Levi’s’ unparalleled archive of design, stretching back more than 150 years, is one of fashion’s ultimate inspirations, so it’s no surprise that the denim short (a ’90s street wear staple), has once again been reinvented for 2024.
As boldly stated by Marie Claire earlier this year, ‘The jorts trend revival isn’t up for debate’, so we almost fell off our chairs at the prospect of curating this denim shorts style-101 guide for Levi’s as we enter a HOT New Zealand summer. And just to clarify, Jorts is slang for Jean Shorts. Capiche?
And our excitement wasn’t just because the original denim jean makers trusted us with their Jorts revival news – we put together this edit of denim shorts back in October, just as the summer fashion trends were starting to rear their green shoots in Aotearoa, i.e. we were already fans.
Denim shorts are a summer fashion staple that (almost) anyone can get their head around. Whether you’re a fashion enthusiast, early trend adopter, gardening dad, book guy, roadie, DJ, fisherman, festival-goer or picnic-curator, cut-off denim shorts signal a sartorial ease and relaxed aesthetic that’s hard to argue with. Paired with a clean white sneaker, Croc or Birkenstock Boston, a white tee, crotchet tank or over-shirt (bikini underneath), cap and a tote bag, it’s the summer go-to outfit we’ve been seeing everywhere and will continue to see from as far afield as the Bay of Islands to the Queenstown lakes.
This season Levi’s womenswear includes a wide range of denim shorts and pants crafted out of the latest featherweights and lightweight fabrics. Embellished with subtle western aesthetics and blending the bohemian essence with work-wear details, the High Baggy Short has a loose and easy look. Levi’s product offering stretches far beyond denim bottoms, too – leaning into natural, earthy fabrics, the women’s offerings create a casual and bohemian vibe with feminine details. From folk-lace trim details and soft ruffles, there’s an inherent femininity grounded in natural fabrics.
To truly celebrate the summer ’24 jorts trend for Levi’s, we chose to turn the spotlight on one of our favourite up-and-coming creators, Connie Lang Brown, (a hero of our 2024 Power List) to share her style cues. Together with 2023 Power Lister Laura Snelling, Connie explored the Jorts trend, pared with her favourite sneakers, eyewear, bohemian apparel, earthy tones, western details and jewellery, culminating in an authentic and cute vision of summer fashion.
Check out Connie’s denim shorts editorial on Instagram here.
Levi’s continue to expand their women’s and men’s collections far beyond denim jeans. Although denim bottoms are what they’re known for, this season the brand wants to “build on classic silhouettes and make them feel modern and relevant today”. Levi’s Global VP of women’s design, Jill Guenza, says of the summer range “While also emphasizing earthy essentials and bohemian vibes, there’s a powerful and grounded femininity in the women’s offerings of this sweeping collection.”
Shop your Levi’s summer looks at www.levis.co.nz.