Zendaya’s Off-the-Runway Party Look Signals an Unexpected Summer Trend

Matthew VelascoThu, May 21, 2026 at 7:57 PM UTC

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Zendaya Trades Denim Cut-Offs for Boxer ShortsTheStewartofNY - Getty Images (TheStewartofNY - Getty Images)

Zendaya wore silk boxer shorts at a Louis Vuitton after-party in New York City.

She changed into the look following the brand’s cruise 2027 runway show.

The actress paired her shorts with a leather coat and plume-gray pumps.

Can “going out” shorts qualify as the new “going out” top? Zendaya sure thinks so.

Last night, the actress made the case for trading denim cutoffs for something flirtier this summer. Stepping out to a Louis Vuitton after-party following the brand’s cruise 2027 show—in a look picked straight from the catwalk, no less—Zendaya leaned into the no-pants-adjacent trend. Inspired by boxing shorts, her bottoms featured a ribbed waist and a stacked buckle detail that created the illusion of two pairs of pants.

Styled by Law Roach, Zendaya elevated the casual item with a textured leather bomber and plume-gray heels.

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A look from the Louis Vuitton cruise 2027 collection.WWD - Getty Images (WWD - Getty Images)

The high-low pairing of boxer shorts and heels might appear at odds with traditional party dressing, but it is fully in line with summer’s embrace of garments that are easy to slip into and out of. And Louis Vuitton women’s artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière’s vision—Ghesquière presented athletic references, including monogram boxing gloves and cleat-inspired high heels, throughout the cruise collection—only further cemented the trend’s staying power for summer.

Zendaya at the Louis Vuitton cruise 2027 after-party.TheStewartofNY - Getty Images (TheStewartofNY - Getty Images)

Zendaya isn’t the only star abandoning Daisy Dukes for elevated short-shorts, though. At Saint Laurent’s spring/summer 2026 show during Paris Fashion Week, both Hailey Bieber and Charli XCX abided by the formula. They wore flouncy, lace-trimmed bloomers paired with color-blocked anorak jackets, sheer tights, and sleek high heels.

While less sporty than Zendaya’s lemon-yellow pair, they still packed a punch, so to speak.

Heels and athletic shorts—basketball, boxer, or otherwise—aren’t entirely novel. The look can be traced as far back as the ’90s, especially when paired with an oversized jacket or sleek evening layers. Heading into summer, though, the celebrity set is making it known that the look still has plenty of after-hours appeal.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”