Althouse: A "men in shorts" atrocity.

August 2, 2011

A "men in shorts" atrocity.

Presented as good, by The Sartorialist.

103 comments:

Fred4Pres said...: Titus?; 8/2/11, 4:42 PM
Original Mike said...: It's the new hare krishna getup. What? You no like?; 8/2/11, 4:44 PM
Fred4Pres said...: I am kidding Titus, I know you would not commit such a fashion felony (it is way beyond a faux pas).

Maybe that is the elusive literary critic J, man-boy about town.; 8/2/11, 4:46 PM
themightypuck said...: Too many words. "Atrocity" covers it.; 8/2/11, 4:48 PM
Calypso Facto said...: I would argue both your description of that jumper as shorts and that fem as a man.

But atrocity we can agree on.; 8/2/11, 4:51 PM
Anonymous said...: If I ever think I want to wear that, please, somebody shoot me.; 8/2/11, 4:52 PM
Cheryl said...: Thanks a lot. Now I can't unsee it.; 8/2/11, 4:53 PM
Trooper York said...: Cool.

Jason (the Commenter) has a new
avatar.; 8/2/11, 4:54 PM
J.R. said...: No one could carry that one off!

Atrocious is the only word for it.; 8/2/11, 4:54 PM
john said...: Just feel good for the guy that he's able to get outdoors. Its also good that he doesn't hide his condition.; 8/2/11, 4:56 PM
edutcher said...: Ann, that has nothing to do with shorts.

Even with long pants, that is ghastly.; 8/2/11, 5:00 PM
Crunchy Frog said...: WTF???

Seriously, WTF????

wv: ermente - nothing to add here; 8/2/11, 5:02 PM
Aridog said...: GAAK!!; 8/2/11, 5:03 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Gee, I'd bet someone would borrow the Eisenhower jacket. And, if I was there, I'd check to see if his fly zippered. Or if it buttoned closed.

When I was a young kid ... my dad wore white boxer shorts. Yes. Around the house!

I never liked them for that reason. And, when my son was young I put him into white briefs, as soon as he was out of diapers.

You know I got so surprised when he, as an adult, switched to boxers.

Today, they sell them in fancy colors.

My son tells me the boxers are way more comfortable than the white briefs.

Maybe, women like tight panties?

Where I grew up thinking white boxers are ugly.

Here? Don't the shorts just cry out for a neutral color tee?

Oy. And, this man needed to shave his head? Maybe, his mother told him to "go out and get a haircut." So he did!; 8/2/11, 5:05 PM
Paddy O said...: Looks like a UPS driver wearing warehouse camouflage.; 8/2/11, 5:09 PM
dick said...: Someone should tell him you are not supposed to wear shorty pajamas outside, especially not el cheapo ones.; 8/2/11, 5:12 PM
Bob_R said...: I just spent the weekend at Floydfest, a hippie music festival. Lots of strange outfits - kilts, thong and cape (don't ask). Tie dye, shorts almost qualify as conservative. But most people had tongue planted pretty firmly in cheek. Print boy and the Sartorialist don't seem to have enough of a sense of humor.

BTW, do men get a waiver from the shorts rule if they have elaborate leg tattoos? (Is it called a "sleeve" if it's on a leg?) How about if it's only one leg? So little time, so much to know.; 8/2/11, 5:15 PM
Greg said...: Ah, so that's what've meant when you say you don't like men in shorts. Now I understand.; 8/2/11, 5:18 PM
Greg said...: correction: what you mean . . .; 8/2/11, 5:19 PM
MaggotAtBroad&Wall said...: The androgyny in shorts is an atrocity.; 8/2/11, 5:22 PM
BJM said...: The new blog design is the real atrocity...too busy and difficult to navigate... mouse over tags are annoying and so passe.; 8/2/11, 5:28 PM
Palladian said...: Almost everything The Sartorialist presents as good is an atrocity.

You can't throw a rock in New York these days without hitting one of these sorts of douchebags. Which is why I love throwing rocks.

And may I add that it's usually straight douchebags that dress this way.; 8/2/11, 5:29 PM
Steve M. Galbraith said...: I think this pretty much wins Althouse's argument right here. It's over.

Now she can move on to sandals.

Men with Fred Flintstone-like feet wearing sandals.

Man, talk about terrorism.; 8/2/11, 5:31 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: I saw the word "atrocity" and thought, "Oh Gawd, I've GOT to see this,.." and, yep, it was that bad - the man and the outfit.

Atrocious.; 8/2/11, 5:31 PM
ricpic said...: It's one of the great mysteries of the universe that guys like that are often seen squiring 10's.; 8/2/11, 5:31 PM
Palladian said...: "Now she can move on to sandals.

Men with Fred Flintstone-like feet wearing sandals.

Man, talk about terrorism."

I wear sandals only with socks.; 8/2/11, 5:35 PM
Chuck66 said...: I thought it was going to be shorts, sandels, and wooley socks.

Occasionally I see an older guy with the circa-1972 jumpsuit. (no, not Soglin); 8/2/11, 5:35 PM
Palladian said...: "It's one of the great mysteries of the universe that guys like that are often seen squiring 10's."

I saw a man yesterday wearing an entirely pink outfit: pink hat, pink sunglasses, pink shirt, pink shorts, pink socks and pink sneakers... walking arm-in-arm with a beautiful woman. I said "too bad your woman accessory isn't pink, it really spoils your outfit."; 8/2/11, 5:37 PM
ricpic said...: Where I grew up thinking white boxers are ugly.

It's a rough trade. Think of how much uglier the unthinking white boxers get.; 8/2/11, 5:37 PM
Gene said...: I sometimes think Ann doesn't like to see men's bodies, which makes it lucky she lives in Wisconsin--the swim season is so short.; 8/2/11, 5:40 PM
Mick said...: Gaydar. Blip... Blip.... BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP

wv: xenesm---- and the art of motor cycle maintenance.; 8/2/11, 5:41 PM
traditionalguy said...: It is another metro renegade.

He reneges on his role of being a man.

No wonder women have to find male strength from other women.; 8/2/11, 5:49 PM
The Elder said...: Oh, my!!!

This even violates your exception to the rule against men in shorts when they are worn in athletic settings.

Can you imagine meeting that guy on a golf course or a pickup hoops game?

The horror. The horror.; 8/2/11, 5:49 PM
Lucius said...: En route to join Lady Gaga in the right foreground on her civilian cig break?; 8/2/11, 5:58 PM
bwebster said...: My eyes! My eyes!; 8/2/11, 6:09 PM
gadfly said...: To paraphrase singer and songwriter, Randy Newman: "Shorts people got no reason to live!"; 8/2/11, 6:14 PM
Shanna said...: That outfit is ugly, but it has nothing to do with shorts.

(And since it's 105 today, 107 tomorrow, I have a hard time caring about your anti-shorts campaign-although I personally find dresses far more cool in hot weather and will be wearing nothing but all week!); 8/2/11, 6:16 PM
Kirk Parker said...: Wow. Where's the "NSFW" label? Where's the "I hope your employee benefits include long-term psychological counseling" label???; 8/2/11, 6:25 PM
caplight said...: It is 109 degrees today and I am wearing long pants. I want extra points, Professor.

France. Ugh.; 8/2/11, 6:27 PM
caplight said...: Does anybody know how you get vomit out of the spaces between keys on a keyboard?; 8/2/11, 6:28 PM
Michael K said...: Is that person entering or leaving a fashion show ? In that world such dress seems normal.; 8/2/11, 6:36 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Oh, Patio, @ 5:09 PM. That's MARVELOUS!; 8/2/11, 6:42 PM
Big Mike said...: As Will Smith would say, "that's not much of a disguise."; 8/2/11, 6:43 PM
Big Mike said...: (The shoes give it away.)

8-D; 8/2/11, 6:44 PM
dbp said...: It is an atrocity, but the shorts are low on the list of why.

1-5 The material! Combine the primary colors found in a more disreputable abattoir, with a print which is, what? One can only assume the fabric is something uncomfortable just on the basis of what someone chose to print onto it. Perhaps the designer thought, "This material is so scratchy, unbreathable and poorly draping, I will get even with it by making it look as bad as it feels".

6. Long sleeves with shorts? Really? Why? What possible reason is there to have long sleeves when you have already taken the step of wearing shorts?

7. White basketball shoes. I would think dark colored shoes that have a lot less to them would be better.

8. The guy: Not pleasant to look at and should therefore wear something that allows him to blend in with the crowd.

9. The shorts. This is really only a sop to Althouse. A fit man looks good in well made shorts.; 8/2/11, 6:47 PM
sonicfrog said...: Well, when we invade Venus, at least we'll have the camouflage ready to go!; 8/2/11, 6:56 PM
Lyle said...: It's fashionable and acceptable for Southern men to wear shorts. Yankees just can't fathom it, have no reason to manifest it, and therefore are culturally incapable of appreciating it.

It's a kind of bigotry really.; 8/2/11, 7:08 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: I don't think those were men.; 8/2/11, 7:15 PM
Triangle Man said...: They used to sell outfits like thatin the hotel gift shops on Waikiki. Whole matching family sets. Of course no one who purchased them was fashion-forward enough to tuck in the shirts.; 8/2/11, 7:15 PM
F said...: Businessmen and high-level government officials in Dahomey (now called Benin, but I'll stick with the original) used to wear outfits like this, only with long pants and lost of yellowish color. And in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo, but, well you know) Gov't officials used to wear an almost similar outfit but tailored of heavy suiting material and costing several thousand dollars each -- to flaunt their riches. Mobutu had dictated that senior officials must wear this aba-cos (literally "down with business suits") as part of their ZANU party "colors".

This guy probably belongs to some party too -- the Tasteless Party?

wv = messi. Shore is; 8/2/11, 7:28 PM
FleetUSA said...: egads!!!!!; 8/2/11, 7:32 PM
FleetUSA said...: egads!!!!!

revolting.

he can wear that where no one sees him.; 8/2/11, 7:32 PM
Palladian said...: "It's fashionable and acceptable for Southern men to wear shorts. Yankees just can't fathom it, have no reason to manifest it, and therefore are culturally incapable of appreciating it."

You people have rather low standards of both fashionable and acceptable down there...

Look at images from the past. You will NEVER see grown men wearing shorts in public in the US (with the acceptable exceptions of sports, camping, beach, etc.) before 1950. Not in the South, not in the North, nowhere.

Unless you have gorgeous legs and a sporty demeanor, shorts always look awful and infantilizing. Pants of light, breathable materials such as linen offer just as much "ventilation" as shorts in non-sporting situations.

Women don't even look very good in shorts.

If you want to show off your legs, wear a skirt or kilt. But you'd better have the legs to pull it off.; 8/2/11, 7:34 PM
F said...: Palladian:

"you better have the legs to pull it off." Don't you mean "you better have the hands to pull it off?" Or do you have opposing toes?; 8/2/11, 7:46 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Wow, did folks read the comments over there?

"Not sure if I like this. The look may be better with different sneakers…"

That's vicious. So harsh.

P.S.
Relative to the boring approval that is typical in those comment treads the above comment translates to: "That is the most disgusting trash-for-clothes I've ever seen."; 8/2/11, 7:51 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: caplight,

It is 109 degrees today and I am wearing long pants. I want extra points, Professor.

France. Ugh.

Yep. Been there, done that. Stifling.

What bureau are you in?; 8/2/11, 7:53 PM
Trooper York said...: France. Ugh.

New poll.; 8/2/11, 8:02 PM
Shanna said...: "Not sure if I like this. The look may be better with different sneakers…"

The sneakers were the only thing I liked.; 8/2/11, 8:02 PM
ddh said...: I didn't know that anyone would use a Marimekko pattern for a suit. A bit twee, yes?; 8/2/11, 8:12 PM
Bruce Rheinstein said...: The look just isn't complete without Guy-liner and Manscara!; 8/2/11, 8:20 PM
Joe Schmoe said...: He looks like a twenty-something Dr. Evil who's going through a curious phase. There's probably a hairless cat in his oversized man-purse.; 8/2/11, 8:28 PM
Luther said...: "Unless you have gorgeous legs and a sporty demeanor, shorts always look awful and infantilizing. Pants of light, breathable materials such as linen offer just as much "ventilation" as shorts in non-sporting situations."

I don't believe, technically, that this can be correct. Close maybe, but 'any' material versus no material hinders ventilation.

Also, I wouldn't use the term 'gorgeous' to describe my legs, manly, I think, would be a better descriptor and I have received compliments on same.

Agree though, no shorts, except for children previous to the fifties. Then some marketing genius realized that he could charge the same price for shorts as long pants... using less material. The rest is history as they say.; 8/2/11, 8:41 PM
Beth said...: That's a onesie, isn't it?; 8/2/11, 8:46 PM
MadisonMan said...: I am reminded of Went with the Wind, the Carol Burnett skit, wherein Harvey Korman (Rhett) tells Carol Burnett (Scarlett) that she loves her dress, and she says she saw in the window and she couldn't resist it.

My Great-Aunt Doris had curtains in that fabric in her rec room.; 8/2/11, 8:46 PM
Luther said...: Oh, one more thing. Back in the day no man wore pants. It was trousers. Not until women became 'pants' wearing did the term become generic. My DI's were very emphatic about that.

I forgot to mention the topic. I have nothing to say, it speaks for itself.; 8/2/11, 8:46 PM
Palladian said...: "Oh, one more thing. Back in the day no man wore pants. It was trousers."

I should have noted that...

In a lot of places "pants" connotes underwear, or shorts.

It's kind of a hateful word. But what's worse is when people use the singular "pant" to refer to a pair of trousers.; 8/2/11, 9:09 PM
Sal said...: Well, when we invade Venus, at least we'll have the camouflage ready to go!

The karmic union of gays in the military and the invasion of Venus.; 8/2/11, 9:12 PM
Michael said...: The use of the term "pant" is nauseating. Many, many of the outfits in The Sartorialist are dreadful and worn by what i assume arw dreadful people.; 8/2/11, 9:22 PM
Fred4Pres said...: In the Marine Corps, the use of term pants was sure to bring down a rash of shit from a DI. Men wear trousers. Girls wear pants.; 8/2/11, 9:26 PM
Stosh2 said...: Street pajamas!; 8/2/11, 9:33 PM
Palladian said...: Besides, "trousers" has a good solid Goidelic origin, while "pants" is a dirty Romance word.; 8/2/11, 9:36 PM
Synova said...: That fellow looks ill. So much so that I can't bring myself to make fun of his outfit.

Granted, it could be cancer or AIDS or it could be he's vegan. But if I assume vegan and it's something more dire, I'd feel guilty, even if vegan is most likely.; 8/2/11, 9:37 PM
chickelit said...: Oh, one more thing. Back in the day no man wore pants. It was trousers.

The day men wear blouses instead of shirts will be one sad day.

Robert Plant pulled off the blouse thing pretty well but still...; 8/2/11, 9:40 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Yup, "pants" sucks.

I'm a "pantalones" man.; 8/2/11, 9:45 PM
MadisonMan said...: But what's worse is when people use the singular "pant" to refer to a pair of trousers.

Allen Sherman said it best: You'll pant, and pant once more
And that's a pair of pants!; 8/2/11, 10:13 PM
Luther said...: "Goidelic"

Thank you, I learned something new for the day.; 8/2/11, 10:14 PM
Luther said...: "The day men wear blouses instead of shirts will be one sad day. "

Sorry, chickenlittle. But here too, the Marines have been wearing blouses, and trousers, for years. It's an old term that, with roots in seafaring.

I'm too lazy to make this a real link...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Combat_Utility_Uniform; 8/2/11, 10:46 PM
Irene said...: Even including a smoker in this shot cannot make it seem "cool."

He does have a splendid snapshot of a woman from the 1940s in shorts among the "Vintage Photos."; 8/2/11, 11:30 PM
chickelit said...: Sorry, chickenlittle. But here too, the Marines have been wearing blouses, and trousers, for years. It's an old term that, with roots in seafaring.

You mean they wore those dainty little things like Robert Plant wore? That's why I put the link there-to show what I meant.

But if you're breaking the news to me that they did, I will stand corrected, sir.; 8/2/11, 11:32 PM
From Inwood said...: Good grief. Except for the color, it looks like one of those photos of the liberation of the POW camps at the end of WW II.

[Pls, no comments about Godwin's law.]; 8/2/11, 11:52 PM
Penny said...: The Sartorialist needs more "bliss"...COUNTRY style.

Pigeons gonna miss you, honey.

But the doves?

Just waiting to turn your world upside down.; 8/3/11, 12:02 AM
Palladian said...: chickenlittle, that's a bolo jacket that Robert Plant is wearing in that video, not a blouse!

This is a blouse.; 8/3/11, 12:13 AM
jr565 said...: He gives a bad name to limp wristed caricatures.; 8/3/11, 1:09 AM
Jennifer said...: Doesn't The Sartorialist always say he photographs interesting as opposed to good? Interesting, this is.; 8/3/11, 1:54 AM
Ralph L said...: Pants
Trousers
Shorts
Boxers
Jeans
Briefs
Dungarees
Khakis
Cargos
Pajamas

Nothing singular about menswear.
No wonder the slang "trou" seems so outre.; 8/3/11, 5:22 AM
test said...: You look at that outfit and conclude the problem is the shorts? There's something seriously wrong with your sense of style.; 8/3/11, 5:44 AM
Toad Trend said...: Among the people I rub elbows with, this 'person' and his outfit would be labeled 'douche'.; 8/3/11, 5:48 AM
Anonymous said...: No, a thousand times no. The look is "Voldemort comes out as a homosexual".; 8/3/11, 7:28 AM
Christopher said...: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"

Isaiah 5:20

Oddly enough thats the first thing that came to mind.; 8/3/11, 7:37 AM
DaveW said...: That picture is making me rethink my opposition to the professor's position on men in shorts.; 8/3/11, 7:54 AM
Anonymous said...: Ann, I've never quite understood your visceral aversion to men in shorts, but THESE shorts, I understand.; 8/3/11, 8:54 AM
Amy Schley said...: Palladian,

Please, for the love of God, do not wear socks with sandals!

Socks are for when it is cold. Sandals are for when it is hot.
Pick one!

Also, as someone who sells comfort shoes -- anyone can wear sandals. But make sure that they fit properly. The only unattractive feet are the ones with red blotches all over, the toes creeping over the end of the shoe, the width creeping over the sides, and bunions/corns/hammer toes/mallet toes disfiguring the too tight leather.

I don't care about amputated toes or surgery scars, just make sure they fit!; 8/3/11, 9:08 AM
Sorin said...: All he needs now is to shave his legs.; 8/3/11, 9:08 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: You all are wasteful.

Obviously his aunt had old curtains and a pattern she last used to make him an outfit when he was four years old. I think she is very intrepid for figuring out how to upsize it and putting those old curtains to use rather than in the trash!; 8/3/11, 9:35 AM
Freeman Hunt said...: I wear jeans all the time. Yes, even when it was 110 yesterday, I wore jeans. That is what I do.; 8/3/11, 9:36 AM
bagoh20 said...: The commenters over there sound like the Emperor's subjects whenever he took a fashion risk.; 8/3/11, 9:49 AM
bagoh20 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/3/11, 9:55 AM
bagoh20 said...: Although it's only a 10 minute walk, I rarely go to the beach swimming anymore, but I had visitors from back east this week and that's what they wanted to do.

Althouse's fevered hatred of shorts has kept me out of them for many months. The resulting mismatch between my legs and everything else produced a deep anger in me. She still has enough liberal in her to be substantially wrong about some things. It comes with the ideology. Your whole body deserves to see the sun occasionally.; 8/3/11, 10:15 AM
Anonymous said...: Nothing singular about menswear.

Codpiece: singular.

Jockstrap: singular.; 8/3/11, 12:16 PM
jr565 said...: This is the outfit you wear when you want to go out and get beaten up, either by gay bashers or people with fashion sense who are outraged that someone could be such a dick fashion wise.; 8/3/11, 12:37 PM
Clyde said...: He has absolutely no chance of getting to first base with the smoking chick on the right... Not like he's probably interested in breeders anyway.

WV: redsoo. As in A Boy Named Redsoo. Either that, or X didn't get the last square.; 8/3/11, 1:52 PM
Indigo Red said...: The new leisure suit and this, too, shall pass.; 8/3/11, 3:29 PM
Tari said...: I am a great supporter of the "men in shorts" idea generally (living in Houston does that to you) but this is an abomination against nature.; 8/3/11, 3:53 PM