Back in the early ’90s when I was a grunge-loving teenager who shopped equally at Salvation Army and Contempo Casuals, I remember my mom favoring a type of shorts that were long, pleated, and occasionally decorated with a bold floral print. I was perhaps a bit embarrassed when she wore them (sorry, Mom!). Thirty years later, this exact style has flooded my Instagram feed, and to the mortification of my inner 15-year-old, I found myself wanting a pair. The funny thing is, I saw lots of chic young women wearing them, not just 40-somethings, so maybe that’s what really made me go for it, or at least justify it. Maybe we really do turn into our mothers after all? Regardless, read on for a mini review of the shorts I ordered and some styling tips.
Banana Republic Palma linen Bermuda shorts
In case you’ve missed it, Banana Republic is totally back, so when I knew I wanted to take the mom shorts plunge, I figured they’d have a good pair in a nice fabric like linen, and I was right. The cut of these is on the relaxed side, with a high waist and pleated legs; they’re basically like the summer version of the pleated wide-leg pants that everyone’s been wearing for the last year or so. And like said pants, the silhouette is a definite shift away from what we’ve been wearing for the last 15 or so years, so instead of something longer and body-skimming on top, I think something more cropped and fitted looks more proportional. But I’ll get to that in a minute. I’ve had these shorts for only a few weeks, but I have a feeling they’re going to be one of my most-worn items of the summer. They’re incredibly comfortable, from the cut to the 100% linen fabric, which is surprisingly soft and obviously high quality. Are they the most flattering thing I own? Probably not. But they’re a big ’90s mom mood, and I’m feeling it. They run a bit large; I’m in my usual size 6 and they’re on the loose side.
C Lin striped cardigan
So, funny story about this cardigan. I had been searching online for a dupe of this Celine cardigan jacket and coming up short. A day or so later, I got served an Instagram ad for something that fit the bill (e.g. pretty damn close in style and not made of acrylic yarn), and in spite of it being from a questionable-looking website, and perhaps because I’d had a glass or two of wine, I ordered it….and then completely forgot about it. Six weeks later, the cardigan I’m wearing arrived from China, complete with, ahem, branded tags, which I was not expecting (and which are most likely not real). So while I don’t exactly want to recommend doing what I did, I will say, I love this cardigan, and its cropped, boxy shape was exactly what I was looking for. My 45-year-old body does not look its best in a super-fitted top, so I like how this flatters my shape while still looking proportionally right with the shorts. I ordered this in a size large to be safe (Asian clothing tends to run super small in my experience) but probably would have been ok in a medium. Again, proceed with caution, but it’s a pretty great sweater!
Quince smocked linen tank
If the weather had been nicer, I would have just worn this tank with the shorts like I did in NYC, but we’re still in the in-between zone here. Because the tank is also black linen, it almost looks like I’m wearing a romper, minus the wedgies and inconvenience of having to get totally naked every time you go to the restroom. This tank is way more cropped—and fitted—than anything in recent memory that I’d wear, but I find it to be incredibly flattering. The smocking hugs your rib cage, then the little flounce at the hem flares out over any upper stomach poochiness, not that any of us have that. Because it’s so snug and tiny, the tank balances out the flowy volume of the shorts, but not in a way that seems off. The linen on this one is a little stiff, but it will most likely get softer with time. I’m wearing a medium, which is what I usually order from Quince.
Dolce Vita Paily sandals
I’ve been wearing these shorts with Birkenstocks, which I realize is really leaning into the whole ’90s mom angle, so for this look, I decided to dress them up a bit with a heel. I’ve featured these shoes several times before; they are pretty comfortable as far as three-inch heels go. They’re also currently on sale, which is perhaps a sign that we’re finally ready to move on from this whole braided new–Bottega Veneta kick that we’ve been on for the last few years. But screw trends. I still wear these all the time and recommend grabbing a pair if you can. They run true to size (I’m in my usual 8.5). And yes, that is a new bag I’m wearing; it was a treat to myself after finishing a big freelance project. More on that later 😉
