Girl Talk: Shorts In Public, Ok or No Way?

True Religion "Bobby" Cutoff Short
$172.00
Available at: nordstrom.com

With warm weather comes an age old fashion question: is it ok for a fashionista to wear shorts in public? Let me clarify. We're not talking about to the gym or on your family fun day at Disneyland. We're talking about lunch with the girls, cocktails with the cool kids, shopping in the boutique-y part of town, or even to work. Shorts in public-- "ok" or "no way"? I have my biases, but I called in the Stiletto Jungle Girl Talk panel for a second opinion.

"It's time to start cutting down on the length of our wardrobe. Shorts are on the minds of ladies everywhere (and men) now that the weather is warming up and if your gams are fit to be exposed, get them out there immediately!" says 23-year-old Jules, a San Diego-based modeling agent. "There seems to be nothing sexier than showing off your legs when the time is right.

Now, I don't personally recommend Daisy Dukes with a plunging neckline and sky high heels. It's never a classy look. Grab a pair of new Milly Tab Shorts, a gorgeous printed short, and pair it with a lower heel and a top to match and a killer outfit is in the works! True Religion makes a great pair of denim shorts called the Bobby Cut Off [top left] - a sweet look with some cowboy boots and a flowy top for a sunset date. I wear shorts everywhere when it starts to get warm. Whether it's with some Juicy Couture tube socks and some Vans Slip Ons or dressed up for a club with some sexy stilettos, I am always sure to make a lasting impression.

Vince Bermuda Shorts
$185.00
Available at: saks.com

Shorts don'ts are definitely easy to remember -- be sure you're tan, clean shaven and well lotioned to complete the look. Now for a Sunday morning in church or to meet your future mother-in-law, I recommend a Bermuda short, such as the new collection of them by Vince. This way your eye-catching look isn't taking away attention from the important, non-sexy matters at hand. Either way, the short is definitely something that should be in every girls' closet. Be sure to find the appropriate short for your body type. Short shorts, gauchos or Bermudas are all cute styles to be paired with a top to blow those plain age-old skirts out of the water!"

Jules definitely makes a very compelling case for the fashionista-worthy qualities of shorts, but there are ladies who rally hard for the opposite approach.

"As far as shorts go, the thought of putting them on and walking around in public-- and yes, I'm including the gym-- kind of makes me want to vomit. For real," offers 29-year-old Pearl, an LA-based music industry diva. "I can't get the image of the awful khaki pleated short out of my head. Or the tiny Daisy Duke shorts that leave nothing to the imagination... gross. I don't think I will ever wear shorts in public. I don't find anything attractive about them in any way and I have never seen a girl pull off wearing shorts in a super stylish way. Skorts are not too far away on the gross meter either. I am definitely a big skirt fan, and an even bigger dress fan. Honestly, dresses and skirts are way more comfortable to me than shorts. Blech... I am thoroughly repulsed and must do some online dress shopping to get this image out of my head!"

Wow, that's a strong anti-short opinion if I ever heard one. I think we need a tie-breaker here!

Martin+Osa Tie Front Short
$48.00 (was $58-- save 17%!)
Available at: martinandosa.com

"How can anyone be against shorts???" questions Po, a 29-year-old attorney. "I love them! They are comfy, casual and just plain easy to wear! You don't have to worry about sitting properly or windy weather-- to prevent exposing your panties to the world-- and they don't require too much thinking when looking for something to match with a cute, casual top.

I frequently wear shorts out and about-- shopping, lunch with friends-- any time when the weather is nice and warm and I'm not working. I rarely wear them for a night out on the town, even though that is very trendy right now, because I just find them a little too casual to go with any of my evening-wear tops. The shorts I generally wear are short shorts in more neutral colors-- beige, white or denim. I find these colors go with most tank tops and other casual shirts. They are simple and comfortable- perfect for lazy days."

New York & Company "Sexy" Short
$22.95
Available at: newyorkandcompany.com

"Shorts: oh, where to begin...." muses 35-year-old Tina, a San Diego, California, resident. "I personally wear shorts all summer long, but not to work. I work in a more conservative office where we have only been allowed to wear jeans on Friday in the last few years. I think they would have a heart attack if I showed up in shorts! I do wear shorts to go to the beach, to lunch, shopping, lots of things. I will even wear shorts out to dinner. There are some cute shorts out there. Now I am not a short-shorts kind of girl. I think that for my body type I look better in a longer short, and I feel more confident in a longer short as well. I like Bermuda shorts a lot for a more formal outing. In Southern California I am not sure you can actually live here and NOT wear shorts."

So, it looks like it's three against one in favor of shorts. Despite the pro-shorts result of this informal Stiletto Jungle poll, one things has been made very clear: the idea of shorts in public elicits very strong opinions. It seems that there's no such thing as indifference to shorts-- either you love 'em or hate 'em!

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