I get it, you love tights, you love cut off shorts… why not just wear them together?? Because it looks stupid.  That’s why.  I love tights and denim shorts myself, but not together.  And I understand you’re feeling a little confused about this bipolar weather we’ve been experiencing in New York lately, but hold off on the cut-offs. It’s still only February.

Maybe some photos will help you reconsider your choice of mixing tights and Daisy Dukes:

Having second thoughts yet?  I couldn’t for the life of me figure out WHO exactly had spurred this onslaught of young ladies parading around in these silly outfits.  Surely, it couldn’t have been Katie Holmes alone.  And THEN… I saw it.

Right there in the window of Intermix in Soho.  This photo taken with my very own little phone.  How could you do this, Intermix?  Do you not realize that girls walk by your windows and get inspired? Do you not realize your power?  It’s not nice to pull pranks on people.  I mean, this has to be a joke, right?  You aren’t actually endorsing this trend are you?

Either way, ladies… I hope that you have seen the light and realize that some things just do not go together, like tights and denim shorts.

Okay, carry on.

xx,

WhyDid

To me, this is actually not weird. Seems perfectly normal, but after seeing people FREAK out about Katie Holmes wearing shorts in the winter time, I figured it was time to address the issue.

So, here I go. Now, I can’t say that I can vouch for Katie’s outfit choice. I think she executed this look very poorly, but I give her credit for doing it. (I also realize that this is going to become a huge trend now that she’s done it— remember the cuffed jeans?)

Anyway, I see nothing wrong with wearing shorts in the winter as long as you do it correctly. Here are some simple guidelines:

• The shorts should be winter shorts. The material should be heavier than shorts you would wear during the summer and they should be dark, unless you are doing winter white, then I’ll let it slide.
• You HAVE to wear tights with them, duh. That’s the whole point. You’re wearing shorts, but it’s winter, remember? I recommend heavy opaque tights, patterned wool tights, or if you are doing an evening look, a sheer black tight with back seam for added drama.
• For shoes: short booties, tall boots, oxfords, or a close toed heel. I do not recommend flat shoes for 95% of the population. Unless you have incredibly long or lean legs, flat shoes are going to be hard to pull off.
• Do not wear denim cut off shorts. This just looks stupid. I saw a girl wearing them with black tights the other day and had to restrain myself.
• Your shorts shouldn’t be too tight or too short. That’s what the summer time is for.
• An added bonus… wearing shorts in the winter will prevent you from packing on that extra holiday poundage. Thunder thighs need not apply.

Here are some looks that work:

And one that DOES NOT:

Alright, so now you know the “long and short of it.” Sorry, couldn’t help myself.