Summer is flying by! When it comes to my summer wardrobe, my main go-to is a flattering pair of denim shorts.  I am a jeans girl, so naturally during the hot months (and man, does it get hot here in Nashville), denim shorts are my thing.

My two favorite brands of shorts are Levi’s and Agolde.  Levi’s are classic and affordable. Agolde shorts have a higher price tag, but fit impeccably and I think they are worth every penny!

Levi’s 501 Shorts

I like Levi’s 501 shorts because they have a classic look and relaxed feel to them.  They are more of a mid-rise, with a shorter inseam. These are 100% cotton and I have found these to be true to size, however, I sized up one because in this cut I prefer a looser, more relaxed fit. My exact washes are from previous seasons, but this medium wash and this washed black are similar to mine.

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Agolde Parker Shorts

I think that Agolde Parker Shorts are the perfect jean shorts! I have found the fit of Agolde jeans and shorts to be amazing. These shorts are great because they are a touch longer in the back and they flair out a little bit, making the most flattering upper leg/booty situation.  The length is short, but not too short, the rise is high-waisted, the denim is rigid (100% cotton, without stretch) but soft with distressing. These are absolutely my favorite pair of denim shorts.  I bought them in the wash ‘swapmeet’ from Planet Blue in Santa Monica when Shaun and I went to California to celebrate our ten year wedding anniversary in 2019. These are a boyfriend fit, so your normal size will be a just a little bit loose, and I stuck with my normal size. This is my favorite wash, but I also have Parker shorts in a dark wash, and a white wash.

Agolde Jamie Shorts

The Agolde Jamie shorts are long-length shorts. A lot of brands have been offering longer-length styles for the past few summers.  This particular style is from a previous season and is no longer available, but Agolde has a few other similar length styles this season called: Rumi, Mid-Rise 90’s loose shorts, Lennon Hi-Rise Culottes, and Pinch Waist shorts. When I first got these they were out of my comfort zone, but I like to venture out a bit and add variety to my closet. After wearing them for a couple of summers, I love them and do not feel unsure about them at all.  I have found this style to be true to size.

Agolde Dee Shorts

These Agolde Dee shorts have the highest of all the high rises, past my belly button and nearly to my ribs.  I like the length on these, and I love the wash that I got; ‘ricochet’.  These have pretty heavy distressing, and are just plain cool-looking.  The inseam on these is longer than the Parker shorts but shorter than the Jamie shorts.  They are 100% cotton and I found them to run a bit small. If you are in-between sizes, size up. I got these one size up from what I got in the Parkers. These are my second favorite pair of shorts, after the Agolde Parker shorts. This wash is my favorite, but I also have them in a lighter wash.

When buying 100% cotton, rigid, with no stretch denim, I like to buy them tight (unless you are going for a looser, relaxed fit). As you wear them, they naturally stretch out and loosen up with wear for the perfect lived-in look and feeling.

If you want to see outfits I wear with all of these shorts, check out my recent blog posts here and here! This is the shirt and these are the sandals worn in all of the photos in this post.

How about you? Are you a shorts person? What is your go-to brand or cut of denim shorts? I would love to hear from you!

***Love the Agolde styles, but not the price tags?  The best Agolde dupes I have found are from Abercrombie & Fitch.  I do not own them, but I have tried them on. The High-Rise 4″ Mom shorts look very similar to the Agolde Dee shorts.  The High-Rise Mom shorts and the Mid-Rise Boyfriend shorts both resemble the Agolde Parker shorts. The back pockets are the biggest difference to me, the placement and size are not as good on the AF ones. Abercrombie also has some long shorts called the Hi-Rise 9″ Shorts that look a lot like all of the longer-length Agolde shorts.***