Or maybe Kyla lives in 1912? How are shorts children’s clothes? Should people not wear t-shirts or sneakers, too, because they’re children’s clothes?
Yes. Or a skirt. Of course, I’m a girl, I can get away with it. But sure, I’d wear jeans. I only have one pair of shorts, that I bought to wear at the gym. I’d never dream of wearing them in public.
I just think shorts look stupid. imho, ymmv, all that.
I don’t own shorts. Not even for the gym. Jeans all summer. I wore skirts a lot when I worked in an office.
I generally agree with you, though think that men’s shorts are okay for more casual events like a backyard bbq at your house (and in which case, I think the non capri-length is better, like I’ve said). With that said, there are men’s pants that would be much cooler than jeans in the summer, too. Cotton pants, chinos, linen-blend, etc. But then we run into people who shriek that THOSE ARE DRESSY PANTS just because they aren’t made of denim*.
*I personally find my work pants to be far more comfortable than most of my jeans.
Jeans are worker’s clothes. You look ridiculous wearing them outside of a work setting. And by work of course I mean a factory or other blue collar work.
Based on the first two posts I think the obvious solution is for the OP and Giraffe to switch shorts. Problem solved.
I’m 5’ 10" with a 31" waist and I don’t have trouble finding shorts in whatever length I like. Exotic places such as Target and REI carry all kinds of stuff. Big mail-order houses like LL Bean, Lands’ End and Cabelas have tons. They also have no questions asked return policies so try a few pairs, figure out what you like, send the rest back. You do not have to get overlong, overbaggy, pleated or any other fit you hate.
To whoever mentioned his shorts catching on his bike shifters, try biking shorts which can’t catch on anything and are much more comfortable (given all the sitting and potential chafing) than a pair of baggy cotton trunks. If the tight fit freaks you out get some mountain biking shorts, they’re double shorts with a baggy fit outside and an inner bike short with appropriate padding. REI has them on sale for $40 right now.
Um, okay then, if that’s your opinion.
Those Urban Outfitter shorts were a lot of $60 cut-offs. Why don’t you just cut off the legs of pants you like? You get to pick the length. You’ll be the height of chic.
Or, please, wear a kilt? They make cotton kilts, with pockets and everything. Nothing so cool in hot weather. All the jingly bits get air.
And we women love men in kilts. Be brave!
The trend is for women’s shorts to be longer as well. When I was a teenager, we wore short shorts. Shorts so short that you had better have your personal grooming taken care of, if you know what I mean. Now, it seems, the trend is swinging more toward bermuda-style shorts, which hit just above the knee.
About those Urban Outfitters shorts, these are fine, but these look a little gay dance club.
We had shorter shorts too when I was a teenager and a young man. Only we’re supposed to be ashamed for having worn ours.
Living in L.A. and occasionally having to go into to Westwood, I am certainly not seeing this trend on women in their late teens and twenties. The shorts are as short as ever.
Exactly what the OP is complaining about. We guys can’t wear that length because people like you think it’s gay-dance-club. There’s nothing wrong with that per se, but young, single hetero guys don’t want to be taken as gay because it can be a social hindrance. By “social hindrance” I mean only in the sense that possible girlfriends or relationships might be missed out on because of the assumption that the guy isn’t interested in women.
You’ve obviously never been a man.
A 36-inch waist does not actually mean the pants can be trusted to fit a 36-inch waist.
I wonder if this is less vanity sizing (though I’m sure a bit plays into it) and more what happens when they mass produce clothes. I know that they have gigantic stacks of fabric and then the cutter SHOOMPS down to slice them; but the weight of all the fabric means that the top ones are cut a different shape/size than the bottom ones. They all still get labeled a size 10 (or 34") and are in the same stack at Old Navy or what have you.
You’d think you could just know what size you are in a particular store and be able to get that size. Oh no! One size 10 could fit you like size 10s usually do in that store. Others will fit more like a snug 8 and still others like a loose 12. Such bullshit. I bet that’s part of it.
Also thinking: do you actually wear your pants at your waist? The average American man has a waist of 40" which is pretty damn big for an average. Most guys though seem to top out at buying a 38" and just wear 'em so the waist goes under their big gut. I think I originally had a point with this but I forgot what it was. But I’ll leave it here because it might help others.
I’m always looking for the elusive elastic-waist or drawstring-waist shorts that have zippers.
I hate half disrobe to pee.
For those of you ragging on the longer shorts: one of the target demographics (among several) for these shorts are guys who do physical work for a living.
In recent years, many delivery companies, warehouses and production plants have clamped down on the length of the shorts that folks wear in their employ. 1"-2" max above the knee is pretty common IME. This usually translates to capris for the women and long cargo shorts for the guys, just to be on the safe side. Most of the guys out on our production floor wear them by default.
Several years ago, I actually kept a couple of pair of men’s golf shorts for when I had to spend time out on our (unairconditioned) warehouse floor to do audits in the summer. Ladies’ shorts were invariably too short to meet the dress code and the capris of the time looked like crap…oops…this is the pit…looked like shit on me. 
FTR…I kind of like the longer length on a lot of guys, even though most of the target demographic are young enough to be my sons.
I don’t want to buy any knee length shorts right now. I don’t even wear what i have NOW.
I like denim because it wears well, and for everyday, i want them to be fingetip length.
I think shorts on a man depend on the context. They look good as athletic or casual wear ideally with a T-shirt. It helps to be athletic, to pull off this look. With a polo shirt or anything else even a little bit formal, shorts of any length look dorky and undignified.
If you’re a member of the Rhodesian military, tiny shorts always look good. The shorts in the second link, the one someone else said reminded them of a gay club, are virtually identical to the ones worn by the Selous Scouts. Nobody is going to say that these guys and these guys look like a bunch of pussies.
Toga party!!! 
Isn’t there a thread (but without the dirty words) in another forum with this exact topic?
Anyhow, I’ll say here what I said there. If you are particular about the length of your shorts, just cut off a pair of jeans at whatever length you like. Problem solved. Now all you whiners go about your business.
Trust me, it’s no less ridiculous than yours.
I’d love to see you try to survive a summer in the South. Everybody down here wears shorts.
Yes, but this one was first. So, neener neener neener.
And your ‘solution’ is no solution. Any bum can cut their pants into shorts, but cutoffs fell out of fashion around the same time as parachute pants and mullets. I like to look good in my clothes, not like I’m a ditch digger.
No disrespect to ditch diggers.