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Men's Summer Shorts: Tips And Tricks On How To Wear Them

Short shamers, be damned!

When I began my career as a fashion writer, my first big piece was an op-ed on why any man who felt so inclined should wear short shorts. Three years later, I keep getting caught in debates about whether men should wear shorts or not.

Cultural critic Fran Liebowitz even went so far as to describe men in shorts as "disgusting." Let the naysayers henceforth be labelled "shorts shamers."

Let’s start with this: it’s 2015 and you can wear whatever you want. Nobody should be telling anybody else to cover up, male or female. If social media has taught us anything in fashion, it’s that individuality reigns supreme. To quote Yves Saint Laurent, "Fashions fade, style is eternal." In other words, you just do you.

Shorts shamers have a variety of reasons for playing summertime Scrooge. Whether it be shorts’ informality, a distaste for unkempt male leg hair or an allergy to all things "cargo," the opinions are often as self-righteous as they are antiquated.

With that said, many guys don’t do themselves any favours by recycling shorts year after year with no real regard for new styles or how their body is changing. Those denim cut-offs that were flattering in university may now be accentuating the more husky parts of your newfound Dad-bod. Those decade-old plaid cargo shorts that fall somewhere between your knee and mid-calf? Yeah, burn them.

If you’re looking for a little more concrete (read: less sassy) guidance, here are some suggestions on how you can tell off those shorts shamers in style:

Length

A Man’s Guide On How to Wear Shorts

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