Get those legs ready boys, short shorts are a major trend this summer. Top fashion houses like Fendi, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Lanvin and MSGM have taken the fashion trend mainstream for Spring 2019. Prada offered up an unbelievably short pair of neoprene shorts that can be seen on the likes of actor Jeff Goldblum’s instagram. The shorts are “a bit like a mini skirt,” designer Miuccia Prada laughed backstage. In New York, Feng Chen Wang took it a step further sending out hot pants resembling Speedo’s more than shorts. The trend reached full peak at MSGM with coordinating matching sets in colorful fruit, multi-vitamin and Hawaiian palm prints.
It’s been 25 years since we’ve seen short shorts for men. The trend harkens back to the 80s, when short shorts were commonly seen on athletes from Magic Johnson to actor Tom Selleck on “Magnum, P.I.” Now days, the micro-shorts are geared towards a youthful streetwear crowd. “It’s pretty much an extension of that whole sportswear thing that’s happening now, where things that were once seen as unacceptable, or too dressed down are now being paired with expensive pieces that lean to a more casual lifestyle,” says Matthew Henson, who styles A$AP Rocky. “If you have nice legs, your shorts can be as short as you want them to be,” he adds.
Where you draw the line with short shorts remains a matter of debate. However, Tom Ford makes it clear shorts of any kind “should only be worn on the tennis court or on the beach.” But for the outliers, the possibilities are endless. The trick is to keep it casual: a slouchy knit or boxy anorak would be a perfect summer pairing. And if you’re bold enough to wear short shorts to the office, opt for shorts that hit at the top of the knee and wear them with a matching suit jacket, leather sandals and a breezy collared shirt. Short shorts have become the new pants.
