Warm Weather Bottoms for Every Silhouette Type
Have you been waiting eagerly for it to be short shorts weather? Or maybe you're steaming your A-Line skirts? Perhaps you're more of a year-round pants wearer? I've got them all 👇.
When it comes to warm-weather dressing, not all bottoms are equal. Some are not suited for an 80-degree day. And the less clothing you wear, the more challenging styling can get because an outfit has fewer elements (less layering). Each element holds extra weight, yet you still want to create a look with personality and individuality! And you probably—at least sometimes—still want to dress in your Silhouette, the outfit's structure that makes you feel your best.
I am focusing on the bottom with your bottoms. A Silhouette is very dependent on the lower half of your outfit. Many of our favorite bottoms become too heavy to wear in the warm weather, especially for those who prefer the Cypress Silhouette and generally dress pretty even from top to bottom and, therefore, love a good pair of pants.
So, suppose you’re not a Palm Silhouette who has been checking the weather forecast to find out when your shorts can finally come out, and you’re not an Evergreen Silhouette, whose flared skirts and dresses are suitable for the heat. In that case, you’re probably a Cypress Silhouette with some warm-weather bottom struggles. I’m breaking down my favorite bottoms for each Silhouette below, including cracking that code for warm-weather Cypress dressers. However, denim shorts also need to be thoroughly analyzed.
The Palm Silhouette
The Palm is the easiest Silhouette for finding warm weather bottoms, not because I identify as a Palm, but because it’s mainly shorts and skirts! As you may have read in my deep dive into the Palm Silhouette, this Silhouette likes to go barely there on the bottom, with volume up top. Warmer weather means less clothing up top, so you need these bottoms to carry their weight. The non-denim shorts below (denim is coming, too!) have just the right amount of oomph to make an intentional warm-weather look. (I also referenced some great bloomer shorts here and skorts here).
The Many Different Styles of Denim Shorts
Many people’s go-to is denim shorts, but picking which style can completely change an outfit. There are the finished hem, cut-offs, and stylized denim shorts, which are all styled quite differently.
1. The Cut-Offs
If you choose to wear denim cut-offs, which I will always love, you want to balance the casualness of the denim with the top of your outfit using the Contradistinction Technique — a way to counter one element (here, very casual denim cut-offs) to make the outfit interesting. I did this above with a short-sleeved summer jacket — which I forced to flare out a little by fastening a belt. The sophistication of a jacket or shirt with cut-offs is the perfect contrast to the cut-offs.
Added tip!: I slit the side leg seams of my shorts to make them flare out more and ride up less.
Vintage Re/Done x Levi’s shorts (did you also know Levi’s now has a Secondhand shop? Also Etsy has really good vintage Levi’s shorts), Salvage/Rights top (no idea what happened to this brand! Here is another option I like), Repetto leopard print ballet flats (similar pair here), Gap braided leather belt
2. The Finished Hem
I love finished-hem denim shorts because they are clean and classic, with the approachability and ease of denim. I can’t recommend these from & Other Stories enough, which visually, are a lot like these $980 ones from Gucci, no? Because these have a finished hem and are neater than a cut-off, I feel you can pair these with a tighter — dare I say, sexy top and even heels! If you size up in the shorts, you can roll the sides of the waistband down for extra flare, which is very flattering to the leg.
& Other Stories shorts, Gap off-the-shoulder top (similar here), Saint Laurent bandana print heels, long pearl strand
3. The Oversized A-Line
The ones I wear are from Frankie Shop, but I found similar ones here and here. I particularly love that these flare out, which, per the above roll technique, are flattering to the leg. These are longer with more coverage than the other pairs I’m addressing, so I paired them with a bra top to emphasize that this style allows you to go slimmer up top. A tank would be great, too!
Frankie Shop shorts, Michael Lo Sordo bra top (this swim top from Hill House works too!), KULE x One/Of belt (I love this one from J.Crew and this one from Prada that the J.Crew one is probably based on), Repetto block heel ballerinas
4. The Hot Pants
If you're going to go the hot pant route—which I am one to do—your top should have more substance. It's the inverse of the Oversized A-Line shorts! I paired my shorts with a flared vest to achieve a true Palm Silhouette. These are very stretchy, so while they're denim, they feel like I'm wearing underwear (I kind of am).
Vintage Pendleton shorts (similar here and here), ALIGNE vest, Vintage Ferragamo heels (there are a ton on eBay! And these are $70 if you’re a size 6!), Don’t Let Disco necklace
5. The Bloomers
I love bloomer shorts, so I obviously own these denim bloomers. I paired the shorts with more masculine elements: a crisp button-down, casual fisherman sandals, and a classic leather belt to avoid looking like a toddler.
Free People bloomer shorts (similar here), KULE shirt, K. Jacques sandals, Emme Parsons belt
The Evergreen Silhouette
The Evergreen is its bottom. My favorite styling tricks for the Evergreen make it unique, but the Evergreen Silhouette depends on the volume and drama its bottom half brings.
Below are some great dresses, skirts, and even pants for warm-weather Evergreen dressing. I’ve referenced some of the skirts specifically before, even while it was still cold out, because, generally, unless the skirt is very seasonal (wool or heavy denim for winter or linen for summer), you can wear your Evergreen skirts year-round!
Dresses vs. Skirts
One note to make — though much more live here — is that if you wear a dress, you want to be mindful of the minor elements you add so that you wear the dress and make it your own. A skirt allows requires more decision making (what top!?), so you have to actively finesse your dress! Layer a lightweight shirt under or over it, add a belt or some extra necklaces, or tie a cotton handkerchief around your neck to make it your own.
The Cypress Silhouette
There are plenty of amazing warm-weather pants out there for you Cypresses. You want to focus on the material—it should be natural rather than synthetic so your legs can breathe (linen, light cotton, or silk are great).
A successful Cypress outfit relies on styling tricks and layering, so what does one do when it's too hot to add that extra sweater around your shoulders or blazer over your shirt? You get creative! Wear a slip dress over your pants or add a belt, a simple yet powerful accessory.
In preparation for summer, I will explore warm-weather styling for all three Silhouettes in the coming weeks.
So, while warm weather slightly changes our dressing formulas, there are still ways to get creative and have fun with your preferred Silhouette. Bottoms up (sorry)!
xo
Eliz