Here’s something controversial. I didn’t buy my first pair of shorts until I was 23, so I never really paid any attention to short trends or took notice of what styles were popular. It’s not that I’m anti-cropped trousers; rather, I already had a reliable pair—my trusty American Apparel high-waisted cuffed denim shorts—that served as a relic from my 2014 Tumblr days, and nothing had piqued my interest that felt worthy enough of a successor.
That was until I fell in love with these intentionally distressed and raw hem Maison Margiela shorts that I found on The Outnet. It’s not hyperbolic to say I lived in them. From dinners at upmarket restaurants to ducking out to my local grocery store, I paired them back with strappy sandals like my A.Emery Jalen flats to more preppy heeled ballet pumps knowing I’d always look chill, modern and cool.
Now, as I’m older and wiser, I’ve certainly come to realise that short outfits can be such an added value item in your wardrobe. Where skirts can feel too fussy and done up or jeans can feel a bit understated and stifling in warmer months, shorts inject a sense of playfulness or polish to a look without much thought and extra attention.
I’m now the proud owner of a few pairs—leather mid-length shorts from Prada’s spring/summer 2023 menswear collection, a vibrant cobalt blue track style from With Jéan and striped boxer shorts from St. Agni, to name just a few—meaning that my interest in what shorts fashion people are running around town in has never been so heightened.
There’s Paul Mescal in his microscopic inseam shorts, of course. But also the likes of Jennifer Lawrence cruising around Manhattan in longline tailored bermuda shorts. Or, Hailey Bieber gallivanting around Beverly Hills in a pair of denim cut-offs with a cropped white-shirt and fisherman sandals.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Yes, hot days are like a siren call for celebrities to show off their enviable chic shorts looks. But it’s important not to disregard the runway too, especially since one of the year’s biggest shorts trends—the hot pant—was started by Miu Miu in its A/W 23 collection.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
More vintage styles like Chloé’s bloomer trousers and bubble shorts are also on the rise, with luxury fashion sourcer Gab Waller telling me that these romantic motifs are more than a brief trend. “I can absolutely vouch that Chloé is definitely dominating this sector,” she explains over the phone from her office in Los Angeles.
If the rising mercury hasn’t tempted you to slip into a pair of shorts yet, consider this guide an invitation to invest in one of the newer short trends defining 2025. They might be short in length, but these styles are anything but small in stature. From the expensive-looking high street pieces to designer investment buys, uncover the major short trends for 2025.
The 9 Shorts Trends to Slip Into in 2025
1. Gingham
Style Notes: Park season is upon us and, by direct consequence, the act of dressing like your favourite picnic blanket. This year, patches of grass are being treated to a parade of gingham shorts, rendered in slouchier boxer styles with a drawstring or a more high-waisted gamine take. Though 2024 saw red and white gingham reign supreme thanks to the rise of ‘tomato girl summers’, the fisherman-core trend has encouraged black and light blue colour ways to take a starring role in 2025.
Shop the Shorts:
RÓHE
Gingham Seersucker Shorts
Like Dôen, Róhe is another minimalist brand designing effortless pieces for chic, daily wear.
2. Satin
Style Notes: This decade has seen the increase of lingerie-inspired pieces outside of the bedroom. First, it was slip dresses. Then, it was corset tops. Now? Satin shorts. The silken material makes these boudoir-ready pants feel incredibly elegant, like you’ve just ducked out from your apartment in Paris’s third arrondissement or frequently visit Dôen’s balmy Brentwood Country Mart boutique.
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Reformation
Tiffie Satin Short
The relaxed shape of this Reformation pair is perfect for causal farmer’s market runs or elevated brunch looks.
3. Retro Sports
Style Notes: It’s a trend that Mel C has been pioneering since the mid-’90s. Retro-inspired sporty shorts have returned from the annals of 20th Century fashion with a vengeance. Thanks to brands like Wales Bonner, Bode and Sporty & Rich, preppy athletic attire has become a covetable silhouette. Lean into the varsity connotations with a matching jumper and contrast trainers, or make it feel more off-duty collegiate by styling it back with ballet flats and waisted tops.
Shop the Shorts:
SPORTY & RICH
Riding Disco Cotton-Jersey Shorts
Ideal for days when you’re running from pilates to a lunch catch-up with your girlfriends.
The pale blue contrast panelling down the side of these shorts makes them so much more elevated compared to other styles.
4. Culottes
Style Notes: I haven’t been able to get that image of Hailey Bieber wearing three-quarter culottes with heeled flip-flops in Greenwich Village out of my mind since I saw it. I’m not alone in this sentiment, with tailored culottes increasingly becoming a part of chic everyday dressing now that the weather is warming. If you wore them as part of your high school uniform like I did, fear not. In 2025, this short trend is all about sophistication, playing with proportions and materials to achieve a longline (and therefore lengthening) effect.
Shop the Shorts:
COS
Tailored Linen-Blend Longline Shorts
Nearly everyone here at Who What Wear UK has this COS pair on their wishlist.
5. Tailored Short Shorts
Style Notes: A successor to the ‘no pants’ trend, tailored hot shorts have arrived as the more mature and grown-up version of bottomless dressing. As Waller explains, “the micro short trend is something that still dominates in this area.”
“Something I find interesting and is immediately on my radar to watch is the amount of times [tailored hot shorts] were seen on the 2025 Met Gala red carpet,” she explains. The Australian-born luxury consultant and personal shopper hunts rare pieces for the likes of Sofia Richie Grainge, Khloé Kardashian and Elsa Hosk on the regular. While her clients didn’t opt for this style, she did observe “more of a leotard and no-short look” on Sabrina Carpenter and Blackpink’s LISA. “The fact that it was worn on such a high-profile red carpet, I expect us to see it filter in and become a 2025 short trend.”
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6. Ruffled Hems
Style Notes: Another trend carrying over from last season is the appearance of ruffled-hem shorts. These days, the style takes more of a bloomer or underwear format, but you can also find them present in slouchy mid-thigh lengths. The ornamental edge brings a flirty touch to classic fits, with the billowing shape a nice contrast to timeless wardrobe staples like waisted cardigans and basic shirting. On a recent trip to Italy, I wore With Jéan’s viral version of this trend around Rome, clocking in upward of 20,000 steps with ease. Not only did the mini hemline keep me cool against the blistering Mediterranean sun, but helped me feel more dressed up thanks to the frilled edge.
Shop the Shorts:
Free People
In Bloom Shorties
You’ll feel so stylish wearing these, even if it’s just around the house.
H&M
Seersucker Pull-On Shorts
Combine two of the 2025’s biggest short trends with this affordable pair.
7. Pop of Red
Style Notes: From Miu Miu’s S/S 23 collection to Dries Van Noten’s recent S/S 25 offering, luxury brands are proving that red shorts have crossed the threshold from being a trendy addition to your closet to a verified wardrobe essential. This season, look for breezy cotton styles or textured knit options to pair back with your favourite woven leather bag and flip-flops.
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8. Bloomers
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Style Notes: As the style set has demonstrated, some of the trendiest shorts aren’t shorts at all. Hear me out—while bloomers have always historically been worn under clothes, their entrance into the mainstream makes them feel more of a longer short trend than a trouser. Chemena Kamali’s Chloé is to blame for this, with everyone from Camille Rowe to Lily James wearing them at Paris Fashion Week. With summer on the horizon, I can see this translating to the streets of fashion’s capitals, with the romantic silhouette balanced out by tighter-fitting tops and tanks. Don’t be surprised when you see them everywhere upon your next trip to Portobello Road.
Shop the Shorts:
Free People
Forever Young Bloomer Pants
Free People’s bloomers are all we here at Who What Wear can talk about. After trying on the pair myself, I can personally vouch for their versatility, ease of wear and total comfort. A must for summer.
CHLOÉ
Pleated Silk-Charmeuse Tapered Pants
If you’re looking to invest in the trend, you can’t pass the Chloé style that started it all.
9. Capris
Style Notes: Capris are another in-between shorts trend. Pedal pushers fuse lengthy shorts with fitted trousers like leggings, making an undeniably covetable style that’s so effortlessly elegant. Wear them with camisole tops, cardigans or even boxier funnel-neck jackets—as we know, summer in Britain is reliably temperamental—for a modern take on the mod fashion staple.