An ode to lil’ yellow Baserange shorts
How one article of clothing inspires infinite style explorations
Hello hello, all!
Cami here — welcome to my very first column for Picnic. As assistant editor and recurring columnist, I am thrilled to share my musings on all things style, creativity, community, and self-expression.
To me, summer is all about the legs. Whatever I’m wearing, the shorter the better.
For months, I’ve been on the hunt for a pair of easy-breezy short-shorts to take me through the season. As someone who tends to prioritize comfort over everything else, I knew my ideal shorts needed to be easy-on, easy-off, just flowy enough, and definitely not tight around the waist. Something cute and light in color. Bonus points for day-to-night versatility.
Next thing I know, I’m merchandising the Baserange Dydine Shorts in Sophia Yellow on the rack at Jake and Jones. There they were, looking at me looking at them. I slept on it and snagged ‘em a couple days later.
And so, the leggy summer has commenced.
My first inclination was to pair the shorts with a white tee, lightweight sweater, socks, and sneakers. I was working at the shop that day, so I wanted to look cute but also needed to be comfortable for hours on my feet — and prepared for chillier weather at the end of my shift.
I love pops of color — the shorts, the red on the sneakers — but usually like to balance it out with neutrals (the black sweater, the white tee and socks). The outfit is classic normcore, but the subtle sheen and slightly flared hem of the shorts add movement and playfulness to the ‘fit, which keeps it feeling fresh and a bit more personal.
The sneakers (Nike Cortezes I got pre-owned on Depop) bring a boyish touch to this combo, something I’ve always gravitated toward in my looks. Sandals would have worked, sure, but I tend to need a bit more edge. The boldness of the red Nike swoosh perfectly contrasts the yellow and black up top, while the white crew socks add a sporty, childlike quality that ties it all together.
A note on quality: Sometimes you can get by with any old thing, but oftentimes quality makes a felt difference. A nicer sweater, like this cashmere one by Alex Mill, would elevate the look a bit, giving it a more solid structure than the flimsy, five-year-old Urban Outfitters piece I’m pictured in.
This next look was built around a birthday / going-away pool party for a dear friend jetting off to Europe. Here, the shorts glimmer a little brighter as the main event, the sole pop of color in the outfit.
Given that this was an evening pool party, I was aiming for sultry, yet simple. Clogs, in my experience, are excellent for nailing such a vibe.
The ones I’m wearing are Swedish Hasbeens (currently having a 60-70% off outlet sale!). I copped them on Depop years ago and they’re one of my best pre-owned purchases to date. They’re comfy and easy, and give a little lift and slight tone to the thighs and hamstrings, highlighted even more by the shorts’ flared hem.
The crochet Uni top is a handmade piece created sustainably by swimwear brand Akoia, based in Bali. It’s thick but not heavy, and still permits airflow, making it a perfect light layer for summer sunset gatherings (there’s also a menswear version I adore). I wore a Tropic of C bikini (my go-to) underneath, and a Lack of Color woven hat up top, which I purchased secondhand from my friend Elysia at La Segunda Estudio. The whole look strikes a balance of effortless with a touch of edge and whimsy — just how I like it.
Unexpectedly, these little yellow shorts allowed for a new style exploration of a gorgeous Garbagecore top I got months ago at Maimoun’s Los Angeles store (now closed, but still online).
I’m big on intuition, and try to only purchase items that excite me. That said, I was beginning to question the foolproofness of this method every time I saw the top hanging unworn in my closet. The shorts urged me to see my wardrobe with fresh eyes, ahead of a weeknight family dinner at Loquita.
This look allowed the top to finally shine for all that it is — an artful, romantic piece — without bogging down its artisanal elements. I wondered if the yellow would be too daytime-coded, but the pale, muted tone against the eggplant-purple blouse really gives evening wear. Paired again with the clogs, the shorts had me feeling dressed up, but not over the top (and not out of character, either).
Bag-wise, sporting a dark purse to ground the outfit in the twilight of it all was the way to go. A woven bag or one lighter in color would be too out of context. The bag I’m wearing is a soft, black, faux leather one from Poppy Lissiman, also purchased on Depop.
One final style note: Your “best” looks are those that allow you to feel your best, whatever that means to you. On a deeper level, my yearning for a leggy summer is also a yearning for my childhood summers.
With a simple, but beautiful, pair of shorts, I’m transported back to bare legs and bare feet in the backyard, liberated and caramel-colored by the Texas sun.
A little more about me:
My whole career has revolved around writing — first as a daily news journalist in San Antonio, TX (where I’m from), then as a Latin American studies academic (I’m Tejana), and now as a freelance writer and full-time brand copywriter. These days I’m enjoying new creative projects, whether at the intersection of writing or completely unrelated to it.
Personal style and fashion have piqued my interest from a young age. I started working the retail floor at Jake and Jones almost a year ago to connect more deeply with my own sense of style, find inspiration in others, and learn more about the global world of fashion, art, and creativity. I wanted exposure to the language, context, and history of it all — and to be around people also intrigued and inspired by style as self-expression, as art.
As I said before, I’m big on intuition and love tugging on strings of inspiration that seem to appear out of thin air; doing so has helped me unravel some of my favorite creative, intellectual, and spiritual pursuits (including moving to Santa Barbara four years ago!).
Bite-Size Advice
“Serious question - how does one keep nice things with a toddler? 😆 this is my biggest issue with investing in a better wardrobe at the moment.” -Karina Ballantyne
Ah yes, the toddlers / clothes dichotomy. I empathize! It’s genuinely hard to invest in nice clothes when you know your kid will inevitably rub strawberry juice / yogurt / peanut butter all over you at some point during the day.
At the same time, clothes are meant to be worn. I personally don’t want to save my beautiful things for the age when my kid stops being messy. I’ll also admit that I wear my clothes pretty hard — I don’t shy away from white, and I don’t push my daughter away when she runs toward me with dirt on her hands, wanting a hug. As a result, I wash and dry clean my clothes a lot more than I should, in terms of preserving the lifespan of said objects. I also carry a Tide pen wherever I go :) If you don’t consider yourself a “fashion” person, I get not wanting to invest in your wardrobe at a moment of peak chaos and mess. But if you’re fashion-curious, I say go for it. Rip the plastic off the couch. Eat both marshmallows today. Life is too short to save the good stuff for later.
-Zoë
Let’s chat
Have a style question you want us to answer next week? A thought sparked by this week’s column? Feedback about what you want to read next? Email zoe@jakeandjones.com.
Couldn't be cuter! I absolutely love these looks!
Love!!!!