How To Wear Shorts For Men

Who wears short shorts? You wear short shorts.

How To Wear Shorts

There is a God. All those winter mornings you forced yourself out of bed and off to the gym despite the horrendous chill are finally paying off. Your quads have been trained to perfection, and now it’s time to reward them for their hard work with a brand-new pair of stylish shorts. One problem: how do you wear shorts?

More than just pulling them up around your legs, there’s an art to picking the right ones to accentuate your pins and personal style in the right way. There will be those who doubt the sartorial sophistication of shorts, but to them we say leg it.

It’s really not difficult. Just remember the Goldilocks rule: not too long (they’re not capri pants), not too short (Stereosonic came and went, bro), just right.

Ok, so you probably still have a lot of questions like:

  • How baggy is too baggy?
  • How many pockets can I rock?
  • What should I wear on top?
  • To sock or not to sock?
  • Are cargo shorts still in? (Hint: they were never in.)
  • Are cut-off jorts ok? (Did you really need to ask?)

Instead of writing a dissertation on the subject, we’re going to let you see for yourself as we explain to you the different types of shorts men can wear and how to pull it off via a gallery of guys rocking cool shorts.

Linen Shorts

Shorts don’t have to fall between either gym shorts, boardies or cotton. Another variation of the short perfect for warmer weather is the linen short. The material is synonymous with summer suiting as it’s highly breathable, light and presents a great texture. It’s no surprise then that the linen short has grown beyond its suiting confinements to populate more common menswear staple pieces like bomber jackets, casual shirts and of course, shorts. Guys like Venroy in Sydney currently make linen shorts.

Bermuda Shorts

Bermuda shorts are known as walk shorts or dress shorts which are considered semi-casual. They most commonly come in cotton with a variety of prints and tones but can also be found in denim variations. The hem, which is the bottom leg hole, can be cuffed or un-cuffed and usually sits about 1-inch or 2.5cm above the knee. You’ll also often find them paired with suits during the warmer seasons.

Swim Shorts

We’re not talking about classic board shorts here. The modern swim short is much more refined and fitted closer to the legs. The result isn’t tight but tailored with the added benefit of functionality – think flexibility, quick-dry traits and great colours and patterns. The right swim shorts also means they can also double as a casual lunch item. Labels like Orlebar Brown make great examples.

Long Shorts

Long shorts are made for the super casual days. Whilst in the past they were made popular by skater kids, these days the long short is a bit more refined and sophisticated thanks to the introduction of premium fabrics. As such, you’ll often find them both at your local skate park and at fashion shows in vastly contrasting forms. The silhouette is there but the finish is completely different. Long shorts need to extend past the knees to be considered long shorts.

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