As a true Midwest girl, jean shorts are practically part of my religion—and believe me, I’ve tried them all. From Daisy Dukes that barely grazed my thighs to the infamous crochet-lined pairs that defined my high school summers in 2016 to ultra-baggy silhouettes that swallowed my frame whole, my drawer has seen it all.
These days, though, I’m all about finding the perfect cut, fit, and length, the kind that hugs in all the right places and passes the sit test (who wants to be adjusting their shorts all day long?!). This summer, I made a vow to refuse to spend another minute in ill-fitting denim.
So, in my quest to find the best pair, I did as any self-respecting Gen Z girl would do: I opened up TikTok and went down the rabbit hole in search of the internet’s favorite jean shorts. After hours of scrolling, screenshotting, and parsing through comment sections, I compiled a short list of the internet’s most hyped jean shorts. I wasn’t just looking for what looked cute in a try-on. My criteria were clear: How do they hold up after a wash? Could I spend hours sitting comfortably in them? Are they actually flattering IRL and not just in a mirror selfie? I mean, this was some serious investigative journalism for goodness sake!
After putting each pair through my highly scientific testing process, which included wearing them to brunch, walking my dogs, sweating through a few subway rides, and even standing in a crowd at an outdoor concert, I’ve officially landed on five standouts.
Whether you’re shopping for a Labor Day Weekend getaway or you’re like me and plan to wear denim shorts for as long as humanly possible into the fall, I can confidently say these pairs deserve a spot in your rotation.
