The resurgence of leggings as “real pants” has only been accelerated by the past year’s shift towards comfort-first wardrobes. We no longer ask ourselves whether or not the body-con bottoms are a truly viable option to wear outside of the gym; with the right styling, the right attitude, and the right pair, the stretchy, clingy pant now gets a resounding yes. However, as summer rolls around, the same goes for the leggings’ cropped counterparts: bike shorts.
Bike shorts caused quite the stir when they returned to the runway again a few years back, with fashion girls all over the world embracing the controversial trend. And, while we weren’t quite sure of their longevity, after seeing our favorite designers from Heron Preston to Rachel Comey manufacturing pairs of their own, it became clear that bike shorts are here to stay. What’s the trick to doing them right? Our advice: grab a pair with some length — it’s more fashion-forward and makes navigating your shoe selection so much easier. Leggings and heeled sandals? Most likely no. Bike shorts and heeled sandals? Kind of great. Wear with an oversized blazer, a simple hoodie, or with a pretty white blouse, and you’re good to go.
Ahead, shop our picks for every pair of bike shorts you’ll need for summer — from high-rise to ribbed and pocket-clad.
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