Dress-Up Day for Shorts

Remember: White shorts must be worn with full-coverage nude panties and not be see-through, Lomrantz says. Take a friend with you when you are trying on white shorts to make sure they cover everything.

Cut-off jean shorts are in style and easy to acquire. Just open your closet and pull out a pair of jeans that might be too short or not the right style, and cut them. Then wash and dry them to get that naturally frayed look. Toss any shorts you need to keep tugging or feel too tight.

Colors and prints are big this season, says Jani Strand, vice president public relations-corporate communications for American Eagle Outfitters. Shorts are a fun addition to every woman's summer wardrobe and come in hues from khaki sand to bright teal to lemon soda yellow.

"Prints range from patchwork to plaids to gingham checks," Strand says. "The destroyed, worn-in look is also very important this season, tying back to the 'boho-chic' trend, and can be seen throughout the shorts category."

Know the proper shoe to wear with different short lengths. A high heel or wedge looks best with a longer short, while a small heel or flat goes with a shorter short, Kneen says.

"Best-kept secret: nude sandals," Kneen says. "They allow the foot to almost disappear, which is great for making legs look longer and leaner. What woman doesn't love that?"

Tips on summer shorts

Zoe Glassner, senior shopping editor at Marie Claire, offers tips on summer shorts for women:

• Shorts are a cool alternative to a skirt.
• High-waisted shorts are for the young and daring. 
• The boyfriend short is a big trend this summer. 
• Shorts with a paper-bag waist are "so cool." They come in all lengths and fabrics and meet at the natural waist so they look good on most women. 
• Buy shorts that are age-appropriate. 
• Shorts that are too small are a big no-no. When in doubt, buy a size bigger and get them tailored. 
• Denim cut-offs are for the under-30 woman. 
• White shorts are nice, but where do you sit down in them without getting them dirty? 
• Cropped pants are an alternative to shorts if you don't want to show too much leg. 
• Extremely high heels are tacky with short shorts.