Denim Shorts Are Now Red Carpet Approved, Thanks To Marion Cotillard

The beauty of denim shorts is that they’re versatile enough to be dressed up and down. For instance, should you want to give the classic bottoms a casual feel, a white tee and neutral sneakers are no-brainers. Alternatively, how does one spice up the relaxed look? Easy: Take sartorial notes from Marion Cotillard, who rocked denim shorts at the 76th Annual Cannes Film Festival to the premiere of her upcoming film Little Girl Blue. For one of the year’s most sought-after fashion affairs, the French actor stepped out while wearing playful tie-dye bottoms paired with a luxe, and quite unique, pastel-hued cardigan and tank set.

The star’s complete outfit — down to the stark white lace-up booties — was plucked straight from Chanel’s recent Cruise 2023/2024 runway collection. Given that she is one of Chanel’s brand ambassadors, it makes sense she gets first dibs on the latest styles. On the catwalk, a model accessorized the look with pearl necklaces, a vibrant green bag, and toasty leg warmers, but Cotillard ditched all these extra elements IRL. Instead, the 47-year-old actor accessorized her ensemble with just a simple belt, letting her other pieces shine. The whole combination was certainly a nontraditional red carpet look, as many celebrities wore statement dresses at Cannes, but Cotillard flawlessly pulled it off.

If Cotillard’s cardigan look is slightly too preppy for your sartorial taste though, there are plenty of other ways to jazz up your denim shorts this summer. For starters, might we recommend a body-hugging mesh top? You can’t go wrong with a print-heavy style from Ganni or a puff-sleeve blouse from Reformation, for example. One shouldn’t underestimate the power of accessories, either. Throw a pearl necklace and leather handbag into the mix, and your denim shorts look is anything but casual.

Although you can’t purchase Cotillard’s exact look quite yet, you can shop similar tie-dye denim shorts and bright coordinating knits below.