# Sexier: pleated pants or cargo shorts? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 20, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexier-pleated-pants-or-cargo-shorts/782628 "2017-03-20T17:48:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexier-pleated-pants-or-cargo-shorts/782628/1 "2017-03-20T17:48:18Z")
What kind of lower body covering do you think looks sexiest on a man? Navy or khaki pleated pants? Olive green cargo shorts? Stone washed skinny jeans? Something else? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexier-pleated-pants-or-cargo-shorts/782628/2 "2017-03-20T20:41:30Z")
Jolene ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexier-pleated-pants-or-cargo-shorts/782628/3 "2017-03-20T21:25:34Z")
Cargo shorts. I love the Average Dad look. ---
**Author:** ![Tee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@Tee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tee)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexier-pleated-pants-or-cargo-shorts/782628/4 "2017-03-20T22:10:38Z")
Nothing against cargo shorts, but if you’re viewing the backside there’s no contest, khakis are better. Specifically plain-front, cargo-length khaki shorts, without little critters embroidered on them, because sometimes they have little critters all over them for reasons I don’t understand. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexier-pleated-pants-or-cargo-shorts/782628/5 "2017-03-21T00:20:06Z")
Not pleated pants for any reason. Those add such a poor to the front that don’t think I’ve ever seen a man or a woman who looks good in them. Or even acceptable in them. They add about ten pounds to most women, and I guess the same to most men. I think flat front khakis look better than cargo pants, and depending on the fit, some jeans look better than the khakis. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexier-pleated-pants-or-cargo-shorts/782628/6 "2017-03-21T00:50:26Z")
Pleats are not sexy. They’re especially not sexy on men. They evoke the image of the vain, futile attempt of an aging lawyer to hide a few extra pounds. Jeans vs. cargo shorts, well, it depends on the jeans. Skinny jeans look stupid on many men so cargo shorts would win in that case, but “normal” jeans often beat cargo shorts. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexier-pleated-pants-or-cargo-shorts/782628/7 "2017-03-21T00:53:41Z")
Jeans, yes. Skinny jeans, NO! ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sexier-pleated-pants-or-cargo-shorts/782628/8 "2017-03-21T03:16:01Z")
Skinny jean=RUN AWAY; Cargo shorts=GAG; Jeans=meh; Khakis=HUBBA HUBBA.