Summer is almost here, and it’s time to fully shave our legs and bust out the jean shorts! I ordered thirteen different pairs to test and am putting them to the test to see which ones are amazing and which ones don’t pass the test!

I will be answering the 6 “S” questions for each pair!

1. Do they hold their SHAPE?
2. Are they SOFT?
3. Do they have a good STRETCH?
4. Do they STAY in place?
5. How much did I SPEND?
6. Are they true to SIZE?

I dubbed these Free People jean shorts “my favorite jean shorts” last year, and even this year, they are hard to beat! They have a 4″ inseam making them a great length too. And I also love that they are a high-rise jean!

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes! They hold their shape very well all day.
2. Are they SOFT? Yes! They are soft, but not a buttery soft jean.
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? No. They do no have a ton of stretch which is why I sized up one size.
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes! They stay in place very well.
5. How much did I SPEND? These are a mid-range price coming in at $68.
6. Are they true to SIZE? Because they have no stretch, I did size up one size to a 28 and like the fit.

I love the 1822 Denim brand! It is an affordable brand (most pieces are under $40!), and their jeans are buttery soft! This mid-rise jean short has a 5″ inseam and is made of the softest fabric!

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes! I found these to hold their shape well!
2. Are they SOFT? Yes, yes, yes! Hello, buttery soft material!
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? Yes! They have a great stretch!
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes! They sure do!
5. How much did I SPEND? $39 with free shipping and returns – such a steal!
6. Are they true to SIZE? Yes! I stuck with my regular size of 27 and like the fit.

This pair of 1822 jean shorts is a great fit too! They are made with the same buttery soft material and great stretch! They are also a mid-rise short with a 5″ inseam.

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes! They held their shape well.
2. Are they SOFT? Yes! Very!
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? Yes! 1% spandex goes a long way!
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes! I found them to stay in place well.
5. How much did I SPEND? $39 with free shipping and returns!
6. Are they true to SIZE? Yes! I stuck with my regular size of 27.

Up next are these high-rise jean shorts from Old Navy! These have a 3″ inseam and are available in size 0 – 20! They have a slight distressing and rolled cuff too!

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes! These held their shape well!
2. Are they SOFT? They are not a super buttery soft material, but they are soft for a jean.
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? They have 1% spandex giving them a good stretch.
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes!
5. How much did I SPEND? Right now, they are on sale for just $26.25 (Reg. $39) when added to your cart!
6. Are they true to SIZE? Yes! I stayed true to size in a 4.

When I was in college, I had a favorite pair of Abercrombie jean shorts, and while I certainly can’t pull off the low-rise look any more, these high-rise shorts are a much better fit! I am wearing the Medium-Light Ripped Wash, but there are tons of other choices too! And while I liked the way they fit, they were just a little too short for my liking. They have a 2.5″ inseam, but I prefer at least 3″.

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes! They did not stretch out much with wear.
2. Are they SOFT? They are a typical jean material.
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? They have 1% elastane so they have a little stretch!
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes!
5. How much did I SPEND? $59
6. Are they true to SIZE? Yes! I stayed true to size in a 27.

The shorts so nice, I bought them twice! I bought these Old Navy high-rise shorts in two sizes. Pictured first is me in a size 4, and these are me in a size 6. Both fit, but I thought the 4 would fit better over time. But definitely size up if in between. They have a 3″ inseam and are very comfortable!

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes! These held their shape well!
2. Are they SOFT? They are not a super buttery soft material, but they are soft for a jean.
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? They have 1% spandex giving them a good stretch.
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes!
5. How much did I SPEND? Right now, they are on sale for just $26.25 (Reg. $39) when added to your cart!
6. Are they true to SIZE? Yes! I stayed true to size in a 4. Pictured above is a 6, but the 4 fit better.

Pink Lily actually has a pretty awesome selection of jean shorts at great prices! You can also use code CANDACE20 to save 20%! These dark wash high-rise jean shorts are one of my absolute favorite pairs! They have a great stretch and are not super short! This mom appreciates that! Sizes went pretty fast in this dark color, but the light wash is almost fully stocked. They have a 3.5″ inseam.

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes! They held their shape well!
2. Are they SOFT? Yes! Very!
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? Yes! They have great stretch!
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes!
5. How much did I SPEND? Pick them up for around $35 with code CANDACE20
6. Are they true to SIZE? I find Pink Lily’s sizing to run slightly small. For that reason, I sized up one size to M in the shorts. I probably could have done the small, but size up if in between.

These mid-rise shorts from Old Navy have a great stretch and a 5″ inseam! I love the button fly detail too!

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes!
2. Are they SOFT? Yes! They are pretty soft!
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? Yes! 1% spandex!
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes!
5. How much did I SPEND? They drop to $18.75 in your cart!
6. Are they true to SIZE? Yes! I stayed true to size in a size 4.

These high-rise shorts from Abercrombie are another great pair, but they were just a bit too short for me with a 2.5″ inseam. I am 5’5″ for reference. I am wearing the Dark Wash, but there are several shades to choose from.

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes!
2. Are they SOFT? Yes! They are soft like a typical jean material.
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? Yes! 1% elastane
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes!
5. How much did I SPEND? $59
6. Are they true to SIZE? Yes! I stayed true to size in a 27.

These mid-rise Liverpool jean shorts are a few years old, but I found this year’s version that is almost identical! They are the same style with no distressing. They have a 7″ inseam and are very soft and comfortable! They are also on sale!

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes!
2. Are they SOFT? Yes!
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? Yes! 1% Lycra!
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes!
5. How much did I SPEND? They are on sale for just $47.99!
6. Are they true to SIZE? Yes! I stayed true to size in a 4/27.

These high-rise shorts by Universal Thread at Target are the best value! They have a 4″ inseam and are very comfortable! But don’t take my word for it, they have almost perfect reviews too!

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes!
2. Are they SOFT? They are a typical jean material.
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? Not much stretch in these.
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes!
5. How much did I SPEND? $17.99!
6. Are they true to SIZE? I read a ton of reviews and ended up ordering one size up to a 6. I like the fit, but the 4 probably would have fit too. Size up if in between or for a more relaxed fit.

I got another pair of shorts from Pink Lily, and these distressed shorts are great too! They were just a little bit shorter than I normally wear with a 2.5″ inseam, but they have great stretch. Use code CANDACE20 to save 20%!

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes! They held their shape well!
2. Are they SOFT? Yes! Very!
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? Yes! They have great stretch!
4. Do they STAY in place? Yes!
5. How much did I SPEND? Pick them up for around $35 with code CANDACE20
6. Are they true to SIZE? I find Pink Lily’s sizing to run slightly small. For that reason, I sized up one size to M in the shorts. I probably could have done the small, but size up if in between.

Well, darn it! Of course, I have to LOVE the most expensive pair!! Briton is probably rolling his eyes somewhere! This pair by Rag & Bone is amazing! They look just like regular jeans, but they are a sweatpants material! The belt loops, button, fly, and pockets on the front are just part of the design! The elastic waist is stinkin’ amazing!

1. Do they hold their SHAPE? Yes!
2. Are they SOFT? YES! Think “your favorite pair of sweatpants” soft!
3. Do they have a good STRETCH? Yes!! The best!
4. Do they STAY in place? Yep! Thanks, elastic waist.
5. How much did I SPEND? This is their only flaw – $150
6. Are they true to SIZE? Yes. Wearing the small.

Overall Favorite: Free People jean shorts from Social Threads (Picture #1)
Runner-up: Dark wash high-rise jean shorts from Pink Lily (Picture #7)
Best Value: High-rise shorts by Universal Thread from Target (Picture #11)
Best Splurge: Rag & Bone shorts

I hope this post was helpful! There are so many choices out there! Hopefully, this review helped you narrow it down!

** This post contains affiliate links. **

Always Stay Posted! Follow along on:

Always Stay Posted! Follow along on: