOLDE Parker Vintage Cutoff Shorts in Swap Meet. I read through hundreds of reviews here to decide on what size to get and ended up getting a 28 and 29, but went with the 29, which is pretty much my true shorts size for most brands! These shorts are more of a mid-rise, but they do have great stretch and are long enough not to show any booty.  The color is a great light wash and overall I, along with thousands others, think they are flattering. I do think they also loosen with wear.

2. Denim Shorts with Casual Tank Top

Tank Top (S) // Left Shorts (8) (similar pair here and here) // Right Shorts (10) // Another Shorts Option (30W) // Belt Bag // Sandals (size up if half size) // Watch // Necklace

Going back to the basics, when it’s hot out, all you want to probably wear is a tank top and shorts, right!? There’s a million tank tops out there, and you could wear solid ones, striped ones, floral ones, print ones, the opportunities are endless, BUT I do have a soft spot for stripes!  I also wanted to show you one way to style a belt bag and how you can pattern mix with stripes and leopard (sandals)!

The shorts on the right are one of two High Rise Mom Shorts that I alternate between! This one is the $15 pair, but this is the other one that has a few more color options and is a tiny bit less baggy in the front. Both of these shorts are more rigid and don’t have much stretch.

3. Denim Shorts with Off Shoulder Summer Sweater

Top (S) // Bralette // Left Shorts (8) (similar pair here and here) // Right Shorts (8) // Bag // Sandals // Watch // Necklace

Casual, and effortless, pairing denim shorts with a casual off the shoulder sweater is a great look for everyday. I like wearing bralettes with off the shoulder sweaters as it adds another layer to the outfit to give it just a little extra something! This sweater I actually grabbed in white and black and meant to show you the right side look with the black sweater, but it still works! 😉

The shorts on the right side are the Old Navy High-Rise Secret-Slim Pockets Distressed Cutoffs and they are increasingly possibly maybe becoming more of a favorite over the Old Navy Boyfriend, but the verdict is still out there. I am starting to collect these shorts in all the different washes though because they really are flattering, from all angles. Something with the design of the pockets, they honestly rival some Madewell shorts (and have a better price point)!

4. Denim Shorts with Kimono/Cardigan

Left: Cami (M) // Kimono (XS/S) // Shorts (8) (similar pair here and here) // Shoes (Size up half) // Bag // Watch // Necklace

Right: Tank (M) // Kimono (XS/S) // White Shorts (8) // Sandals // Watch // Necklace

I absolutely LOVE kimonos and cardigans especially for Spring. Also, Utah takes FOREVER to warm up and actually get hot, so I can live in these for months!! This kimono is one of my faves right now, mainly because it’s print and so pretty, so I wanted to style it with denim shorts!  Basically I just wear a plain cami or tank underneath!

The white shorts may look familiar, because they are actually the same Boyfriend cut as the one on the left, although I will say all things being equal, the white pair is a TAD snugger for being the same size. The material is definitely stretchy though and not see through, which is a plus.

5. Denim Shorts with Blazer/Jacket

Left: Cami (M – sized up for length) // Blazer (6) // Shorts (8) (similar pair here and here) // Mules (Size up half) // Watch // Necklace

Right: Cami (M) // Black Shorts (8) // Denim Jacket (S) // Mules (Size up half) // Watch // Necklace

And lastly, I’ve been LOVING throwing blazers over a graphic tee or cami (actually I wish I styled a graphic tee with one of these two looks, but just imagine it)! And I feel like my Summer styling sessions would not be complete without wearing my all time favorite denim jacket in one of the looks, am I right!?

These black shorts Old Navy High-Rise Secret-Slim Pockets Button-Fly Denim Cut-Offs (how many dashes can one item description have?) with a 3 1/2 inseam. These have that magic slimming technology as well and I am digging the button fly. All sizes being the same shorts are a little more snug than some of the other ones, but I am not quite sure if I would size up.