Your Classic Black Short & How to Wear it For a Night Out:

I’m seeing shorts worn in an a-typical way all over the place right now. I’ve seen tons of variations on the short theme that are a far fashion cry from the homemade cut-offs you were sporting back in the day. From shorts paired with tights for Fall, to crazy-fun fabrications that make their way into tons of looks, both daytime and evening, I’m feeling like the ‘short’ has legs when it comes to versatility.

One example of a night-out look is below. It’s inspired by a shot from a recent urban outfitters catalog. Here’s my spin on the look using a classic black short from French Connection. First, the inspiration, and second, how to wear it:

Image courtesy of www.urbanoutfitters.com (catalog)

1. Max Azria Black Leather Jacket- $500 (www.net-a-porter.com) 2. MiH Jeans Dove-Print Jersey T-shirt- $77 (www.net-a-porter.com) 3. French Connection Sateen Shorts- $23.99 from $88 (www.usa.frenchconnection.com) 4. Sam Edelman ‘Nivan’ Platform Pump- $99 (www.endless.com) 5. Whiting and Davis Crystal Studs Clutch- $145 (www.ebags.com) 6. Jennifer Elizabeth Brass ‘Athena’ Necklace- $195 (www.maxandchloe.com)

The leather Max Azria jacket with the drape-front is not only a dream to me, but a soft spin on a staple outerwear piece. It keeps things far from bulky so it’s great as a layer and will work well into transitional seasons.

A dove print t-shirt was neutral enough to work under the jacket and kept the overall fashion canvas simple. You have the black shorts from French Connection as one of the focal points on the how-to-wear-it look. A short that pulls off a tailored look in such a cropped form is a must-have if for nights out.

The Sam Edelman platform pump has that ankle strap, keeping it on the foot while you make your way through the night. The studded clutch is a throwback to something very eighties and the metallic pops back to a relatively neutral look. Finally, the necklace makes a dressed-up statement back to the casual tee.

There you have it. Parts of the look are very dressed up, while others are low-key, easy, and a little edgy. Overall, the look comes together well with these black shorts as the fashion foundation.

If you think that’s all I have when it comes to my top edits of everything that covers the bottom half of the how-to-wear-it fashion equation, you’ll be happy to know that is not even close to the case. See more of my favorite shorts, pants, skirts, etc and how to wear them.