Please note: This post contains affiliate links. You can learn more about my product selection process here.

It starts out innocently enough. There you are, mindlessly scrolling through your Instagram reels (or TikTok vids, depending on your generation), and for some reason or another, you pause, just as someone starts to rave about something — like, say, the best denim shorts. Intrigued, you click the link … only to find out that they cost way more than you’re willing to spend. “In your dreams!” you think, as you pass them by.

But then they pop up again, on someone else’s page. By the time you hear your fourth or fifth influencer shout them from the rooftops, you start to think, “Wait — do I need these?”

Such was the tale of the Agolde Parker long shorts for me. Billed as “the most flattering denim shorts” on social media, they slowly but surely lured me in with the growing chorus of voices singing their praises. Sure, I cringed at the $148 price tag (for a strip of fabric that doesn’t even reach my thighs?!), but I also justified the expense. “You live in Florida now,” my inner shopping demon reasoned. “You’ll basically wear them every day.”

And so, I pulled the trigger. Two days later, Revolve delivered … the baggiest, most unflattering bottoms I’ve ever owned in my life. Though they technically fit in the waist, they looked absolutely huge everywhere else, If I had a curve before, these shorts swallowed them whole, leaving me looking like a sloppy, unchic mess.

Worse? I was in such denial over my poor buying decision that I continued to wear them for weeks — well past the 30 day return period — before I evenually threw in the towel and Poshmarked them for half the price I paid. (Don’t get me started on that hellscape.)

How I Chose the Best Denim Shorts

Partly out of necessity and partly out of spite, this summer, I set out to test the very best denim shorts money could buy. A pair that wasn’t too tight, but didn’t completely drown my figure. Denim that was short enough to not be matronly, but long enough to avoid flashing anyone at the grocery store. Shorts that didn’t create a weird gap at the back or ride up when I walk. In short? I was seeking the holy grail of denim.

Though the task seemed insurmountable, after testing six pairs from four different brands, I was pleasantly surprised to find not one, not two, but five fit the bill —and for far less cash than I shelled out for the AGOLDEs. Eat your heart out, false denim prophets!

Below, the five pairs that passed my tests with flying colors.

The 5 Best Denim Shorts I Tested in 2024

• Mavi Boyfriend Short
• Prosperity Brit Sailort Short
• Abercrombie & Fitch High-Rise Mom Short
• Joe’s Jeans The Ozzie Short
• Abercrombie & Fitch Curve Love High-Rise Mom Short

1. Mavi Rosie Boyfriend Denim Shorts

Best Denim Shorts Overall

I’ve been a fan of Mavi jeans for years, so it should’ve come as no surprise that I would also fall in love with the brand’s shorts. The Rosie style the brand sent me falls at just the right length. (Which, for the record, ladies, is long enough to fully cover your cheeks —I’m talking to you, Lollapalooza-goers.) And yet, they’re short enough to still show off my gams, because, contrary to what the kids may tell you, late 30’s is far from “old.” The mid-retro ‘80s wash I’m wearing here strikes a nice balance (not too light, not too dark), and I love that they hit just above my hip bones. (News flash, denim companies: “High-rise” cuts shouldn’t be *so* high that they give you perma-camel toe.). They look good, yes, but more than that, these feel good to wear all day long — which is good news in this Florida heat.

• Sizes: 24 to 32

 2. Prosperity Denim Brit Sailor Denim Shorts

Best Dressy Shorts

The second these hit Nordstrom’s site, I had to have them — especially when I saw that $42 price tag. (And apparently so did everyone else — they’re  very nearly sold out there.) I was initially confounded by the buttons, which are completely non-functional, and the lack of a front zipper, which is instead placed at the back, but after I figured out how to get into them, these slipped on like a glove. In fact, I’d go so far as to say they fit me better than any pair of shorts I’ve ever owned. The faux buttons are sturdy enough for the price point (they made it through their first washing, anyway), and they offer a dressier option when it’s too hot for pants but you don’t want to be sloppy (a.k.a. every day here).

• Sizes: 24 to 32

3. Abercrombie High-Rise Mom Denim Shorts

Best High-Rise Denim Shorts

I have but one complaint when it comes to Abercrombie’s mom shorts. Like most of the best stuff on the site, it tends to sell out at lightning speeds. I’ve literally been stalking the lighter wash of the this pair daily to no avail. I understand why they go so fast: The sizing is spot-on. While I was expecting major discrepancies (I’m a 24 in A&F jeans — a size I can typically barely fit my pinky toe into at any other brand), these shorts, gifted by the brand, ran far more true to my typical 26/27. I also really like the fit. My butt feels supported, but not squeezed to within an inch of my life — a serious win for a pair of high-rises!

• Sizes: 23 to 37

4. Joe’s Jeans The Ozzie Denim Shorts

Best Designer Denim Shorts

As far as designer denim goes, this is a solid bet. It’s reasonably priced for the quality and the washes are right in that medium/distressed sweet spot.  They also sit refreshingly low on the hips if your ribcage is tired of being trapped in its usual high-rise cage. I do think they shrink a bit: After a tumble through the wash, one of my two pairs is on the cusp of being too short. It’s a testament to how much I like them that I keep them firmly in my denim short mix.

• Sizes: 23 to 34

5. Abercrombie & Fitch Curve Love Mom Denim Shorts

Most Comfortable Denim Shorts

According to Abercrombie, the difference between these and the high-rise mom shorts above is that these feature additional room though the hip and thigh. I would have to agree: They feel wider overall, and therefore sit lower on the hips. That’s probably also why they’re so incredibly comfortable. (We’re talking all day at the beach and then some, wear.)

What denim shorts are you loving for summer? Let me know in the comments below!

Xo, Nicole