Legging-adjacent bike shorts have been my go-to comfortable shorts for years during the summer. I always love seeing those old photos of Princess Diana wearing oversize sweatshirts paired with bike shorts that resurface on the internet from time to time. But I’ll admit that I wore them one too many times at the height of their popularity, and now, like many others, I have bike-shorts fatigue. Luckily for all of us, there’s a replacement: athletic shorts, such as basketball and running shorts. They’re just as comfortable as bike shorts, but they offer more options for styling them in elegant ways. It only takes a few Instagram scrolls before I come across an influencer wearing a pair of athletic shorts these days, and celebrities are in on the trend too. Recently, Emily Ratajkowski wore a long red pair (Adam Sandler style) with flats, and Zoë Kravitz dressed up a pair with kitten heels and a Saint Laurent leather bag during a night out in New York.

To sum things up, it looks like we’re saying goodbye to the bike-shorts trend for now, and athletic shorts have taken their place as the new sporty shorts trend to wear. Keep scrolling for styling inspiration and to shop my favorite pairs of athletic shorts on the market right now.

Athletic-Shorts Inspiration

Style Tip: Ratajkowski recently stepped out in NYC wearing basketball shorts paired with ballet flats, which is an example of one of the many unexpected ways to style athletic shorts.

Style Tip: Longer athletic shorts pair well with heels for an unexpected and fun juxtaposition.

Style Tip: Kravitz stepped out in NYC wearing her T-shirt tucked into her athletic shorts with open-toe kitten heels. Tucking in your shirt always adds elegance to your outfit.

Style Tip: Going the monochromatic route is always a good idea in my book.

Style Tip: Pointed-toe heels and a handbag can dress up your athletic shorts if looking more polished is your goal.

Style Tip: If you lean toward modesty at the beach, longline shorts paired with a bikini top or full bathing suit is the way to go.

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