While browsing through Lane Bryant yesterday, pulling out pairs of cropped pants, capris, gauchos, and bermudas ,I realized that I could not tell the difference between the various styles that were loaded onto my arms. Sure, I could see that some were denim, some were twill and others were cotton. They were all longer than shorts and shorter than pants. But really, what was the difference?

Showing great self-restraint, I put every pair back and walked out of the store, determined to understand what was what before making a purchase. After doing some very unscientific research on www.lanebryant.com, which included randomly clicking on a few pairs of pants shown in each category, here is what I have come up with:

Bermuda shorts - with an inseam ranging between 13-15", bermudas feature a straight cut that skims over the hips and thighs. Once called "walking shorts", they look really modern when worn with heels and 3" espadrilles. I can't imagine any Bombshell would do a lot of walking in them.

Capris - featuring an inseam that ranges between 21-22", the capri pants are a short version of skinny jeans. They cling to every curve and cut off a little below the knee.

Crops - a sister to the bermuda shorts, the crops also feature a straight cut. The difference is in the inseam. Crops are a bit longer than the bermudas, with inseams ranging 23-25".

Gauchos - a personal favorite, gauchos are wide-legged and breezy. The inseam on Lane Bryant's gauchos ranges between 19-21". It should be noted that, while gauchos were a huge trend last year, they are a little harder to find this year. LB carries only 2 pairs online.