Itty

May 05, 2024

By Rachel Besser

I know what you’re thinking: an ode to track shorts? Am I stuck in some sort of treadmill-laden Sisyphean nightmare? But hear me out: This isn’t about what to wear for your new run club or for a lazy trip to the pharmacy. No, this is about embracing track shorts as a saucy sartorial statement. For those hot summer nights, they’re breathable while showing off plenty of leg.

Track shorts are like the 2023 rebuttal to the daisy dukes of the early aughts (immortalized in Jessica Simpson’s iconic 2005 music video for “These Boots Were Made for Walking,” released shortly after her portrayal of Daisy Duke in the Dukes of Hazzard reboot.) Where the jean shorts were famously short for the sake of being short, the teeny-tiny track-star silhouette is less obvious. Track shorts are practical with a hint of irony—a defining factor of sexiness in 2023. You could use them for a jog if the mood strikes, but let’s be honest, chances are slim.

How can you sport track shorts without giving the impression you’re ready to clip on your running belt and fire up the Strava app? A prime example comes from a scene in season three, episode 10, of Sex and the City, where Carrie dons track shorts with red stilettos and a flowy peasant top. The genius lies in the unexpected pairing. The sporty shorts act as a reminder to embrace adventure; suddenly, the world is your stadium. In a coincidental twist, the episode ends with Carrie sprinting through the West Village after a dog and eventually getting caught in the rain. In track shorts, adventure awaits.

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Former Teen Vogue fashion and beauty editor Michelle Li—who recently collaborated with Relax Lacrosse on a romantic, shrunken, florette-embellished pair of mesh shorts—follows the same approach to silhouette. “My go-to for summertime is a tiny track short and a larger structured feminine top,” says Li. “I find that it helps balance an outfit and provides a good mix between feminine and sporty.” London It girl Olivia Pezzente also gravitates to the fusion of sporty and feminine. “I love pairing sporty pieces with items that are more traditionally femme,” Pezzente says. “If something feels too obvious, I tend to go in the opposite direction.”

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I can personally attest to this combination too. During a recent three-week European vacation with only a carry-on bag, a pair of petite white Adidas track shorts made their way into my luggage for their versatility: They were a bikini cover-up, gym attire, and a vital part of my dinner-outfit repertoire. In Paris, I took them for a spin with a vintage white Prada button-down and a pair of black slingback heels at the legendary Fouquet’s Paris restaurant on the Champs-Élysées, slightly worried I’d feel underdressed.

On my walk to the restaurant, I caught a glimpse of the women’s World Cup playing on a bar TV, just as Spain’s Salma Paralluelo danced across the field in a similar pair of three-striped shorts. I felt reassured. Whatever adventure this Paris night had in store, I was ready.