Sunday, March 11, 2018

Shorts (2018 Update)

Maine Coast, Mid 1980s - Photos by Salt Water New England
Approaches to shorts, including when to wear them (or if at all), and with what, vary widely.  Sources of shorts include:

Men's

  • Patagonia Men's 
    • Stand Up Shorts, 7" 
    • All Wear Shorts, 9"
  • Brooks Brothers <Link>

Women's

On Wearing Shorts

Shorts should reach to the top of the anterior region of the knee. Do avoid pleats, however. (Katahdin) 
Just above the knee is my preference with a tailored fit/look. Polo shirts and t-shirts untucked, shirts tucked in with a nice leather or webbing belt.  (Mad Dogs and Englishmen) 
Patagonia Stand-Up shorts are my go-to shorts. They wear like iron and are the most comfortable short I own. In close second place is FL Woods' Shanty Shorts. I like these a lot. If I have to look "presentable" and can still wear shorts, then a pair of Brooks Brothers patchwork madras usually fits the bill. I prefer length to be either 7" or 9". (Gary) 
I get my shorts from LL Bean, but most sailors I know swear by Camet shorts, designed especially for sailors. They're quick-drying and even have places for foam pads for a long periods sitting on the rail as "rail meat" when sailing close-hauled! (Hearthstone Farm)

Shorts in Salt Water New England (1950s to Present)

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Founding Director, Maine's Owls Head Transportation Museum, in Center























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40 comments:

  1. I am in the part of the world you'd wear shorts, most summer days 95+......But that said, sorry, grown men should not wear shorts. Sorry guys, just no....

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    1. What a ridiculous pronouncement.

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    2. Agreed !! What a ridiculous pronouncement .

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    3. I think the fellows look snappy in their khaki shorts...provided they are not ultra-short like back in the '70s/early '80s. Those WERE dreadful!!

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  2. Absurd! In hot , humid weather wear what keeps you cool, comfortable no matter! PA

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  3. I fancy a Speedo paired with a tank top...

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    1. That's attractive.

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    2. Not! (Speedo + tank, that's hilarious.)

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  4. I have several pairs. My (and my fiancee's) favorite are a pair of the blue "Nantucket Reds" from Murray's Toggery. I also have two khaki pair from Vineyard Vines that I wear often. For more active things I have two pairs of baggies, a long and a short, from Patagonia.

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  5. Shorts are NOT an oddity here where people wear them about 8 months a year. You almost have to! You don't wear them to church or to office jobs, of course, but on your own time? Definitely YES!

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  6. You neglected to mention Sportif shorts. I've been wearing their original cargo shorts for years. The little bit of spandex in the cotton fabric makes for a great sailing short where mobility is key. They wear very well also. http://www.sportif.com/sportif-s-original-short/670170-00/detail

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  7. If you have good legs can wear above knee, if not, please have them be knee length. That goes for for the goose & gander. Shorts are synonymous with summer; colors are great - the living is easy. If you are young you can get away with anything with panache, like the young man in the first photo. In Northern California you see shorts in November with a fleece jacket - don’t ask me why. One of the peculiarities of the place.

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    1. Here, too. Some men wear shorts year round but with jackets. Go figure!

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  8. 7" Stand Up Shorts are by far my favorite pair of shorts for summer.

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    1. These are my favorite, too. They are classy looking, highly functional, and wear like iron. I still wear a pair (heavily patched and re-stitched) from the late 1980s. Can't beat them.

      Aiken

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  9. Men who live in the “hot countries” do not wear shorts. They protect their lower extremities from the intense heat of the sun with either linen trousers (if they are accustomed to western dress) or with flowing robes. The temperature of one’s skin is lower if it is shaded. Shorts are a phenomenon in temperate climates.

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    1. Bermuda may not be a "hot country" but men there certainly wear shorts, to great effect.

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    2. True, but interestingly the Blazer, rep/club tie and knee socks look has not been exported successfully.

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  10. Short season is just around the corner. Cant wait!

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  11. Question for the stylish community of SWNE. Why do so many men wear rolled up long sleeve OCBD shirts instead of a short sleeve polo? I asked this question of a stylish gentleman in Newport, and the only answer he gave was that his mother once said that a man's elbows should never show. Any responses would be appreciated. Thanks.

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    1. Could be a variety of reasons - can roll the sleeves down and throw on a jacket if it gets cool (or protect your arms from the sun), OCBDs generally fit a little looser than polo shirts and may be more breathable in that regard.

      I wear both, but if wearing trousers, I much prefer rolling up a long sleeve shirt. Polos are pretty casual and are best paired with shorts and/or some sort of sporting endeavour.



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    2. Short sleeves are fine on polos and tees. Never have liked them on OCBDs. Somehow, I think I equated long sleeves with being a grown up when I was a child. Now that I am a grown up, I realize it's true: real men wear long-sleeved OCBDs.

      Aiken

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    3. Rolled-up long-sleeve shirts, including oxford cloth but especially broadcloth, madras, chambray, end-on-end, etc., are cooler and more comfortable than polo shirts. They are typically cut looser, and the fabric is of much lighter weight.

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    4. Polo shirts, contrary to popular belief, aren't anywhere near as cool on hot days as Oxford shirts which are looser cut and more breathable. Oxfords are also more utilitarian in that you can wear them with sleeves rolled up or down, you can unbutton 2 or 3 buttons for extra ventilation and they often have a pocket for tickets or hanging sunglasses on. However, I'd never choose a short sleeve Oxford. I think they make the wearer look like they've turned up to fix a photocopier.

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  12. Last summer I found a pair of shorts in the Kiawah Island sport shop that changed my life. I historically only wore LL Bean shorts but I found these Coast Deck Shorts. Well proportioned with classic style and length, they are nearly perfect. After wearing for one day I went back and bought a pair in every color. Here's a link:

    https://coastapparel.com/collections/deck-shorts

    PC

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  13. Territory Ahead Taboose shorts, I have been wearing them for years in two lengths and a number of colors. Very comfortable and extremely durable, and they dress up or dress down equally well. I do not often have other men ask me where they can buy shorts or pants that I am wearing, but have had multiple inquiries about these shorts, I just love them.

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  14. It's a little surprising that no one has suggested ghurka shorts. Ralph Lauren website says that ghurka chinos is the style that is favoured by the brand's founder. The high waist and cross-over buckle fastening is very comfortable.

    In London, they can be bought for only £40 from Silverman's - https://www.silvermans.co.uk/collections/clothing/products/x-over-belt-shorts. They now come in five colours as white (as worn by M in the Bond movie "You Only Live Twice") and navy have been added recently.

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    1. I have been to Silverman's and even chatted with him for a while. But I wasn't there to buy shorts. It's a tiny shop. Personally, on those shorts and long pants with the cross-over buckles, the buckles fall right on my hipbones and are a trifle uncomfortable. The khaki drill material is good, though.

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  15. If one is preternaturally tall and needs a 10" to 11" inseam, it is a challenge to find suitable shorts. Westport usually has a few that are suitable www.westportbigandtall.com. The old Bills Khakis offered them, but apparently the post-liquidation version doesn't.

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    1. Atlantapete: Dockers makes a very good longer short ("The Perfect Pleated Short, Classic Fit") with a 10.5" inseam. I have several pair in white to go along with my Murray's Nantucket Reds, Cape Madras "Cape" Bermudas (10" inseam), and a few old Brooks Brothers in navy.

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    2. Maybe a pair of old Bills could be taken to your tailor to adjust the length into a pair of great shorts? This was my answer one summer, with no regrets.

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  16. I'm 6'1" and I wear 6" inseam shorts. What's the point of shorts that go down to your knee?

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  17. Absolute truth! 6'2" and slim here, I wear Patagonia Stand-up shorts with 5" inseam and 7" inseam in summer, and warmer winter days here in the South. Longest I'll go on a shorts inseam is 7". Nothing looks worse than "shorts" that cover down to the kneecaps.

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    1. ...and how are things in Key West?

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  18. https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/mar/14/call-me-by-your-name-fashion-inspiration-men

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  19. Springtime in the Rockies - Patagonia or Royal Robbins shorts, river sandals with Smartwool trekking socks, a sweater or fleece, and a down jacket or vest.

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  20. Here its shorts most of the year with polo and a jumper or Patagonia pullover on cooler mornings.

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