Get Shorty With Style

It’s getting hot out there, which means several things. One: you are probably spending more on bottled water. Two: You are probably using more deodorant. Or so we hope. Three: You’re probably seeing a lot of skin, which brings us to the next point. You are probably wondering how much skin to show yourself. You see girls running around in tank tops and short shorts. You see some guys running around in tank tops and short shorts. But if you’re like most guys, you may be a bit hesitant to show a little leg, even if it’s ninety degrees out.

Let me preface this by saying that I am generally not particularly keen on men’s shorts. This is not because I think that girls have nicer legs than men. I’m sure you’ve seen some of the cellulite jobs running around in Daisy Dukes. It’s because so many guys wear poorly fitted shorts.

I see many men wear shorts which could hardly be considered short, so much as shorter than pants. Mid-calf length lower body apparel is for the kind of man that can’t make his mind up about what to wear. Be decisive!

Besides the fact that ambiguous shorts are, well, ambiguous, they make legs look stumpy. And needless to say, stumpy isn’t an adjective that you necessarily want associated with any of your bodily extremities.

Obviously too short shorts aren’t all that flattering either, not to mention a bit claustrophobic for your manhood. A good rule to go by when selecting shorts is to mark one hand’s width from above and below your knee. If the shorts fall in between these two lines, you should be within the realm of proper length.

Another important consideration? Material. I can’t explain why, I can’t rationalize or provide sound logical reasoning, but denim shorts should not be worn. They are cheesy. I don’t care the wash. I don’t care if they once belonged to Burt Reynolds. Just don’t wear them.

Stick with khaki, linen, or cotton. These are classic and should look good with a crisp white button up, polo, or T-shirt.

Last but not least, pay attention to your footwear. You can’t just put any old things on your feet. While normally I’m a huge fan of boots, I can’t condone the shorts with boots combination. If it’s hot enough to be wearing shorts, it’s too hot to be wearing boots. Stick to sandals, low-top sneakers, or canvas slip-ons.

So slap on some proper shorts, a T-shirt, some summery shoes, and get ready for a pleasant breeze around your calves.