How to Wear Paperbag Shorts

May 21, 2019

I am so excited to be teaming up with the fabulous Cyndi of Cyndi Spivey to show you how to wear paperbag shorts! This fun waist band is all over lately and for good reason – it is incredibly flattering and easy to wear! Cyndi and I thought it would be fun to give you a couple different looks at ways to style a similar item. Be sure to check out her post to see her take on the look. I love that we both ended up styling denim options for you all, but they are different! Mine are lighter with a cuff and hers are a bit darker making them a little dressier. We both also happened to wear clear plastic bags which is also a huge trend right now.

For me, you have seen this style short several times before because I like it that much! The denim shorts (similar in true chambray) I am styling today were my first foray into the style. Then I tried this amazing rainbow stripe pair which has actually been one of my top sellers. They are incredibly comfortable and plenty long (YES!). See blog post here. Lastly, I recently shared this dressier black pair. I love the material of these. In the post, I even styled two ways to wear them: one casual and one more dressed up. I wanted to round up all the ways I have styled this type short for you as well as restyle my denim pair.

How to Style Paperbag Waist Shorts

When considering how to style a paperbag waist, there are two main things to keep in mind:

Tuck your top fully into the shorts all the way around. This is probably a given, but I figured it was worth mentioning.
Pick a top that isn’t bulky so that it is easily tucked in and maintains the flattering shape of the shorts and your waist.

As my examples show, you are not limited to a specific type or style of top. You can go for a tank top, short sleeve, or long sleeve top. You can pick a casual t-shirt like my last example, a dressy lace camisole or blouse for date night, or somewhere in between like my other options. I think my personal favorite is the top I am wearing with my rainbow stripe shorts because it is fitted in nature and just works well with the shorts to be easily tucked in the waist. This would be a great time to try a bodysuit out if you haven’t done it yet.

Where to Buy Paperbag Waist Shorts

I bought my fun rainbow stripe shorts from Shopbop by Madewell here. In general, I think Shopbop has an awesome selection to look at since they have so many brands. Free People has an adorable and really fun pink pair ($98) and a utility pair ($88), and re:named has a super fun striped pair ($56). My pairs in this post are by Madewell, Express, and WAYF (available at Nordstrom, Dillard’s, and other retailers). Madewell and WAYF are standby brands for me I shop a lot. I always recommend shopping them when looking for anything!