What is it with men and shorts

Why can’t they wear what they please . I do

Well there is the answer.
They wear what they prefer, as we all do.

Interesting, this... Having come back to the UK after living in France for 20 years, I was totally mystified to see the number of men who were suddenly (to me!) walking around in shorts in all seasons! Nobody can explain to me why this has happened (see rest of this thread!) but two of my four grandsons (still in primary school) in different families, are fighting tooth and nail not to go back into long trousers for the winter, and it definitely isn't parental influence or example that's at the root of it! If you ask them why, they just go "Dunno. just like shorts better."...Go figure!

It was walk or get the bus in those days
Greengran; thanks for that; and pushbike!
Dad never bought a car all his life; 3 children; the Depression and 2 WWs saw to that! Always cycled to work on his trusty Raleigh all-steel bike, weighed a ton!, and I was following the same route until I was 31, when the traumas of carting 2 nippers around on buses, plus a marginally improved bank balance convinced us that a car would be a worthwhile investment to avoid post-natal stress for us all! Cycling home after work each day along the A4 into a gale-force Westerly and decked out in an oilskin cape when the rain was horizontal must have been doing some good!
Ah1 Memories.

Rufus, 85 years ago people could only afford a basic healthy diet, if they were lucky, and almost everyone led a very active life. It was walk or get the bus in those days. They weren't constantly grazing on fattening snacks, as many do today, and beer was mainly drunk occasionally in the pub, not every day at home.
That's why there were hardly any overweight people when you were a lad, and why there are so many nowadays.

Apparently post-people like their shorts better than having damp trousers.

The answer to why they do it is obvious Buffybee, because they want to and are exercising their right to dress as they please. Good for them. My son has just gone off to work wearing his shorts, knee length chino's really and given to him as part of his uniform so his employers clearly have no problem with it. He gets the option to wear either long trousers or knee length shorts and until the weather turns he's wearing shorts.

I did actually think it might be reginal as I live by the sea and I thought it might be a throw back tough man act following on from the days of fishermen out in all weathers but it seems to be quite widesperead according to the posts on here
I knew posties all over do wear shorts but I was wondering if it was just my area where they go shopping in the town centre in winter but maybe not !

lemongrove, men wearing shorts all year round is undoubtedly a growing trend here in Somerset. I would have to agree that many of them look very "scruffy" to say the least.

I am off today but when in the office and out on an evening I always wear a smart button up front shirt and similar casual strides. That has become the unwritten dress code for the men, and similar for the women in the company and us men all seem to dress similar when outside of work.

I do believe that men in Britain have become very slovenly in their dress and that I find annoying especially when out on an evening, when it appears that many males cannot even be bothered to wash and change before leaving home.

overweight and have beer guts as prominent as the North Pier at Blackpool
Margs; Please tell me you're joking! I remember when, 85 years ago, our family went to Blackpool from M/c for Dad's summer week's holiday, each year, same digs, same landlady. Happy days!
But looking at our snaps and sea-side postcards I can't see a single beer gut strolling along the prom. All the men were dressed in their holiday outfits, long trousers, braces, long sleeved shirts with sleeves rolled up and, of course, their regulation cap.!
If what you say really is true then My!, how things have changed over the years!
I'll have to have another weep over my DVD collection of the fascinating Blackpool trams/illuminations.

Is it a regional thing?
I don’t think ( outside of the Summer) I have noticed any men wearing shorts.

As a male, I always wonder why women wear short skirts in winter. Even with tights on it must be absolutely freezing on the commute to work.

Like the majority of men, I seldom wear shorts and would most definitely not wear them out on an evening to a restaurant or even a pub. However, wearing shorts almost anywhere seems to be the growing trend.

Why i have never been able to figure out?

Everyone is allowed to dress however they want to but I do think that men in shorts in the middle of Winter look ridiculous.
Bluebell was asking if anyone knew why they did, has anyone an answer?

lovelybeigecardigan1955 In Australia, when the weather is extra-hot, business men wear smart 'dress shorts' to work, complete with knee socks, shirt and tie. I can't see that they would be much cooler than trousers, but the look is accepted in offices.
The only time that I wear shorts, apart from in my house when it's hot, is when I visit my family in Australia. I'm short, plump, and elderly. My little chunky legs don't look good in them, but it's nice to be comfortable and no-one gives me a second look.

BlueBelle: many, many of the men wearing shorts (especially those Cargo shorts with a thousand pockets!) whatever the weather are, I've noted, usually well overweight and have beer guts as prominent as the North Pier at Blackpool.

True!

I assume it's because they're the only things that will fit......

Don't flatter yourself. Rufus.

Rufus, I can still dream. grin

Of me? Thank you! You've made my day!
It's 8.00PM and nearly over, but beggars can't be choosers. OoRoo

I saw a bloke t'other day in knee length socks with long shorts - about knee length. Just a few inches of hairy knee on show. What's the point of that?

Rufus, I can still dream.

They were by far the best thing I saw in Australia!
annodomini; they are still here, as young as ever, but a bit out of your league now I'll warrant. If you half close your eyes you can imagine how I looked a few years ago.

I keep picturing a ninety year old flashing his groin in Speedos. Yuk

etheltbags1; It wasn't me! Are you sure "flashing" is the right word? He'd be rather uncomfortable wearing a raincoat in the pool as well.

Why is it sexist to think old men in shorts, pakamac, socks and sandals walking round a cold, windy, rainy town centre look pretty silly, nothing sexist about that if a woman was walking round the supermarket in a swimsuit and packamac I d be saying the same ??
Is it a British thing like the hanky on the head I just can’t imagine a French or Italian man wanting this look

etheltbags1 - don't malign all men in Speedos. I have a very happy memory of beach guards on Bondi Beach. They were by far the best thing I saw in Australia!

Thanks to all who think that men wearing shorts is no problem. I am not in the least sexist, but it seems that several ladies are. Men in shorts look good, bad or ugly (think I'll call a film that!) but who cares?

Yuk I hate men in shorts, those horrid hairy legs make me shudder but not half as much as men in brief Speedo swimming trunks. Ye gods how awful. This us one area where I prefer men in shorts in the pool. I keep picturing a ninety year old flashing his groin in Speedos. Yuk

Cos they can’t be bothered to think about their autumn /winter wardrobe.....so they wear shorts until they’re partner/wife or whoever tell them they look ridiculous in shorts in cold weather