Growing up in southern California denim was a way of life…and for summer-weather god help you if you didn’t own a pair of Levi’s cutoffs (it was practically the law!).

To this day, whenever I’m going on a beach holiday I always pack a pair of denim shorts in my suitcase.  They’re great to throw on over a bathing suit (I especially love the way they look over a one-piece–super sexy without trying too hard), and they’re also nice to slip into after you come in from the beach—when you’re just hanging out in your room relaxing, heading to the terrace for a cocktail, or strolling into town for an ice cream cone.  Pair them with a t-shirt, sandals and a straw tote, and voila! you’ve got that ‘cool girl look’ locked down!  My favorites are still classic Levi’s (some things, thankfully, never go out of style) and the brand Re/Done does an incredible job of of hunting down the most perfect pairs.  You can find them here, here and here. They sell out in  flash (trust me, I learned the hard way) so snap them up while you can.