How to Wear Denim Shorts over Leggings

OK, this post is hardly vintage-centric, BUT, since the denim-shorts-over-black-tights trend found its legs legs last summer, and since the shorts in question (or fair-substitute denim miniskirt) can be found in charity shops/thrift stores the world over, I'm going to go with it.

Also because in the span of twenty minutes on the street yesterday, I saw at least eight girls in some variation of the outfit.
Here's a few of them.

Now, they all look quite cute, but nowhere near as together as the girl on the Tube I gave directions to earlier that day. (Unfortunately I didn't have a camera at the time, so bear with the detailed description below):

She was Italian, I think, and wore the shorts/leggings/top/shoes in a way that made me think "wow, she looks fantastic" instead of "here's another trend clone".

The key points:

1) The shorts were dark denim, and very neatly hemmed. No ratty white strings emerging from the bottoms. They fit close to her leg, but not tight.

2) She wore matt black leggings that came about two inches above her ankle.

3) She wore a fitted black sweater/jumper, v-neck, over a muted red t-shirt.

4) The killer element: shiny, bright, adorable red patent flats. They could have been any bright color but the red really worked.
These, now on eBay, are the right sort of idea.


A note to older readers (meaning anybody over 25). Even if you can pull it off brilliantly, leave this look to the girls. If Katie Holmes can't manage it without looking like she's trying too hard, nobody can.