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Summer of the Paper Bag Denim

Summer 2019 may have been the best yet as far as old trends coming back from the dead! It’s certainly true that many articles of clothing or styles will become less popular with time, but with even more time, the good ones always come back. As a true fashionista, it is so exciting to see previously popular looks sneak their way back into our wardrobes. Some pieces repeatedly prove themselves to the fashion world to be positively timeless. One in particular was back in full swing this summer.

Vintage denim high waisted shorts came back from the ’80s rebranded as the paper bag denim shorts! These shorts have been a long time coming and personally I am so eager to toss all of my old low-rise shorty shorts (questioning why I ever bought them in the first place) and replace them with high waisted EVERYTHING. Maybe I am a little too excited about this re-emerging trend, however rightfully so since I fell in love with the paper bag denim shorts first hand.

For those who are so incredibly confused yet somehow still reading at this point, paper bag denim shorts are a sort of thicker denim that fit loosely on the body. They are high waisted and flare a little above the belt, giving them a “paper bag” feel; thus, creating the comparison to vintage high waisted shorts or “mom shorts.” The mom style typically just refers to a looser fit. The paper bag denim shorts have a slight hug at the hip but fit loosely around the leg and rise up to, or even above the belly button — making them the most perfect combination of chic and comfortable.

This summer was a romance like no other between me and these perfect shorts. I purchased mine online from Forever 21 way back in September and when I tried them on, I was filled with immediate regret because they were HUGE on me. I did however swallow the $22 and wait it out to see if maybe they grew on me (or I grew into them). Thank goodness I did because by the time May rolled around and classes concluded, I was OBSESSED. I am not sponsored by any paper bag denim producing company by any means, but if you do not already own a pair, I highly recommend. They are very much worth it. My PBD shorts came with me everywhere this summer. It was like the sisterhood of the traveling PBD shorts! I found them to increase my fashion game greatly, and not only that, but they are surprisingly very flattering for all body types. We all have that one pair of jeans that when we put them on, we just instantly feel like a million bucks — for me this summer, those were my PBD shorts. At first, I was nervous that they would look terrible with anything I tried to pair them with but boy was I wrong! They went with tanks, t-shirts, body-suits, and they even looked adorable just casually paired with a bathing suit top for the beach. You could dress them up or down, making them very versatile. I always wore them with a belt and sometimes I swapped a classic leather belt for a bandana to make them even more chic. PBD shorts are definitely among my favorite purchases. In an effort to be uniquely chic, they never let me down.

While we are unfortunately approaching the colder months and are less likely to get use of any shorts in the near future, keep your eyes peeled for sales and shorts that might go on clearance. Let’s also hope dearly that this trend does not depart us so quickly so we can all rock the PBD shorts again next summer. If they do stick around, I will need to snag tons more pairs by then!

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