Denim Shorts Review - Finding the perfect pair of denim shorts (11 Pairs)

 Hi friends and happy Thursday! Today's post has been a long time coming. About a month and a half ago, I asked on IG what y'all wanted to see as far as content goes. I had a request for great pairs of denim shorts. I really liked this idea because finding a good pair has been a struggle for me! I feel like I'll see a pair that looks great online. On the model they appear to be a perfect fit. I'll get them and they'll be super tight on my legs, not fitting properly, and after trying to find great fitting pair, I'll just give up. 

After receiving this request, sharing it and a lot of y'all said the same thing about wanting to find the perfect pair, I started a hunt, researching the best brands, the fits, the reviews and more. I ended up ordering eleven (well, really twelve since I ordered one in two washes), to see what I liked. I ordered them from a handful of retailers with a range of price points: Abercrombie & Fitch, Madewell, American Eagle, Target, Walmart and Express. I tried a handful of styles, mom shorts, boyfriend shorts, curve collections and more. I'll list each style I'm reviewing along with the price, fit details and overall thoughts. 

My Fit/What I look For

I am normally a size 26(2) waist, and my rule of thumb is to size up one size in denim shorts. I have found that most of them tend to run small. So for all of these shorts (but two) I ordered a 27(4). The usual problem I will have with denim shorts is them being too tight on the legs. I'm 5'2, and doing ballet for years and yeas + working out, I have more muscular legs. I want a pair of shorts that won't be sticking to my legs. With that being said, let's get started!

Abercrombie & Fitch

A&F Curve Love Mid Rise Boyfriend Shorts // Price: $59 Wash: Medium Ripped Wash Size: 27 Overall Thoughts: I absolutely love these! They are everything I want in a pair of denim shorts. Loose in the legs, a mid rise (hit right at my belly button) and are just SO flattering! They're probably my favorite pair I've ever put on. I do like the fit going up one size from my usual (remember, I like mine loose fitting) but I also think you would be fine going with your regular size). Recommend? Yes

A&F Curve Love Mom Shorts // Price: $59 Wash: Medium Wash Size: 27 Overall Thoughts: I like these a lot, especially if you're looking for a high waist pair. Being the curve love collection, they again give you that extra two inches in the legs, making them looser at the legs. They're not quite as loose as the boyfriend. I do recommend going up a size as these definitely run small. They are pretty high waist. They also come in a mid rise and 4 inch inseam options. Recommend? Yes

A&F Curve Love 90s High Rise Cutoff Shorts // Price: $59 Wash: Light Ripped Wash Size: 27 Overall Thoughts: I absolutely love these! They again give that loose in the legs fit, are a high rise and are very flattering! I honestly like these more than the high rise mom shorts. They offer a looser leg fit and and just more overall relaxed and comfortable. I do like the fit going up one size from my usual. Recommend? Yes

A&F Curve Love Mid Rise Boyfriend Shorts // Price: $59 Wash: Ripped White Size: 27 Overall Thoughts: I absolutely love these! They are everything I want in a pair of denim shorts. Loose in the legs, a mid rise (hit right at my belly button) and are just SO flattering! They're probably my favorite pair I've ever put on. I do like the fit going up one size from my usual (remember, I like mine loose fitting) but I also think you would be fine going with your regular size). I wanted a white pair and had originally ordered the Curve Love Mom High Rise in white, but after falling in love with the Mid Rise Boyfriends, I exchanged the white Moms pair for these. Recommend? Yes

American Eagle

AE Curvy Denim Mom Shorts // Price: $49 Wash: Classic Vintage Destroy Size: 4 Overall Thoughts: I was really excited to see that AE also has a curvy collection, giving you that extra room in the legs. This pair does have quite a bit of distressing to them, but they also come in black and another wash with not as much distressing. I again recommend going up one size. There are quite a few curvy pairs to choose from. See them here. Recommend? Yes

Express

Express Super High Waisted Frayed Hem Mom Jean Shorts // Price: $60 Wash: Medium Wash 19 Size: 4 Overall Thoughts: I had high hopes for these! They looked like such a great pair and fit on the website. The stretch and comfort level on these are are amazing. For not being a curvy pair, they actually do give a little more room in the legs. I love the fraying and the inseam length. I do think these are a great pair! Recommend? Yes

Express High Waist Raw Hem Jean Shorts // Price: $54 Wash: Medium Wash 19 Size: 4 Overall Thoughts: These are just a no pair for me. I loved the look of them online but goodness they are exactly what I don't like in a pair of denim shorts. Very tight in the legs and just meh. Definitely not something I want to spend $54 on. If you like the tighter on your legs fit, you may want to give them a try. That's just not how I personally like mine to fit. Recommend? No

Madewell

Madewell Perfect Jean Short // Price: $72 Wash: Balsam Size: 27 Overall Thoughts: If I had to pick any pair from this review that's not a curvy collection style, these would be them! I have found a few Madewell pairs I love in the past, so I wanted to try some out for this roundup. These are a signature Madewell style. Comfort level is amazing, and the fit is great too!! They're not as tight on my legs as some, and they have a nice amount of fraying. Recommend? Yes

Curvy Relaxed Denim Shorts // Price: $72 Wash: Homecrest Wash Size: 25 Overall Thoughts: I was so excited to see Madewell also has a curvy collection. Looking at the reviews, most gave these a great review and has mentioned my same problem with wanting a pair that isn't tight at the legs. BUT These run HUGE!!! As I mentioned, I'm normally a size 26 but like to size up in denim shorts. After seeing the reviews, I decided to order my normal size 26, well I could have fit me and Madeline in that one pair haha! I then re-ordered the 25 (one size down from my regular) and they're still HUGE! I would need definitely a 24, maybe even a 23. So with that being said, you really need to size down one or two sizes from your regular. I love the comfort level, was and how these truly do give you that amazing loose leg fit. However for $72, they need to fit amazingly. If you're down to trying a few sizes to find that perfect fit, then I'd say they really are a great pair.  Recommend? Yes

Target

Wild Fable High Rise Mom Jean Shorts // Price: $15 Wash: Light Wash Size: 4 Overall Thoughts: Again I had high hopes for these when looking at them online. I especially love the price. However the fit is again meh. Tight in the legs, just not what I'm looking for. I definitely recommend sizing up one. Recommend? No

Wild Fable High Rise Frayed Hem Jean Shorts // Price: $15 Wash: Medium Blue Size: 4 Overall Thoughts: These are kind of a joke IMO. If you like to feel like your behind is hanging out, then maybe you'll like these. The cut and style of the frayed/destroyed hem is just so not flattering. They also have a button up fly, which took my forever to fasten. The Madewell Curvy Relaxed Denim Shorts also have that button up fly, but they were nothing compared to these. If you try them, you'll need to size up at least one size. Recommend? No

Wild Fable High Rise Mom Jean Shorts // Price: $15 Wash: Medium Wash Size: 6 Overall Thoughts: Ok y'all I just realized this pair is the same as the first pair but in a different wash. I felt like the sizing was a little better and realized it was because I went up another size in these hoping to have them a little looser in the legs. I this going up one more size helped my overall opinion of these, but I still don't love them. Recommend? No

Walmart

Scoop Retro Boy Shorts // Price: $24 Wash: Countdown & Shell Pink Tie Dye Size: 4 Overall Thoughts: These would most definitely be my favorite, more affordable pair. They're a boy short style and do give a little more looseness in the legs. They have a great stretch and are very comfortable. I did my regular up one size and love the fit. They come in several washes. If you're looking for a great pair under $30, I highly recommend these!  Recommend? Yes

Favorite pairs in order:

My most favorite pair out of all these would be the A&F Curve Love Mid Rise Boyfriend Shorts. Next (even though I need to get a better idea on the sizing), the Madewell Curvy Relaxed Denim Shorts. Third would be the A&F Curve Love 90s High Rise Cutoff Shorts, fourth A&F Curve Love Mom Shorts. fifth, AE Curvy Denim Mom Shorts. Sixth, Scoop Retro Boy Shorts. Seventh, Madewell Perfect Jean Short . Eighth, Express Super High Waisted Frayed Hem Mom Jean Shorts. Ninth, Wild Fable High Rise Mom Jean Shorts, Tenth, Express High Waist Raw Hem Jean Shorts. And Eleventh, Wild Fable High Rise Frayed Hem Jean Shorts. 

I hope y'all found this helpful! Let me know if you have any questions by sending my a DM on IG :)

Thanks for stopping by, y'all!

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Cute New Spring Arrivals For You And/Or Your Mini

 Hi friends! I hope y'alls Tuesday is off to a great start. Yesterday was about the Monday-est Monday ever haha, so I was excited for a fresh start and thankful the sunshine pouring through my window today.

I have a fun roundup for y'all today. I was doing some browsing for a trip we have coming up next week. I had found the cutest dress for myself, which I then realized there was a matching one for Madeline. That then led me to fine a few more super cute, matching/coordinating pieces for us. And then I ended up finding some adorable swimsuits haha. So all of this to say, I have a new twinning/coordinating roundup for y'all today - pieces for yourself and/or you and your mini! 

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 // 13 // 14 // 15 // 16 // 17 // 18 // 19 // 20 // 21 // 22 // 23 // 24 // 25 // 26 // 27 // 28 // 29 // 30 // 31 // 32

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12 // 13 // 14 // 15 // 16

Which is your favorite? Thanks for stopping by, friends!

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Recent Walmart Fashion Finds for Spring

 Hi friends and happy Thursday! It's been a little while since I've shared some Walmart fashion finds. I recently placed an order for some CUTE new spring arrivals. They arrived and are even better than I had hoped they would be. Denim shorts, the CUTEST eyelet flutter sleeve dress (for only $16), a ruffle hem midi dress and more. I love finding cute and affordable finds, and these are just that. I'll share sizing info next to each item. I'll also be sharing a try-on of these pieces over on IG stories :)

Time & Tru Flutter Sleeve Babydoll Dress (Only $16, runs large, size down! Wearing the XS.) // Lace Detail Sneakers

Same dress styled with this belt for another styling

Ruffle Hem Sweatshirt Dress (TTS, wearing the small, comes in several colors) // White Denim Jacket // Sneakers

Ruffle Hem Midi Dress (TTS, Wearing the small, 5'2 for height reference) // Braided Sandals // Belt // Denim Jacket

Flutter Sleeve Midi Dress (TTS, Backless and not lines, so I recommend a slip and sticky bra) // Braided Sandals

Crochet Sleeve Top (Runs large so size down, comes in several colors) // Denim Shorts (TTS, wearing the 4) // Babydoll Style Top (TTS)

Which piece do y'all like best? Thanks so much for stopping by :)

Madeline's Lion King 6th Birthday Party

 I'm so excited to be sharing Madeline's sixth birthday celebration on here today. If you follow me on IG, then you've already seen a lot her party on stories, but I just had to share it on here as well. This was such a special celebration for my sweet, precious girl. It could not have been more perfect for her! She didn't get to have a birthday party last year with everything going on, so I definitely wanted to make it extra special this year. 

The inspiration behind her theme: Madeline has been saying for months that she wanted to have a Lion King birthday party for her sixth birthday. Last May, she saw the original Lion King movie for the first time and has been obsessed ever since! We have watched (both Lion Kings) countless times! When we have a movie night, it's usually her first movie of request. She loves the characters, knows every song by heart and giggles her way through taking about Timon and Pumba. But it doesn't stop with just Lion King. She also absolutely loves lions! She knows about every lion fact. She had perfect her pretty impressive lion roar, which has given her the nickname "MadeLION". And y'all know, she is just crazy about animals! Giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, elephants, lions, you name it!!! When we visit the zoo, these are the ones she's most excited to see with our first stop always being the lions. My girl's love for all animals and her tender heart for all living things truly is so special, so this theme couldn't have been more perfect! 

I hope y'all enjoy this walkthrough of Madeline's party. When she originally told me she wanted a Lion King party, I was thinking of lions, lion king colors orange and yellow, etc. But once I started planning, it hit me that I could incorporate more then just lions. I could include all animals and go to town with animal prints (balloons, tablecloths, treat bags, etc). Adding the prints into even the tiniest of details (note the borders of the food labels), added such a fun touch and texture. I also knew I could throw in one more theme/color palette and that was palm print/ombre green! This also added so much personality! So with the trio of Lion King, animal prints and palm print, it really made for a party filled with SO much personality for my girl with a personality larger than life :) Whether you're planning a "Wild One", "Into the Wild", "Lion King", "Palm Print", "Animal Print", whatever the theme may be party, I hope y'all enjoy this post! I'll include everything from what we wore, the menu, the decorations, activities for the kid and more. Every item and source will be linked at the end of the post. 

The Main Table

I really wanted this table to to be the focal point of the party. I wanted it to include everything: the animal prints, palm print, MadeLION theme, Lion King and more. I figured that since it held the food, it would be the table receiving a lot of attention. I also made sure to place a "Sanitize Your Paws" station at each table, to make sure everyone was mindful of sanitizing before touching things. 

I have always been a big banner fan! For all of her parties, I've always had a personalized banner made for her to add a personal touch to the theme. The ones I've done over the years have been keepsakes for sure, so I love including these. This year, I decided to do a leaf print backdrop and also a balloon arch, incorporating the ombre greens + gold. With having these three, I decided to purchase this banner holder which was a life saver!!! It made connecting all of these so much easier than if I were to tie them to columns, use command hooks, etc. It's a great investment that I wish I'd had for all her past parties.

For the balloon arch, this one was gorgeous!!! It did take some time and effort to put together (it was my first one), but the statement it made was so worth it!! It comes with the long strand to intertwine the balloons, 120 balloons and balloon glue (which was such a lifesaver!!). I didn't realize that these actually hold air for days, so I wish I hadn't waited until the night before to put it together. Also, try to recruit two of so people to help you tackle the job much faster! Use a pump to get the balloons blown up in no time. And when putting it together, remember not to fill all the holes and leave some space! When I tied it to the banner holder the morning of the party, I ended up taking a lot of balloons off to attach it to the banner frame, then using balloon glue to place them back into the arch. I actually purchased two of these arches. There was a door on the opposite side of the party area that I actually cut the second balloon arch just to place a small strip of balloons over that door. And then I used some of the extra balloons from the second balloon arch pack to fill with helium for the balloon bouquets placed throughout decor. It was SO much cheeper just to use the excess balloons from the second arch. At Party City, the standard balloons are .99 each, and in the arch, I got probably 50 or so standard sizes in the pack of 120 ($12 for the entire kit).

 

I also wanted to incorporate animal prints into each table with the leopard print table cloth for this one. I also loved including the grass table skirts (think Timon when he's trying to distract the hyenas). It was a fun touch for sure!   

The Menu

Y'all we had SO much fun creating the menu for the party. My brilliant sister helped me come get creative with it, and prep the food. My friend Kimberlee of The Pretty Party Shop did these ADORABLE and oh-so creative food labels. Fun fact: she's actually done all the labels for all of Madeline's birthday parties. She does all these by hand and goodness the details are amazing! They're such a fun statement and add so much personality to the menu, helping the theme just come to life! Kimberlee is so talented! Amy from Wild Flour Bakery did did Madeline's bake and goodness is she so talented! She hand-painted the sunrise scene on the top tier. On the bottom tier, she did the leopard print and included Simba in leopard print just as it is on Madeline's dress. It all turned out SO CUTE! And as I mentioned, I made sure to have "Sanitize your paw" stations with the food and utensils so none of the food was touched by hand. 

When planning the menu, I always like to have enough options that kids will love (Madeline can be picky!) and adults will enjoy too. Here's what we had:

"I've Got A Lovely Bunch of Coconut Macaroons" (Coconut Macaroons)

"Simba's Sandwiches" (Assortment of ham and pimento cheese sandwishes)

"Zazu's Birdy Boiler Dip" (Queso Dip + Chips)

"Hakuna Matata Tastest Like Chicken Fingers" (Chick-Fil-A Chicken Strips)

"The Mane Attraction Carrots & Hummus" (Carrots + a few peppers mainly for garnishment and hummus to dip them in)

"Slimy Yet Satisfying Pasta Salad" (My sister's special pasta salad recipe)

"Pumba's Pigs in a Blanket" (Pigs in a blanket)

"The Water Hole" (special blue Kool-Aid punch to drink)

The Party Favor Table

For this table, I wanted it to include an assortment of fun crafts, decorations and favors for the kids. I knew I wanted to create a "MadeLION" banner above this table, and using the 16 inch blow up mylar balloons were perfect for creating this. I again incorporated animal print and a grass skirt to this table. Madeline and I had so much fun crafting these "SIX" paper mache letters for them theme. She painted them, we covered them in animal print felt fabric, added touches to turn the "S" into Simba (Mane and all), "I" into Pumba and Timon and "X" into Nala. They turned out so cute!!

To make it extra special for the kids, I included some fun things for them on this table. The "adopt a safari animal" basket where they could pick an animal to take home with them was a hit for sure! Meghan of the The Sugared Moon Cookie Co. created these AMAZING cookies for the kids to take home with them. I mean y'all she thought of everything!! All the characters, the leaf print, the animal print, every. single. thing. I was so blown away by these. And they were delicious as well!

I also got these adorable animal print treat bags for the kids to take their goodies home in. There were some candy surprises tucked inside these as well. 

The Kids Table & Activities for the Kids

For all of Madeline's parties, I always rent a bounce house for the kids to have fun with. It's always a blast! I also love to put some extra thought into the table for them. Madeline loves her friends so much, and she loves having something special for them. I again used an animal print cloth. This assortment of animal print masks made for the perfect touch to add to the back of their chairs, and they could wear them + act out their favorite animal. Madeline also LOVES art! She loves to paint and get creative. These safari animals to paint were so fun to include and made for an exciting activity for the kids to take home with them. If they didn't get a chance to paint at the party, they took them home to paint later.

My dear friend Becky surprised Madeline with oh-so fun coconut cups! So, we added "a lovely bunch of coconuts" for the kids to drink out of. I also found these adorable paw print plates! They're so cool. Each one "tells a story" and is made from fallen palm leaves (so cool right?!). 

I also had SO much fun creating these adorable centerpieces for the party. I put them on the kids table, on the two tables I had set up for adults to sit around and one on the food table as well. I just went out and got some sandbox sand, filled these pedestal vases with it, added a metallic gold safari animal and the palm leaves for a final touch. They turned out SO cute and were so much easier/less expensive to do than using fresh flowers. I also thought I would have to spray paint some safari animals, but I ended up finding this pack of metallic gold animals on Amazon. So easy! The leaves across the table were also part of the same leaf set I used for the centerpieces.

In this photo, y'all can kind of see the details I added to the door I mentioned above (the one I used a portion of the second ballon arch for). This was after the party, so we were hot, sweaty and had been having a blast haha! But I used a "Happy Birthday" 16 inch mylar balloon banner for it, some leaf strands and the portion of the balloon banner, as I mentioned. It definitely made a statement, and turned out so cute!

Overall, it couldn't have been a more perfect day celebrating my special Madeline! She said it was the best day ever. We're so thankful for our friends and family that came out to help us celebrate. I had prayed about the weather because it had been forecasting rain, but God gave us a beautiful day without one drop of rain. It will be a day we never forget, and my heart was just so happy getting to put this together for her. This isn't just planning a party for me. It especially allows me to plan something for her as magical as she sees it through her eyes. I couldn't even being to say magic she has brought into my life, being a single mama and it being just me and her. So getting to give some of that magic back to her means the world to me. I know one day she'll want a "cool teen party" haha so, I'm holding tight to these days I can plan something special for her :) I hope y'all have enjoyed this walkthrough of "MadeLION's Lion King Birthday Celebration." I also have to say to all my mamas out there, once everything is set up for the party, snap all your photos, get some videos and put your phone away when the party begins. You''ll be so happy you did! Ask friends and family to take photos/videos of your little one blowing out candles, opening gifts, whatever! Enjoy the party with them. 

I will link every single thing I mentioned in this post below.  

Madeline's Outfit: Dress // Bow // Shoes

My Outfit: Dress // Headband // Earrings // Similar Sneakers

Banner Holder

Lion King Banner

Leaf Backdrop 

Balloon Arch

Animal Print Tablecloths

Raffia Grass Table Skirts

Plates/Cups/Napkins

Lion Plates

Forks

"Sanitize Your Paws" Sign

Food Labels (Custom Design by The Pretty Party Shop)

Cake (Wild Flour Bakery)

16 Inch Mylar Letters (For MadeLION Balloon Banner)

16 Inch "Happy Birthday" Mylar Banner

"Hakuna Matata" Banner

12 Inch Paper Mache Letters

Adopt a Safari Animals Pack

"Adopt an Animal" Sign

Cookies (The Sugared Moon Cookie Co.)

Animal Print Treat Bags

Animal Print Balloons

Inflatable Animals

Painting Safari Animals Set

Coconut Cups

Palm Print Paper Straws

Paw Print Plates

Animal Masks

Metallic Gold Safari Animals

Palm Leaf Set

Thanks for stopping by! Let me know if y'all have any questions :)

Happy 6th Birthday, Madeline!

 That jump from five to six...goodness it seems so big! Madeline keeps telling me, "I'm going to be this many" (holding up six fingers) "Can you believe it?!" And goodness I can't. People have always told me to cherish every second because it goes by so fast. I always would smile like I understood, but I feel like I'm officially seeing what they mean. 

I can't believe six years ago I hadn't even met her yet. I knew I loved her but goodness I had no idea the love I would have for her that continues to grow each and every day. It's hard to explain the emotions. Not only her growing up but also just the feeling of how far we've come. Just me and her. I remember I would talk to her when she was in my tummy, and having those same conversations over the years seems like such a dream. Being a single mom has taught me so many things, SHE has taught me so many things. To giggle a lot, focus on the little things/little victories, hold tight to Jesus, escape to the world as magical as she sees it. Most of all she's taught me what I need to be not just for myself but also for her. She's taught me to be brave, not to worry what others are saying, to give my reputation to God, to not be afraid to live, to be that example for her. 

All in all, I truly feel like Madeline saved me. What a precious gift she is! God knew what He was doing when He made me her mama. I can't say the journey has been easy, hasn't been scary at times. But you know what? God has proven Himself to be SO faithful to us. Here we are six years later, and His loving hand has been on me and Madeline through it all. As the years have gone on, I've seen Him as an ever present help and developed a relationship with Him that I find so special. And it extends to Madeline. I know that no matter what, no matter what's in store for us, Jesus has us! 

What an absolute blessing it is to be this girl's mama. To watch her grow from my precious baby into a truly beautiful inside and out little girl. I feel like this past year she's gone from not just being my little girl but also into my best friend. I have to remind myself sometimes that I'm not talking to an adult haha. Goodness does this girl have the biggest heart! And it shows through everything she does. More and more everyday I see her dreams of being a marine biologist someday come true. Her love for animals (all living things, really) runs deep and is so sincere. She won't even kill a spider crawling on our bathroom floor haha and instead we have to let it go outside "so it can find it's family" :) Her heart is SO big! She loves to make others smile. She loves to draw, paint and make things for others. Her giggles and smile can light up a room. Her loud personality (and I say that with all seriousness haha) never goes unnoticed. 

Six years later, I still find myself staring at her when she's sleeping at night saying "Thank you Lord for giving her to me! Thank you for making me her mama". She still has those kissable cheeks that I never want to go away. I love getting on her level and getting lost in the magic she sees. Her imagination is HUGE and getting to experience it is just so special. When she grabs my neck and leans up for a kiss, hugs me, grabs my hand, just letting me know she's holding to her mama, I can't help but beam with that feeling all over again of having her placed in my arms for the first time. I never want these days to end! 

This journey of being her mama has been the most precious gift I could ever ask for. I know one day hanging out with her mama may not be the coolest thing, but I pray we will always hold the closeness and special bond we share. I squeeze her tight and never want to let go, because being her mama is truly my favorite part of life. Getting to raise her and teach her of the love of Jesus. What a privilege it is to be her mama! 

You are so precious to me, my Madeline girl! Thank you for making the past six years of my life the biggest blessing I could ever ask for. I love you so much and will forever stand by your side, cheering you on! Always know how much I love you, and most of all, how much Jesus loves you. God has big plan you! I just know it. Happy 6th Birthday, my precious girl.