Do you remember “hot pants” – the short shorts we wore in the early 1970s?  These silk shorts aren’t exactly the same, but the trend of wearing shorts as evening wear reminds me of them.  If you were a gal that wore them them back then, you can still wear them now!  Yes, even if you are over 50. They say as you age that legs are the ‘last to go’, so if your legs are in good shape it just means paying attention to fit and shoe choice.

These are Elevenses brand from Anthropologie, in one of my favorite colors which they call ‘cedar’.  High waisted and a flattering flared, loose fit.

Because they are shorts and loose fitting the look is casual/cute, not trashy or overtly sexy. I would NEVER wear a skirt this short with heels, for any occasion – to me that would be overtly sexy and best left for the under 40 set.  A short casual dress or skirt I would wear, but only with flats or a fashion sneaker.

To look current and appropriate for evening, definitely wear a 2-3 inch block heel or a wedge. These open toe booties in a camel color makes your legs look long since they blend in with your skin tone.  Avoid pumps or stilettos!

Black and/or white are my favorite colors to wear with camel – here I chose a cotton top by Velvet, casually untucked… To complete the look, a white eyelet jacket by Nanette Lepore (one of my favorite labels) and an armful of fun bracelets…

Bold tortoise shell hoops and a Louis Vuitton shoulder bag –  ready for an evening with hubby…

Remember:

• Choose stylish, loose fitting shorts.
• For evening, wear shorts with a block heel or wedge.
• Unless you are under 40, no super short dresses/skirts with high heels.
• Casual short dresses/skirts can be worn at any age with flats/sneakers.

Have you worn shorts as evening wear? Ready to try?