Is the world still doing the “Don’t wear cargo shorts” thing? I’ve been hearing it for so long, I’d have thought we’d cycle around to cool by now.
I wear cargo shorts 'cause they sell them at Costco and I’m the sort of middle-aged middle-class dad who gets excited by shit at Costco. So it all works out and I can advertise myself honestly.
Pretty much. Not in all settings or climates. In a few conservative countries and cultures, men wear long pants outside the home and assume adults in shorts are tourists or worse. Between Covid, increasing casual wear and warmer climates it has become commonplace.
Many years ago, I worked at a law firm in Fort Lauderdale that took everybody out to eat at Morton’s. It was the summer, when the firm allowed us to wear shorts. I didn’t think to bring a change of clothes, so I wore them to dinner.
My boss was aghast. I never lived it down.
Hell yeah. I don’t wear cargo shorts. I wear shorts that don’t have room for the extra pockets. 7” inseam, at most.
But I did a lot of squats in my 20s, so I can pull it off.
I ride a bike to work most days. I wear cargo shorts over bike shorts. Not only do I wear cargo shorts, when I get to work, I take off my bike shoes, and put on sandals - with black socks.
I really don’t give a damn.
Thank you for wearing cargo shorts over your bike shorts.
I generally haven’t worn cargo shorts since 'Nam. But I generally wear shorts during the day if it’s warm out. Are these looks not appropriate for grown-ass men?
If I’m going out at night, I usually switch to long pants of some kind.
Colorado Mountains here. It’s pretty rare to get over 80f at my elevation. But I wear shorts all summer for sure. Had an in person meeting at work the other day. I wore shorts. Nobody gives a shit what we wear. And that’s exactly how it should be.
I like the Carhart shorts made of the heavy duck material. Work shorts, but not necessarily cargo shorts. They do have a couple of extra pockets though.
I have some stretchy material shorts that I don’t like much but they work.
I’m amazed that people actually think it’s wrong to wear shorts. I could understand not liking the look of cargo shorts (even if I disagree), but none at all? That makes no sense to me.
When it’s 90 degrees out, you wear long pants? Why?
If fashion told you to wear a parka in 90 degree heat, would you do it?
Glad to hear I’m in good company with the wearing of shorts / cargo shorts, not that any other opinion would change me from my shorts-loving ways.
Besides, I think I have the legs to pull it off, even at my age 
From reading this thread, it appears that wearing cargo shorts is a kind of cult.
Because my handcycle is my only transport, I’m in bike shorts or tights (and hi-vis shirt) year round. And a fanny pack. I’m 62, deal.
You can have my shorts when you pry them from my cold, dead legs.
I grew up in Texas, and the Houston high school I went to required guys to wear long pants. I swore that when I grew up, I’d wear shorts whenever I damn well felt like it. Now I live in Canada, and as soon as the temperature gets above forty, I’m wearing my damn shorts.
I don’t really care about the type of shorts. Khaki is a basically neutral color, so it’s what I wear most of the time- and cargo shorts most often come in khaki, so that’s what I wear. I do kind of miss the 70s/80s short shorts, though, 'cause I have fantastic legs, if I do say so myself.
Yes. And even 100+. It’s not so much shorts that make me feel much cooler, but my top. I just like the way I feel in pants better. Plenty of people I’ve seen in deserts and other hot climes at 110+F have no problem getting by with long pants. The only time I may wear shorts (even though it’s been many years) is if I were doing something active like trekking or something like that. Long pants also help me from getting bit up too much by mosquitos where I’m at (mosquitos love me.) The last time I wore shorts I believe I was camping, and I got torn up by the buggers.
I also don’t like the look of cargo shorts – the only time they came in handy for me was in the film days of photography when I worked as a photojournalist and I could stuff all sorts of stuff I need on assignment in them (particularly film, of course, but also a reporter’s notebook, pen, Leatherman tool, etc.), but even then, I would wear cargo pants instead. And that was purely for the utility. And I like the look of my legs, so it ain’t got anything to do with that.
What a weird question.
I live in NYC, when it’s hot out people wear shorts.
I also live in NYC (since 1984) although I’m a native Californian.
I’m 60 years old.
I don’t own a pair of shorts (i do own bathing suits). I don’t wear shorts, stopped wearing them years ago, and don’t think I ever will wear them (except bathing suits at the beach or pool).
But I certainly don’t care or judge what other men wear. Everyone has their own style! Shorts are not mine.
(I admit I did get a little judgy when my 50 -year-old sister-in-law wore tiny cutoff shorts when visiting here in NYC --she lives if Florida wear it’s normal, I guess). But I didn’t say anything and tried not to even think it. It’s not my business if other people want to dress like teenagers!
For the full Florida retiree look, it’s a polo shirt, cargo shorts, knee-length support socks, SANDALS, AND A FANNY PACK. (And good for them!)
I can hear “Miranda Priestly’s” head exploding.
Come to think of it, with the appearance of some older peoples legs, knee length stockings are a public blessing.
True story: back in the late 1960s or early '70s, I went on a tour of the FBI building in DC. As a bourgeois suburban hippy wannabe, I was opposed, but went under family pressure. Standing in the line near us waiting to go in was a man wearing sandals and socks. At the time, that combo was a pervasive stereotype of someone who was trying to look cool (by wearing sandals) but failing massively (by not taking off the socks). It was a particularly common trope for a clueless undercover cop.
So when I saw this guy in line, my first thought was that the FBI was planting special agents (BTW, all FBI agents are “special agents”) in the tourist line to overhear what people were saying about them before they went in. But then I thought, no they couldn’t possibly be so clueless about this well-known trope. Or so paranoid as to spy on tourists.
But I kept an eye on him, and sure enough, as the line moved into the building he went off and started talking with some other special agents, then walked down a hall that was off limits to the public.
Or look here, Bermuda’s official page on Bermuda Shorts:
Bermuda is the only place in the world where they are the national dress for men . Millions of people who have not yet visited Bermuda may think they know of Bermuda Shorts. But only the dress Bermuda shorts - what male Bermudians and professional business newcomers from all walks of life wear for business attire and cocktail parties - are the real Bermuda shorts, worn three inches above the knee . Wear them as a uniform, day day attire, informal evening wear, casual wear, walking out wear.
I’m pretty sure during the parade of nations at the Olympics, the Bermuda team marches in with the men in sport coats and Bermuda shorts.
When it’s 90 degrees out, would you go around in just your underwear, or a bathing suit, or nothing at all? Why not?
Rules of fashion aren’t dictated solely by logic or practicality.
I personally see nothing wrong with wearing shorts (in most non-formal situations), and I think most people feel the same way (nowadays—it would have been different, say, 100 years ago); but I can’t logically defend why some forms of apparel should be considered okay while others should be considered inappropriate or even indecent.
I too am a graduate of the OP brand corduroy ultra-short shorts in my youth. Like 1" fmax rom crotch to bottom of leg short. I wish they’d come back; the modern NBA past-the-knees or even the modern sleeker 2" above the knee Bermudas are crappy looking by comparison IMO.
But yes, when men (and especially older men) start wearing them again, I predict a LOT of barfing pantomime from the younger set.
As to the idea that little boys wear shorts and older boys and men never do, I give you the
My dad was born in 1930. He told tales of hating to wear the damn things and his profound relief when he was IIRC age 12 and allowed to finally have long pants. In Chicago in the winter.
When one of my nephews had his High School graduation party (this goes back maybe 8-10 years now) two of his friends were wearing sandals with knee-length black socks. The socks were official Nike® apparel, with the swoosh prominently at the top of the socks.
They also had ball caps on with completely flat brims (when I was their age it was considered dorky not to break in a ball cap by curving the brim). The ball caps were for some sports team I don’t recall, and they left on the holographic sticker showing it was official apparel of that team.
These kids weren’t dorks (as dorky as they looked to me)- I got the impression that for their demographic and the time period they were extremely stylin’.