Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette!
In today's video, we talk about men's shorts, what to wear, what mistakes to avoid, what
styles are out there, and of course, history.
In Europe, men early on wore knee breeches but the shorts, as we know them today, actually
go back to the Military.
Shorts were purely practical and were meant to help soldiers that were heavily packed
in tropical climates to feel cooler.
On the 1800's, school boy uniforms included knickerbockers which were shorter and over
time, it turned into shorts.
In the 1900's in the US, companies started advertising shorter pants as athletic wear
but it would take until 30's until men would actually wear them when playing tennis.
Up until then, men actually wore white flannel trousers, sounds quite uncomfortable right?
It's hard to imagine that men did that.
Once men realized the comfort of shorts, they became really popular.
Today, we're at the point where men oftentimes wear them even though they shouldn't.
Now let's look at the different types of shorts.
First one is the tennis shorts.
They're slightly shorter and cut wider so you can do biggers steps, there are no restrictions.
Originally, they're made of cotton or wool, today they're usually made of Florence fibers.
They're great on the tennis court but not meant to be worn outside.
One of the more popular shorts today are the so-called cargo shorts.
They're defined by additional pockets, oftentimes on the side and they're practical in the sense
that you can carry more, they're extremely unstylish.
While some may argue they're practical in certain situations like camping, they're always
downright ugly and superfluous because you rarely carry anything in them therefore, if
you wear shorts, I urge you not to wear cargo shorts.
Pleated shorts are sometimes considered very outdated, on the other hand, they're actually
quite practical especially if you have bigger thighs or a larger seat and you need more
room.
They look particularly nice in linen because it combines slightly casual character with
a slightly more formal element of the pleats.
If you don't have big thighs, the flat front shorts are the way to go.
They're basically the same cut without any pleats which gives you a slightly trimmer
look and feel.
They're most common in cotton twill fabric and oftentimes worn or paired with polo shirts.
To learn more about Polo shirts, please check out our in-depth guide, here.
Denim shorts were popular in the 1970s and 80's but honestly, they're really outdated
and you should not wear them.
One of the famous, classic shorts are so-called Bermuda shorts.
They're named after Bermuda which was a British overseas territory.
They're basically shorts just end about an inch or 2 and a half centimeters above the
knee, they're cut pretty wide with pleats.
This is a perfect example of a pair of Bermuda shorts.
They're not very flattering if you have very skinny legs because they're very wide.
I personally would only suggest them to men who either like the vintage look of them or
who have very big thighs and like the airy feel.
Traditionally, they came in beige and khaki colors, today, they also come in navy and
all kinds of patterns.
In the Carribean, they're actually oftentimes combined with blazers or part of a shorts
suit which is then paired with over the calf socks.
While that's a very cool look for the natives in the Carribean,it just looks odd outside.
Generally, shorts should not be worn without a neckwear or dress shirts but if you're in
Bermuda and you're wearing one, you can actually combine it in that way.
The next type of style is the so-called board shorts.
They are used for surfing or for swimming or for beach wear but other than that, they're
not really appropriate for anything else.
As you may know, I'm from Germany and many people ask me about Lederhosen which translates
to leather pants that are usually shorts.
Now let me be very clear about this, you will never ever see a German wear these pants.
They're just part of Bavarian culture but Bavaria to Germany is a bit like Texas to
the USA.
So unless you go to the Oktoberfest, don't wear lederhosen and don't ask Germans if they
wear them either.
A classic favorite of mine are the so-called madras shorts or plaid shorts.
Madras is a special fabric from India and you can learn about it more in our guide.
they pair really well with solid Polo shirts and they have that summery feel especially
when you wear it with boat shoes.
In terms of the cut, it's nice to have some elements of classic tailoring such as ticket
pockets, regular pleats, or even side adjusters.
FOr more in-depth analysis, more details and more history, please check out our in-depth
guide on the website about men's summer shorts.
In terms of length, shorts should end always above the knee but the exact length depends
a little bit on your height.
If you're a shorter guy, you should go with an inseam about 6-7 inches.
If you're taller, about 9-10 inches will work better.
When it comes to materials, cotton is definitely a favorite of many men because it's soft and
durable.
Sometimes, it's stretched with polyester but you should avoid that and go for a 100% cotton
especially when your fabric's madras.
Another popular material is linen.
It's airy and has this soft, summer character, look, and crisp feel.
Board shorts or swim trunks should always have some polyester, maybe with a little bit
of cotton but ideally, you want something that dries very quickly so you don't have
to sit in your wet shorts on the beach chair.
When it comes to shorts colors, navy or any shade of blues is very popular.
I also like salmon or pastel colors as well as bold madras patterns in yellow, red, burgundy,
and mottled green.
Since this is a summer garment, don't be afraid to go lighter, just make sure there's enough
contrast with your polo shirt or whatever you would wear.
Now let's talk about shorts do's and dont's.
First of all, pay close attention to fit.
Ideally, if you want a leg that is slightly larger than your thigh, comfortable when you
sit, waist should fit snuggly like a regular pair of pants.
When you go with patterns, go for something classic such as stripes, checks, or dots.
Camo may be in fashion right now, but it won't be in two years from now.
Make sure to wear light colored or even better, skin toned color underwear when you have light
shorts otherwise, your underwear will show through.
Don't ever wear shorts with a dress shirt or a blazer unless you're in Bermuda.
Never wear shorts to your office.
Make sure there are no visible socks you can wear an invisible sock or you can wear boat
shoes barefoot.
If you go with a light pair of shorts, make sure they have no pockets or a pocket lining
that's as close to your skin tone as possible otherwise, it'll show through,
Don't ever wear denim shorts or cargo shorts because they're ugly.
Athletic shorts, bike shorts, board shorts should only be worn for their original purpose
and not for anything else.
Many men wear their shorts with flipflops and that's something you should only wear
when you're on the beach or a designated setting.
most of the time it looks really sloppy and unflattering.
Overall, shorts are great in a casual setting, when it's really hot outside but generally,
a long pair of pants will flatter you much more and make you look a lot more stylish.
Otherwise, a breathable pair of fresco pants or seersucker pants will always trump your
shorts.
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summer outfits and fabrics and how to look stylish.