Women's Bermuda Shorts

Bermuda is a length, not a construction. The hem lands at the knee or an inch above it, which on most size charts means an inseam, the seam running from crotch to hem, of 9 to 11 inches. Nothing about the fabric, the pockets or the waistband is fixed by the name, so the hem position is the whole definition.

Because that hem sits at the widest part of the lower thigh, the leg opening has to clear the knee when you bend. A leg that tapers too hard grips the moment you sit and rides up on the walk back out. Cloth with body, cotton twill or a medium weight linen blend, keeps the leg hanging straight instead of collapsing around the thigh. That straight fall is what makes the length read deliberate rather than borrowed.

Tailored shorts take their name from how they are put together, a flat front and a pressed line. A tailored pair can be Bermuda length or well above it. Denim shorts reach the knee too, but rigid denim breaks into a hard fold behind the knee and keeps the crease all day. Paperbag shorts spend all their interest at the waist. Here everything happens at the hem, which is why the same pair changes character completely with a one inch alteration.

Height changes the verdict more than any other factor. At 5 foot 8 the knee break sits in proportion. Under about 5 foot 4 the same hem cuts the leg at its thickest point and shortens the whole line, so raise it an inch or two above the kneecap or add a heel. Warm-weather offices, long walking days and smart casual codes all suit them. Anyone who wants air on the leg should go shorter, since those extra inches of cloth hold heat against the thigh.

Take a seat in the fitting room and look at the hem there rather than standing, because a pair that clears the knee upright can pin itself under the kneecap in a chair. Front pockets that gape open tell you the hip is too tight. Press along the seam after a cool wash, and hang them from the waistband with clips so the leg does not fold a false crease across the thigh.