Indian winters in most part of the country seem to come and go unnoticed very often. Lacking the drama of chills and snow, there are few occasions to flaunt a cool winter wardrobe. Summers, however, are a whole other ball game in India.

No matter what part of the country you come from, an Indian summer is bound to have you rummaging through your wardrobe for something that allows you to deal with the heat. The perfect time to pull out those summer shorts, here are our tips on getting cool…summer style!

Picking out the best summer shorts

Depending on the occasion and weather conditions around you, there are some kinds of shorts that work better and some that don’t but in general, we like to believe that cotton shorts and denim shorts, both are must haves in any case.

Cotton, being breathable, lightweight, and available in such a wide range of prints and colours, is our personal favourite to style printed summer shorts. Along with that, denim, especially printed denim, has made a recent comeback as well, and make for a stylish piece to have around particularly if you’re looking to wear it for a slightly classier event than just lounging with friends.

Styling summer shorts

One advantage with summer shorts is that you can make them look as stylish as you want just as easily as how inherently casual they can be. Taking both at a time:

The casual look with printed summer shorts:

1. You can pair your summer shorts with a plain, solid colour, loose fitted boyfriend t-shirt and a pair of sneakers, sliders, or sandals below for that casual, but SUPREMELY comfortable look. Our personal preference is a solid white if your shorts are colourful, but you can also go crazy and find something more in the same colour palette or contrasting with it as well
2. A tank top is another item in our wardrobe that has never, ever, ever failed us. Put one on with the best summer shorts you own, throw in a sling bag to carry all your stuff (sunglasses and sun tan lotion should be there for sure), and you’re good to go.
3. In addition to that tank top and summer shorts look, you can also think about putting on an outer shirt to help protect your skin from the sun if the weather is really too harsh. Unbuttoned, tied at the waist, or even half buttoned up, this one is another classic look that we absolutely cannot get enough of. Slightly retro, but always evergreen, you can mix and match between printed summer shorts, a plain tank top, and a printed shirt, or vice-versa, whichever you prefer.

Now, we agree that regular summer shorts are normally not on the list when it comes to dressing up for classier, relatively formal occasions, but recent fashion trends will tell you that these shorts can actually be worn in ways literally anywhere from a wedding to a sundowner – if styled right.

Therefore: our take on the classier evening look with printed summer shorts:

With several changes in our society including the relatively recent culture of sundowner parties, music fests, and more, summer shorts have gained popularity. Symbolic of a sense of self-awareness and confidence, you can easily slip into a comfortable pair and then style it with complimentary additions that can take it from your beach or loungewear to a runway. Two of our favourite add-ons to printed summer shorts include the solid colour blazer or a jacket that spells B.L.I.N.G.

The colour pops (in sync, or contrasting) with your summer shorts can make them look like a stylish pair of co-ords, while a blingy jacket only amplifies an oomph factor in them. Top it off with some stylish sneakers or a pair of heels and you’re ready to turn some heads your way.

Now if you’re looking for a pair of the best summer shorts to put on for a slightly more formal event, you could consider wearing something that is a little more neutral in colour and print. Self-print options are an absolute favourite in this category and earthy colours like beige, khakhi, white, black, grey, shades of brown, olive, bottle green, and more are all hits.

If you are, however, someone that is comfortable rocking a bolder, brighter colour, provided the occasion is appropriate for it, even hot pinks, reds, ink blues, and purples are some great choices. The idea is to match the occasion to your style and find an in-between.

Top it off with the right pair of footwear to balance out the casual effect of the summer shorts and your ensemble would be complete.

Thinking of wearing the best summer shorts you own to work? This one might have a mixed reaction. First of all, it matters, and tremendously so, what kind of workplace you come from. If it is an industry or culture where showing up in summer shorts is alright, there is no harm in doing so.

Our only suggestions for this one would be to ensure that whatever you wear is of a decent length and fit. Wearing something with a little more skin showing than others might be comfortable with only makes you a little less approachable and might come in the way of your work relationships, even if you’re personally comfortable with it.

With that out of the way, the colour and prints to follow for work would be slightly similar to those that we just mentioned for the formal-ish events, just to keep a level of professionalism going. And of course, things like jackets – both – formal ones like blazers or leather jackets (although if it is really summer, you want to stay away from those), and informal ones like simple cotton pieces or denim jackets would do well for you.

Lastly, the footwear in the workplace also matters. Walking around in summer shorts and sliders might be a bit too casual for our taste. But that again, depends entirely on the work culture of your office and the industry you come from. So this, we leave up to you.