Fun time: Be Confident in a Mindful style. The Shorts story.

Fun time: Be Confident in a Mindful style. The Shorts story.

Once upon a time there was only one length of shorts, which were errr… short. And no-one questioned the length of the garment, or enquired about the different lengths, because there was only one available, and everyone only wore them as casual and felt confident in them.

But then one day people started inventing different styles and lengths… culottes, hot-pants, knee-length, over the knee, skinny, flowy, etc. etc. and that is when everything went wrong.

Nowadays we have so many different styles and lengths of shorts, it can take us a long long time to decide which ones are appropriate for what we want to do during the day. So I thought I would maybe give you a helping hand to decide which ones to buy and which ones to wear when. And as ever, it doesn’t matter where you purchase them from, the most important thing is for you to feel comfortable and confident.

Ok, so here we go:

Work:

1. Rules:

• At least as long as your knees
• Not too tight
• Cullotes, over the knee, Flowy, knee-length
• Either tighter shorts or tighter top, not both
• Flats or heels, but rather smart

2. Exceptions:

• Image stylists (see Anything goes)
• Your work involves physical work, where you need to feel comfortable and move flexibly (see Sports)
• You want to look super sexy and don’t mind hearing comments that you look inappropriate (see Holidays: beachside or poolside)

Weekend/ day off/ holiday out and about in town:

1. Rules:

• Any length except for hot pants length
• Any thickness except for see-through
• Either tighter shorts or tighter top, not both
• Any shoes that you fancy and feel confident in
• If you think of sitting down somewhere you might want to put shorts that are slightly longer in order not to have ‘chair marks’ on the back of your legs. Or take a small towel to put on the chair.

2. Exceptions:

• Image stylists (see Anything goes)
• You want to look super sexy and don’t mind hearing comments that you look inappropriate (see Holidays: beachside or poolside)

Weekend/ day off/ holiday out and about in countryside

1. Rules:

• Any length
• Forget culottes or white shorts as they are rather impractical
• Elasticated or stretchy or baggy are best to allow for movement
• Team up with flat or sports shoes

2. Exceptions:

• You are modelling (see Anything goes)
• It’s so hot you can hardly breathe (see Holidays: beachside or poolside)

Holidays: beachside or poolside

1. Rules:

• As little coverage as possible

2. Exceptions:

• If you feel uncomfortable showing off your body

Sports

1. Rules:

• Any length
• Elasticated or stretchy are best to allow for movement
• Sports shoes for cardio work or flats/ flip-flops for Yoga/ Pilates kind of exercise

2. Exceptions:

• Can’t think of any!

Going out:

1. Rules:

• Any length you fancy and feel comfortable and confident with
• Team up with shoes of your fancy

2. Exceptions:

• None

Anything goes

1. Rules: Anything goes
2. Exceptions: Everything above this section

So as I was writing this article, I gradually came to the conclusion that yes there are some rules you might want to decide to obey, and yet at the end of the day, the best advice I would give is to style yourself as best as you feel comfortable and confident with. Mindfulness at its best.