#TheList: The Almighty Jean Short

Posted by Aldo Pusey on Monday, April 22, 2024
1

The Patron Saint

Clothing, Mouth, Human body, jean short, Denim, Textile, Human leg, Mammal, Plaid, Waist, Courtesy

Catherine Bach in The Dukes of Hazzard made ultra-short jeans shorts de rigueur in the late '70s.

2

Pedal Pushing

Human leg, Shoe, Sitting, Knee, Beauty, Thigh, Monochrome, Long hair, Street fashion, Model, Getty Images

Goldie Hawn went a little longer in 1965 while still selling the trend.

3

Bombshell Style

Clothing, Sleeve, Human leg, Denim, Textile, Shoe, Thigh, Shorts, Street fashion, Bag, Getty Images

Michelle Pfeiffer shows off her stems in 1980, making the risky choice of pairing hers with high heels—and pulling it off.

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4

Rocker Chic

Elbow, Thigh, Photo shoot, Portrait photography, Portrait, Getty Images

While Daisy took the shorts country, Debbie Harry shows their intrinsic rocker side in 1977.

5

Dancing Shorts

Clothing, Leg, Finger, Denim, Human leg, Shoe, Textile, Photograph, Standing, White, Courtesy

Jennifer Grey brought cuffed denim to the outdoor dance floor in Dirty Dancing.

6

Babe Watch

Leg, Sleeve, Denim, Textile, Summer, Style, Shorts, Street fashion, Waist, People on beach, Getty Images

Pamela Anderson proves this look has made its way into every decade, wearing hers in perfect '90s style.

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7

The Campaign

Clothing, Lip, Hairstyle, Denim, Human body, Beverage can, Jeans, Chest, Aluminum can, Waist, Courtesy

Cindy Crawford's Pepsi campaign in 1992 could have sold more jean shorts than soda.

8

Glam Squad

Hand, Earrings, Style, Thigh, Bottle, Eyelash, Tights, Fashion design, Fashion model, Makeover, Getty Images

Chloe Sevingy took her shorts evening-style in 2002.

9

Yes, She Cannes

Clothing, Eyewear, Vision care, Leg, Glasses, Brown, Sunglasses, Bag, Textile, Outerwear, Getty Images

Chloe sends the message that if you have the stems, denim shorts are still fab 15 years later—especially when paired with Chanel.

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10

The Champion

Clothing, Footwear, Leg, Textile, Photograph, Human leg, Fashion accessory, Outerwear, Denim, White, Splash/Splash/Fameflynet

Kate Moss hardly met a jean short she didn't love—most often pairing hers with booties and blazers.

11

Early 'Chella

Clothing, Eyewear, Glasses, Sunglasses, Leisure, Jeans, Denim, Summer, Fashion accessory, T-shirt, Getty Images

Taryn Manning and Nicole Richie bring denim shorts to Coachella in one of its early runs in 2006.

12

Coachella Now

Clothing, Eyewear, Denim, jean short, Shorts, Thigh, Sunglasses, Sleeveless shirt, Fashion, Street fashion, Courtesy Diego Zuko / Akm-Gsi

Josephine Skriver, Alessandra Ambrosio, Hailey Clauson and Jasmine Tookes show that the denim short is still the ultimate music festival accessory.

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13

In the Pages of BAZAAR

Skin, Sleeve, Shoulder, Joint, Standing, Waist, Summer, Chest, Thigh, Organ, Norman Jean Roy

Anna Ewers goes cropped on cropped in a Bardot-inspired shoot in 2015.

14

Wang Time

Clothing, Footwear, Leg, Human leg, Shoulder, Joint, Jewellery, Style, Thigh, Knee, Getty Images

Alexander Wang became a fashion sensation, bringing downtown cool to the catwalk in the form of louche jean shorts and a tee in his Spring 2008 collection.

15

Keep it Classic

Clothing, Eyewear, Footwear, Leg, Vision care, Glasses, Brown, Denim, Trousers, Human body,

Alexa Chung brings a French Riviera vibe to jean shorts, pairing hers with a breton stripe and ballet flats in 2012.

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16

Wear Your PJs

Clothing, Eyewear, Hair, Footwear, Leg, Glasses, Vision care, Denim, Trousers, Jeans, Getty Images

Diane Kruger was an early adopter of the PJ trend in 2013, keeping things cozy and cool.

17

The Bad Gal

Clothing, Leg, Human body, Shoulder, Human leg, Textile, Joint, Outerwear, Style, Summer, Getty Images

Riri keeps things fresh and neutral in an oversized button down.

18

The White Time

Leg, Human leg, Outerwear, Style, Street fashion, Boot, High heels, Knee, Fashion, Thigh, Startraks

Kate Bosworth goes white on white in a bleached out take on the look.

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19

The It Chicks

Clothing, Eyewear, Footwear, Leg, Flowerpot, Vision care, Denim, Textile, Human leg, Outerwear, Splash / Getty

Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner continue the legacy of the denim cut-off, showing its nearly endless versatility.

Headshot of Kerry Pieri

Kerry Pieri is Harper's Bazaar's Digital Fashion/Features Director. Kerry oversees the fashion vertical for BAZAAR.com, including launching digital covers, styling celebrity features, and managing recurring features including Brand Watch and My Life in Three Looks. In addition, Kerry edits the “best of” each season, from shoes to bags, denim and coats, and is consistently looking for shifts in the fashion realm to lend a voice. Kerry formerly served as the Editorial Director of  StyleCaster.com and as a producer at Full Frontal Fashion. She lives in New York with her husband Steve, and baby girl Lila Sky.

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