Denim shorts have always been difficult for me. I usually have to kiss a lot of frogs to find the denim shorts prince. This spring, I have once again embarked on a quest to find the perfect pair of denim shorts. I’ve had some definite fails, but these 4 are all winners. Here I’ll give some details about each pair and (gasp) pick a winner. Let the denim games begin!

Okay first up is the Agolde Parker long short. I’ve seen these get a lot of hype on the internet for a year or so now and for good reason. Made of 100% cotton, with a 11 inch rise and a 4 inch inseam these are everything all the bloggers you love said they are. The “long but not too long” inseam is perfect and I love that they are lightly distressed. I’m in a 30 and they fit perfectly. I can be anywhere from a 28 to a 30 in denim, so I would say go with your larger size in these.

Next up is the relaxed fit, mid-length denim shorts from Madewell. These have grown on me quite a lot over the past few weeks. Initially I gave these an 8/10 but after wearing them for a bit I really like them, and I think these might be my favorite of the bunch. These are 100% cotton, with a 5 inch inseam and 10 3/4 inch front rise. I’m in a 28 in these and that is true to size for me at Madewell. I think, depending on how you want these to fit you could do your larger or smaller size, either would work. I have a feeling I’ll be wearing these all summer.

Next are the Abercrombie 4 inch mom shorts. These have been on my radar for a few summers but I’ve been skeptical of them, I think mainly because I think of Abercrombie as being a store for kids. I was pleasantly surprised by these but I will say they tend to sell out quickly and come back in stock all the sudden, so you have to keep an eye on them. They are 99% cotton and 1% elastane so they have a little more stretch than most. I’m in a 30 in these and I would say get your larger size.

Last but not least are this pair from Old Navy. These are 100% cotton, so no stretch but they are definitely the most relaxed fitting of the bunch. These are a 5 inch inseam and I like the extra coverage they offer. I’m in a 10 and I would say they fit true to size.

I know shopping for shorts can be frustrating so I hope this helps give you some insight when you’re on the hunt this summer. Do you have a go-to pair of denim shorts? Have you tried any of these? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!