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How do you style shorts?

jaaz16

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I find it works in temps between 65 and 75. That's much of the Bay Area during this time of year.

Incidentally, I've loved that photo from I believe Joyce (RIP) ever since you first posted it in a DWW post a while back and I finally have the right items to more or less recreate it....but rarely is the weather in the midwest conducive. The one exception was last week when it was a perfect 73-75 one evening, and all I could think about was how this is what it must feel like every day in the Bay.
 

neminat

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my favorite is shorts that end at mid thigh (less than 9 inches but more than 5) with a long sleeve linen button up and loafers.
 

maxalex

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I realize I am swimming against a spring tide, but shorts are for the shore. There is no place on Earth hot enough to justify adult men wearing boys’ clothing on a city street—and I’ve lived in cities near the equator.

When by the sea, pretty much any shorts are fine with me except for cargo shorts which merit their own chapter in the Book of Douchebags.

Shirt always untucked. Closed-toe shoes. Nobody wants to see your toes. Ever. Rant concluded.
 

rjc149

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I realize I am swimming against a spring tide, but shorts are for the shore. There is no place on Earth hot enough to justify adult men wearing boys’ clothing on a city street—and I’ve lived in cities near the equator.
A school of thought from a bygone era, stubbornly clung to by individuals who define themselves by rigid adherence to dogma, sartorial and otherwise.

A grown man may wear shorts in hot weather, in the hours before 6PM, so long as his legs are not unsightly. As for the oft-touted "alternative," linen drawstring pants are appropriate for men who speak in yoga babble, wear man-buns and have political convictions against the use of deodorant. Not men who wish to be taken seriously by society -- a society in which shorts are the de facto summer dress code for men of all ages.

Shirt always untucked. Closed-toe shoes. Nobody wants to see your toes. Ever. Rant concluded.
Concurred.
 

Phileas Fogg

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As for the oft-touted "alternative," linen drawstring pants are appropriate for men who speak in yoga babble, wear man-buns and have political convictions against the use of deodorant.

….and who keep saying they’re going to join a Parkour gym.
 

maxalex

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school of thought from a bygone era, stubbornly clung to by individuals who define themselves by rigid adherence to dogma, sartorial and otherwise.
Absolutely a bygone school of thought, and sadly so. But it’s not “dogma” in the sense of a belief adhered to uncritically (e.g. the Pope is infallible). Rather it is rooted in the quantifiable observation that men in shorts look unserious. It’s fine to look unserious at the beach, but don’t you want to look like you’re a man of significance in town?

The sad answer today is, maybe not. In recent years, many men have simply stopped giving a **** about their personal appearance, falling back on the deeply mistaken belief (dogma?) that “clothes don’t make the man” or “I am who I am.”

Memo to men: What you wear matters. And women notice.

Yes, men these days feel free to wear shorts everywhere, even here in Rome and even in churches. We can mourn this lack of self-respect, or take consolation in the fact that those of us who still insist on trousers will look all the better by comparison.
 

rjc149

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Absolutely a bygone school of thought, and sadly so. But it’s not “dogma” in the sense of a belief adhered to uncritically (e.g. the Pope is infallible). Rather it is rooted in the quantifiable observation that men in shorts look unserious. It’s fine to look unserious at the beach, but don’t you want to look like you’re a man of significance in town?

The sad answer today is, maybe not. In recent years, many men have simply stopped giving a **** about their personal appearance, falling back on the deeply mistaken belief (dogma?) that “clothes don’t make the man” or “I am who I am.”

Memo to men: What you wear matters. And women notice.

Yes, men these days feel free to wear shorts everywhere, even here in Rome and even in churches. We can mourn this lack of self-respect, or take consolation in the fact that those of us who still insist on trousers will look all the better by comparison.
I agree, these days shorts are worn too freely and too often inappropriately. In church, in dining establishments, for evening occasions, etc.

But there are appropriate times and places for shorts. Near a body of water, as you've mentioned, but also in any setting intended for casual summer relaxation.

A quantifiable observation could also be made that in a setting where it's 90 degrees out and everyone of every age is wearing shorts at a weekend daytime event, the individual wearing long pants is stodgy and even out-of-touch by lacking the appropriate wardrobe.
 

Phileas Fogg

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If it’s summer and I’m going out to run errands or some other “unserious” pursuit, then I’ll wear shorts.

If we’re going out at night for dinner or some other event during the day or night, then cotton slacks or tropical wool.
 

dieworkwear

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It’s fine to look unserious at the beach, but don’t you want to look like you’re a man of significance in town?

I think only "unserious men" go about life trying to look like a "man of significance in town." If you're a man of significance, then you're a man of significance. Otherwise, live a life that's authentic to you.
 
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maxalex

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I think only "unserious men" go about life trying to look like a "man of significance in town." If you're a man of significance, then you're a man of significance. Otherwise, live a life that's authentic to you.
Authenticity, the word, once carried (authentic?) meaning but has since become a self-help buzzword for anything goes as long as it “feels right” to you. But the truth is that in dress and life, anything doesn’t go.

Most women still put a lot of thought into how they dress—with the added chore of having to manage makeup. When a man throws on a pair of shorts for a date at a city restaurant, he is not being serious—that is to say, he is not taking himself seriously and will look insignificant next to people who care about how they present themselves—not least his date for the evening, if she evens agrees to more than a drink.

In days past, society had built-in babysitters for man-children in the form of dress codes, but now we’re on our own. I don’t miss stodgy dress rules and I welcome all sorts of norm-breaking outfits, including (sometimes) sneakers with tailored clothing and even men who wear dresses. (Because they’re actually thinking about what to put on.) But outside of very informal daytime activities I will always wear big-boy pants around town, even in summer. It’s more work, putting on a pair of trousers. But most worthwhile endeavors take work, and thought.
 

dieworkwear

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Authenticity, the word, once carried (authentic?) meaning but has since become a self-help buzzword for anything goes as long as it “feels right” to you. But the truth is that in dress and life, anything doesn’t go.

Most women still put a lot of thought into how they dress—with the added chore of having to manage makeup. When a man throws on a pair of shorts for a date at a city restaurant, he is not being serious—that is to say, he is not taking himself seriously and will look insignificant next to people who care about how they present themselves—not least his date for the evening, if she evens agrees to more than a drink.

In days past, society had built-in babysitters for man-children in the form of dress codes, but now we’re on our own. I don’t miss stodgy dress rules and I welcome all sorts of norm-breaking outfits, including (sometimes) sneakers with tailored clothing and even men who wear dresses. (Because they’re actually thinking about what to put on.) But outside of very informal daytime activities I will always wear big-boy pants around town, even in summer. It’s more work, putting on a pair of trousers. But most worthwhile endeavors take work, and thought.

I don't know what kind of women you hang out with, but the ones around me seem fine with shorts. But I don't presume to speak for all women all over the globe.

That said, as long as I'm not wearing something offensive, I don't dress for other people. I dress for my own enjoyment. I respect myself just fine. My self-respect comes from my values, education, behavior, achievements, etc. They don't come from how much fabric I have below my knees. I also don't base my view of my own maturity around whether I'm wearing pants or shorts. My maturity is based on how I treat other people.

If these things are important to you, then I think that's fine. You do you. I've never judged a person's maturity based on something as silly as leg coverings.
 

maxalex

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I don't know what kind of women you hang out with, but the ones around me seem fine with shorts. But I don't presume to speak for all women all over the globe.

That said, as long as I'm not wearing something offensive, I don't dress for other people. I dress for my own enjoyment. I respect myself just fine. My self-respect comes from my values, education, behavior, achievements, etc. They don't come from how much fabric I have below my knees. I also don't base my view of my own maturity around whether I'm wearing pants or shorts. My maturity is based on how I treat other people.

If these things are important to you, then I think that's fine. You do you. I've never judged a person's maturity based on something as silly as leg coverings.

Not to go down a rabbit hole but I don’t believe it when you say you don’t dress for other people. Who hasn’t stood before a mirror and wondered “Does this look cool on me?” That question presumes an interest in how others perceive us. It’s the main reason forums like this exist.

Certainly all the personal qualities you list are more important than clothing, and they probably have their own online forums.
 

dieworkwear

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Not to go down a rabbit hole but I don’t believe it when you say you don’t dress for other people. Who hasn’t stood before a mirror and wondered “Does this look cool on me?” That question presumes an interest in how others perceive us. It’s the main reason forums like this exist.

Certainly all the personal qualities you list are more important than clothing, and they probably have their own online forums.

I think it's true that we often dress for other people, but that doesn't mean we necessarily dress in ways to appeal to them. Dressing is a social act, but it can be about communicating identity, values, or aspirations. Women have been known to dress in ways that are intentionally unappealing (e.g. Rei Kawakubos's work at Comme de Garcon has been described as disfiguring). The same is true of men -- some clothes are intentionally "ugly."

My casualwear wardrobe consists of brands such as Kapital, Engineered Garments, and Monitaly. These brands make off-beat workwear clothes. If they were posted on the CM side of the forum, they'd engender all the typical and predictable comments. "Looks like a collection from Derelict," yada yada yada. I'm well aware that most people in my neighborhood probably think the same.

My tailored wardrobe consists of trady, drape cut suits and sport coats. Most people probably think these clothes make me look like an old man. If I were to wear tailored clothing to appeal to other people, I'd probably buy a bunch of slim-fit suits, fun socks, tan shoes, and tie bars.

I wouldn't wear something offensive in public, but I'm fine with my taste being out of sync with the majority of people in my physical space. I'm also fine with wearing things some people find unflattering or unappealing.
 
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rjc149

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When a man throws on a pair of shorts for a date at a city restaurant, he is not being serious—that is to say, he is not taking himself seriously and will look insignificant next to people who care about how they present themselves
It seems that you're taking specific instances where shorts are too casual (ie. dining establishments in the evening), and using those instances to support a general prohibition on shorts.

The boundary between what's presentable and what's practical is always subjective, and a happy medium now occupies a larger gray area than in past eras (even if you personally dislike it)-- unless one is out and about on a Saturday in July in NYC, when it's 90 degrees out, with 90% humidity, and it's literally 130 degrees on subway platforms. If that boundary lies outside of that happy medium, then it becomes quite safe to cross. I imagine dignified, self-respecting, well-dressed men who live in places like DC or Florida agree. Adhering to antiquated sartorial dogma is not worth the discomfort, and society at large no longer demands it.

A good example is how I believe large, bulky winter parkas like Canada Goose etc. are gaudy and frumpy -- but when it's 15 degrees out, I fault no one for wearing them, least of all myself.

But outside of very informal daytime activities I will always wear big-boy pants around town, even in summer. It’s more work, putting on a pair of trousers. But most worthwhile endeavors take work, and thought.
Then I suppose "informal daytime activities" is the subjective aspect of this conversation.
 

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