Elevate Your Shorts and Tank Look with These Tips

This easy summer denim on denim look brought to you to courtesy of July. Sometimes, there’s really nothing better than a no-fuss outfit with shorts and a tank top. But what if you want to make that just a little cuter? It’s easy! Choose simple details and a few accessories to take your look from basic to “outfit.”

Every summer I like to refresh my wardrobe with a new pair of jean shorts, and then wear said pair all summer long. This particular pair caught my eye because of the high rise, and the cuffs add a little bit of elevated design. They are SO comfy, in lightweight denim with a ton of stretch. My past couple pairs of shorts have been 100% denim, which I love, but the stretch makes these great in really hot weather and they really move to your body. I can hardly feel them when I wear them. These have a button fly, which I don’t really mind, but some people do so I figured I’d let you know. I usually go one size up with shorts because I like mine a little looser, and that’s exactly what I did here. So, I’d say these run TTS.

If you’re going to wear a “plain” top like a cotton tank, try to find one that incorporates some shirt-like elements into it such as texture or an unexpected detail. This tank here at its core is just white tank top, but details like the fabric’s ribbing and tie make it feel less like a plain tank and more of an actual top/shirt. It’s slightly cropped which is nice; you don’t have to worry about extra fabric bunching up, especially with the high-rise shorts. For $40 it’s a great elevated yet simple piece that works well with everything.

Okay, now the fun part – accessories! Normally I would throw on a pair of flip-flops, but I found these really cute crossover slides (only $25) that are just as easy to wear. I love the brown shade here, but they come in a handful of other colors. I’ve been a loyal fan of Rainbow sandals because of the neutral color, so was really excited to find these sandals in an equally neutral shade. They’re just as comfy and easy to wear as flip-flops but a little more elevated while keeping things casual. I’ve been wearing these with everything, even dresses!

My denim jacket is almost the same shade as the jeans because I wanted to try more of a tonal denim on denim look here. I love the combination of two different light shades of denim. It keeps the look super summery even with a jacket! My little “style” hack here is you can always wrap a jacket around your waist, even if you don’t intend to wear it, because it acts as a third piece that can complete any t-shirt/jeans look, not just this one. Plus if you’re somewhere and it gets cold, you have something to wear. See, you can be fashionable and practical at the same time! 🙂

I’m a sucker for a good bandana and there are tons of ways to incorporate one into an outfit. Here I’m wearing the bandana around my neck – my favorite way to wear it. But you can also wear it in your hair as a headband like I did in this post, wrapped around a ponytail like a hair tie (so popular this year!), or simply tie it around the strap of your bag to give it a little oomph. I promise you even if you were wearing flip-flops and didn’t have a denim jacket, the bandana alone would give your look a little kick. I have a handful of bandanas in my drawer and besides a denim jacket, a bandana is my secret sauce when I need something, but not sure what to add. It’s a cheap, easy way to style a look.

It’s really crazy how little things like a third piece, some texture, and a fun accessory can up the ante on an otherwise basic outfit. It takes really maybe two minutes extra to throw on the jacket and bandana, but then you’re ready to go. Who knew you could be so chic in jean shorts and a tank top?

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Hi, I'm Camille! I'm a bi-coastal blogger splitting my time between LA and NYC and sharing elevated, yet relatable ideas so that you can achieve your most stylish life.

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