From pedal pushers to Bermudas: longline shorts are everywhere at NYFW

By Julia Hobbs13 September 2019

According to New York’s street style, below-the-knee shorts are autumn’s ultimate trophy piece—here’s what you need to know about the trend

While New York’s long, warm summers mean that it’s still bare-leg season in the Big Apple, there is only one way to flash the last of your holiday glow this September—according to NYFW showgoers—and that’s with a below-the-knee short.

What’s all the fuss about?

Ever since Bottega Veneta dropped their sold-out leather Bermudas as part of the SS19 collection, fashion editors have been obsessed with the unlikely glamour of baggy, unisex shorts. Essentially, these are what the industry would refer to as a ‘unicorn’—an achingly on-point luxury fashion piece which, on the street, looks like you haven’t tried too hard. Let’s also not forget that longline shorts—we’ve similarly spied a lot of leg-skimming tailored pedal pushers (thank you Prada SS19 for the inspiration)—are immensely flattering. Consider these the autumnal styling update for the barely-there sandals you invested in this time last year.

OK, who’s wearing these longline shorts?

Everyone—but MyTheresa’s buying director Tiffany Hsu stands out, with capri pant suiting (note the waist-cinching leather belt); while Dutch influencer Linda Tol pairs her toffee-hued Bermudas with a trench coat, for elegantly contrasting hemlines.

How do they style it?

Think upscale, rather than skater. Your most straight-forward cue comes from Moda Operandi’s fashion director Lisa Aiken, who wears her capacious leather Bermudas with a relaxed white shirt and heavy-duty chain necklace. If you’re more about the pedal pusher, our advice is to dust off another Fifties classic, the prim cardigan: the retro pairing is fast becoming fashion month’s preferred street-style look.