step into spring in a versatile shorts suit

Without wishing to jinx things, it looks like spring has finally sprung, so turn your thoughts to warm-weather dressing. The shorts suit is riding high on the season’s trend list, designers from The Row to Givenchy and Max Mara are backing them as office wear for men and women alike. The added bonus of a shorts suit is that it forms the basis of a mix-and-match modular wardrobe. You can pair the suit blazer with a denim skirt, style up with a blouse or down with a vest. Keep the shorts smart by wearing with the matching jacket or style separately with a knit or blouse.

While silhouette options are varied, neat and fitted with mid-thigh-length shorts is perfect for a summer wedding. Zara’s nod to Chanel in textured check (5, below) looks super chic and Marks & Spencer’s tweed high-waist suit is ideal for a city break. Bermuda shorts that hit just above or on the knee, teamed with a boyfriend-style jacket, feel more office-appropriate. Sandro has a great blush tone (2, below) while Cos’s emerald version (8, below) has a generous inside leg. Both would double as wedding-guest looks styled up with a silk vest and block heels. For a modern twist, choose a waistcoat set. All Saints’ version in brown looks stylish with simple flat leather sandals, see Gigi Hadid (left) wearing a trio set by Brandon Maxwell for another monotone styling tip. If bold colour is your thing, there are plenty of options from M&S’s vibrant green (1, below) to Warehouse’s mango shorts (6, below), which go up to a size 24, and Me + Em’s hot pink tweed pair (10, below). Finally, don’t forget failsafe black: the AllSaints combo (3, below) is a winner.