It's officially shorts season, but rather than your garden-variety denim cut-offs, fashion insiders are serving up multiple ways to style lace shorts. The trend for underwear as outerwear has been gaining momentum over the last few years – from lace camisoles to sheer organza skirts. So, too, is ‘grannycore’ – a fashion aesthetic that embraces typical 'grandma' clothing, such as ruffled, lace trims on blouses and oversized cardigans.
My favourite lace shorts, at a glance:
Lace shorts fit neatly into both camps - they're the type of shorts that resemble granny bloomers, but worn with a sporty top, jumper or blazer, they've become the nonchalant summer uniform for cool girls everywhere. Lace shorts are a versatile piece, too, as they work just as hard by day as they do on a night out.
Saint Laurent gave the lace and satin shorts trend the fashion nod of approval by dressing Hailey Bieber in a butter-yellow iteration with a nylon windbreaker jacket for its S/S catwalk show. Dôen's Iona Shorts are like catnip on TikTok, while at M&S's recent summer fashion show in Ibiza many content creators dressed up the high street brand's bestselling cream lace shorts with a blazer and heels.
All of which poses the question, is it time to retire the silk slip skirt in favour of lingerie-inspired short shorts instead? Ahead, how to style lace shorts this summer…
1. With a light-weight jumper
This is French-girl dressing at its best. A V-neck jumper and ballet flats add a casual-but-chic feel to lace shorts. The neutral colour way also makes for the perfect ‘brunch with the girls’ outfit, while the Verafied New York The Éclair bag, which was seen on the arm of many an editor during the recent shows, gives it a fashion edge. You can also play with the length of your shorts, even leaning into summer 2026's other big story: Bermuda shorts.
With a leather jacket
While there's no right or wrong way to wear lace shorts, one dominant style involves toughening up the look with a graphic tee or oversized button-down shirt. That's not to say you can't wear a lace cami with lace shorts - just throw a leather jacket over the top for extra points.
With a bomber jacket
The jacket with lace shorts combo also extends to bomber jackets, especially those with an on-trend funnel neck collar. Accessories such as a graphic pair of over-sized earrings and a pair of heels will elevate the look to office or date night appropriate.
With knee-high boots
If you're a boho girl at heart, why not lean into the trend by pairing your lace shorts with knee-high boots and bare legs? Take either an ‘opposites attract’ approach by wearing a fitted body for a more utilitarian feel on top and to make a feature of the silhouette below, or go all-out whimsical with a floaty top.
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