[Thoughts] How Short is Too Short?

Hello readers! In today's post, I'd like to start a fashion-related discussion. As the summer approaches, and it gets unbelievably hot here in Atlanta, I start looking towards summer fashion. I am a fan of the jean short, and after seeing both Gwenyth Paltrow

In Avengers - sorry the pic is bad, it was the only one I could find

and Teresa Giudice

RHONJ - again, best pic I could find

wear them recently, it got me thinking: how short is too short for an adult woman? Is it different if she has kids?

I turned 30 last summer, and now that a family is in the foreseeable future, I've started to think about the impact that will have on my wardrobe. Frankly, I think both of the above women look fabulous in their shorts - but I still question the appropriateness for those of us who aren't in the public eye. Many might excuse the above ladies because celebrities seem to be able to live by a different set of rules than the rest of us.

As a college gal, I was fit and confident with my body. I could wear short shorts and occasionally lower-cut tops and feel like it was fine, in the right setting. Somewhere along the way, things got bigger and I became super conscious of the neckline cut on every top I own. Mostly because lowcut now makes me uncomfortable. Lowcut tops don't look good on my body any more.

However, short length is another story. I haven't gained an inch on my hips, thighs, or any other part of my lower body. All my weight gain since college is in my middle or higher. I personally consider my legs to be my favorite physical asset, and I'm proud of them. I'm a runner and these legs have taken me a lot of miles in a lot of races and they look like it in a good way. While I've had to adjust the size of the waist on the bottoms I buy (muffin top is not allowed!), I like the way my legs look in almost anything. This makes the line a little blurrier because I still feel confident in shorter shorts. But I am also aware that at 30 years old, short shorts are not necessarily the most appropriate.

I do feel that a mid-thigh length short cuts my long legs in a way that is not the most flattering, so I do try to avoid that length, but that only seems to leave me with the option of short or bermuda length.

What are your feelings on short shorts and age? Short shorts come in many different inseam lengths - 2", 3", 5" - is the line somewhere inbetween? Is there a "too old"? Is it different if you're a mother?