June 3, 2008

Should I rethink my antagonism toward men in shorts based on this photo?


015 copy, originally uploaded by Nina Camic.

He's French.

For more pictures from Normandy, read Nina's blog, — which is so full of pictures right now that it's very slow-loading.

39 comments:

Tibore said...

"Should I rethink my antagonism toward men in shorts based on this photo?"

No!

George M. Spencer said...

I adore this new aesthetic tangent. Very reality-based in a Ben Gazzaraesque sort of way. Total paving-stone mania! And the quilted Mao-y jacket and discretely phallic baguette-style manpurse complete the sockless look!

Trooper York said...

Do those French guys sit on those little penis statues in front of the store or are they for the ladies?

Dust Bunny Queen said...

No. In addition you should add antagonism to men in shorts who also wear ugly poofy jackets. Gross.

Irene said...

Men in shorts do not belong on any contintent! Besides, he's doing the Bill Clinton finger-pointing thing.

Irene said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
UWS guy said...

American men in shorts really do look like giant toddlers.

Frenchmen look like homeless drifters.

MadisonMan said...

Are those Yves St. Laurent fashionistas?

Jim Hanson said...

No you shouldn't, but your ban never differentiated between athletic legs and lumpy or spindly legs. Both of the latter are unattractive and the Frenchmen is a moderate lumpy, plus his shorts fall above the knee and he is wearing boat shoes, good gravy.

A properly muscled set of calves striding purposefully down the avenue ought not offend.

Cordially,

Uncle J

Moose said...

What? Because he's French?!

*rolling eyes*

Palladian said...

The younger guy in the blue shirt is hot.

And look at these hot boys in another of Nina's photographs– it's like some Jean Genet rough-trade smörgåsbord over there!

MarkW said...

Nah -- we men in shorts would be disappointed if you did.

(The Althouse attitude toward shorts reminds me of Leon Kass's attitude toward eating ice-cream cones in public).

Palladian said...

Few men look good in shorts. Last week on the Amtrak train from Philadelphia I saw a man who looked like John Kerry, wearing short shorts– repulsive!

Ann Althouse said...

There was a guy in shorts that one time that I approved of here. Remember?

Ann Althouse said...

Yeah, here.

Anonymous said...

The guy wearing shorts is obviously John McEnroe. He's asking the other guy whether he's seen Tatum O'Neal recently.

Anonymous said...

The shorts I can live with. It's the friggin' baguettes that p*ss me off!

Original Mike said...

Is it some kind of national law that the French must all carry baguettes with them when they go out in public.

Original Mike said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TitusSheBop said...

The thought of a poor, French, disgruntled, very religious and hot muzzie excites me. He's guilt ridden but wants to do it with another man so just this once he is willing to walk on the wild side and all of his pent up anger is relaxed in a passionate romp.

The man or any man in shorts-no.

Although, there is an exception-at the gym or yoga class.

Hi Palady Malady.

Positroll said...

"It's the friggin' baguettes that p*ss me off!"
Well, he's standing in front of a boulangerie (bakery), so I am inclined to cut him some slack ...

TitusSheBop said...

After we get done doing it he runs to his mosque and asks for fogiveness.

Anonymous said...

"Well, he's standing in front of a boulangerie (bakery), so I am inclined to cut him some slack ..."

Where he's standing doesn't matter, and you haven't been to France, have you.

Every day between 3-5, the entire nation scurries around harvesting their baguettes, which they then prance around with for the rest of the afternoon. It's preening and silly, and that's being generous. Baguettes are unhealthy little rolls of dough, and should ONLY be eaten with a Bourguignonne; Not with everything else under the Sun.

Headless Blogger said...

Ann - Watch the beginning of this creative video. I think Steve will help you reestablish your MIS standards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTXQFsyLovc

And on the brightside, the latest shorts that I purchased extend slightly past my knees. I think they qualify as knickers.

Palladian said...

"After we get done doing it he runs to his mosque and asks for fogiveness."

I'm sure anyone who's just done it with you immediately feels the need to beg forgiveness from any deity that's handy.

Anonymous said...

The guy in the shorts is saying "Ze ethanol, it ees for sheet. Ze farmairs, zey are planting ze corns and not ze weets, so the costs of ze weets ees through ze roof. Zis loaf of baguette, she cost me fifty francs and half ov me pants. Fookin' greenies!'

vbspurs said...

George wrote:

And the quilted Mao-y jacket

Someone hold me back!! I'm about to go ballistic on George!!

George, not even your delicious Ben Gazzara reference will save you from the ire of a Barbour jacket lover, such as myself.

That IS NOT a symbol of Communist degradation of the self and submission to the collective, as your instincts told you.

That, my dear co-commenter, is the ne plus ultra of every aristocrat and haute bourgeoisie-poseur in the world -- THE BARBOUR JACKET!

My God, one would think that after Helen Mirren wore them incessantly as "The Queen" people would have gotten a clue. This portrayal sparked a near riot in the Barbour branch in NYC amongst wizened old society ladies trying to ape the 80-something monarch.

(Perhaps the one and only time the Queen has been fashion grist since she donned her first Norman Hartnell, but there you have it)

Even if I didn't know from the trying-not-to-be-sophisticated architecture of a French street, that the gentleman was French, I could've told you his nationality.

See, anyone worth their BCBG-cred in France has a passion for everything tweedy, like only we British can do.

It's their big secret, which they hope the English don't cotton unto -- to look truly chic in France, you must look like a milord inspecting his hounds.

The gentleman got half the memo, since I can't imagine a more disgusting combo than khaki shorts and that Airdale Barbour jacket he's sporting.

I hope any self-respecting hound nearby had at least the decency to bite him in his exposed leg.

Cheers,
Victoria (owns a very similar jacket, in hot pink)

Anonymous said...

Alright then. The guy in the Barbour jacket says: "Pierre, toot suite, pull my fingair..."

vbspurs said...

Michael, just to add salt to George's public wounds, I present Althousians with...

That very hot pink Barbour jacket!

And yes, I look FABU wearing it. Bite me, you big hound!

blake said...

"After we get done doing it he runs to his mosque and asks for fogiveness."

Actually, I think that ends with him coming back to decapitate you in order to preserve his honor.

Think of it as Muslim Beauty.

blake said...

Sorry, Victoria, now all I see is a chunky French guy in shorts wearing a hot pink Barbour jacket.

rhhardin said...

My year-round Bermudas have a 5" inseam to keep my knees unencumbered.

Hey they're on sale. Very tough material, pockets do not get holes from boy scout knives, keys or dog whistles.

nina said...

Such rampant jealousy! Y'all wish you would look that cool. Baguette and all.

knox said...

if "cool" = like a middle aged female dog trainer

TitusSheBop said...

I would be willing to wear a suicide vest and ski mask while we do it but I draw the line at getting my head chopped off.

That seems a little too real.

TitusSheBop said...

Also there is the issue with all of the foreskin which can present problems as I have stated here before.

vbspurs said...

Blake wrote:

Sorry, Victoria, now all I see is a chunky French guy in shorts wearing a hot pink Barbour jacket.

Going to listen to his Serge Gainsbourg 78s, whilst dreaming of Fire Island after-drinks parties?

Knoxwhirled wrote:

if "cool" = like a middle aged female dog trainer

That's exactly the look they are trying to copy -- Barbara Woodhouse.

Plain, no-nonsense, woodsy. Our own British Annie Oakley.

Cheers,
Victoria

vbspurs said...

Boo. I think my hot pink Barbour jacket photo killed this thread. I'm deleting it!!

blake said...

I think it's less your jacket than the fact that there's only so much one can say about a guy in shorts and a (Barbour) jacket carrying a baguette.