Well I could do that–on that level you’re right. No one would arrest me. But I could similarly wear a clown suit, or a mime outfit, or in some places maybe even a speedo, and you could say the same thing. But those choices would be absolutely outside the accepted norms of public attire. People would be laughing at me. They’d be talking about me behind my back. Granted, there are bound to be some people–both men and women–who wear skimpy clothing because they want that attention, but I don’t think that’s true of the average person who just wants to be comfortable in a casual setting.
It’s the cultural standard as expressed in fashions that’s repressive.
Maybe so, but it’s hard to imagine. Fashion usually trickles up from the youngest generation, and a lot of young guys these days seem to be so modest they won’t walk from their health club locker to the gym without wearing something.
Oh, there are two reasons for that: Adam Walsh and John Kenneth Galbraith.
Adam Walsh was abducted and murderd in the early 80’s, after which American children were cooped up to grow fat as hostages to the growing industry of electronic amusement.
John Kenneth Galbraith warned years earlier about private wealth vs public squalor. So while budgets were cut for playgrounds and school physical education programs, private incomes rose and enabled every kid to have his or her own bedroom.
They didn’t get the exercise they needed, they didn’t have exposure to other naked kids, and they developed body images based on models shown via electronic amusement.
Is that really what short-shorts are? I always thought they were shorts that ended right below the butt (if they were that long). Shorts were anything longer than short-shorts but above the knee and capris were below the knee but shorter than pants.
This link from shiftless, to me, looks like guys wearing shorts. They look fine. There’s no way I’d describe those as short-shorts.
Is that what it is? I observe it more as fear of being branded gay. I’m not sure baggy sports shorts have too many female fans. I love short shorts, on the right boy.
This is the sort of thing where we have to agree to disagree. Of all the women I see in short shorts, I think it’s a good look on about 90% of them. Being male I suppose I have a different perspective, or maybe my personal aesthetic standards of femoral shapeliness are more generous. As for men, I can’t remember the last time I saw a guy in short shorts, other than running shorts that hit around mid thigh and which we once would have considered quite conservative.
I think you have something there–it’s a factor which I think drives a lot of male fashion conventions. Only I wouldn’t say “branded” as gay, I’d say “mistaken”.
I think it’s more a case of not wanting to be incorrectlly categorized. If you’re an unattached straight guy you could be out and about doing whatever, and you could meet a woman who interests you at any time. If this person might think you’re gay because of what you’re wearing, you could be missing out on something big.
I prefer proper shorts, down to about mid thigh, with 3 pockets. Can’t get them now, closest are rugby shorts, but they only have two front pockets. My normal load out consists of keys, change and snot rag in front right, cell in front left and wallet in right rear. If I try to stuff all this in just the two front pockets, they bulge too much.
One thing I hate about the shorts that come down past the knee is when I’m involved in machinery operation. I’ve hooked myself up twice now when part of the machine or it’s controls has slid between my long shorts and leg. I try to be more alert now, plus that particular tractor with a short PTO lever has been sold.
Anyway, a pix of me in proper shorts. The link is broken however as it contains:
[ol]
[li]a full length photo of me[/li][li]I’m armed[/li][li]I’m holding a blood dripping, freshy dead critter[/li][/ol]
h ttp://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j248/JustInCase_2006/Hunting/?action=view¤t=031-DavidshotaPossum.jpg
I don’t need to show off the fruit bowl, but my calves and knees are far from unattractive, and my thighs are OK too from cycling, running, and swimming.
Second for I hate-hate-hate capri pants on men, and baggy shorts just look ugh.
Hey Justin, this ain’t a scientific symposium, just a pop culture discussion. But since you’re here to fight ignorance (and not just for the thrill of calling people stupid), maybe you’d care to offer something more in the way of an argument besides off-handed dismissal.
[spoiler]I was raised wearing jockeys/briefs, but switched to boxers in my mid/late-30s. Why? Mostly a hygiene decision, because I’m uncircumcised. Briefs, for me, are uncomfortable unless my dick is pointing up, away from my balls. I hated the way my dick and balls would get all scrunched together between my thighs if it pointed down - especially with the tight pants of the '80s. But the “pointing up” thing became a problem when I got old enough that there were always those last couple drops of urine that didn’t want to come out when I took a leak, but would find their way out after I put the wang away. With my pecker pointing up, that urine would end up under my foreskin, leaving me moist and uncomfortable.
Switching to boxers, in combination with the looser pants that came in style in the '90s, allowed my dong to dangle comfortably, and any piss dribble dripped down into the fabric of the boxers where it quickly dried, instead of running back under my foreskin.[/spoiler]
