Wear with caution: Why short shorts are the number one look for the summer

Men in shorts, including Paul Mescal, are making a significant fashion statement this summer. From tiny, thigh-baring shorts to loose and baggy jorts, there's a style for everyone. Paul Mescal, who memorably played a father in the 2022 film Aftersun, is often seen wearing football shorts. These breezy garments allow for easy movement and comfort. Paul Mescal grew up playing Gaelic football and has always been a fan of tiny shorts. This summer, luxury fashion houses like Gucci are also embracing short shorts. At their Milan spring/summer 2025 menswear show, Gucci showcased 40 pairs of shorts on the runway. Paul Mescal was spotted in the front row wearing a dressier version of his favorite short shorts. He wore white pinstripe shorts paired with white socks, horse-bit loafers, and a blue Oxford shirt. 'I'm a big advocate for men wearing shorter shorts,' Mescal told GQ. 'From my perspective, it's all about proportion; a shorter short with maybe a longer top. ' However, not everyone agrees with Mescal's style. British Vogue editor Chioma Nnadi believes Mescal didn't get the proportions right. She mentioned on Vogue's The Run Through podcast that she feels like he's on the edge of not pulling it off. Her co-host Chloe Malle cautioned boys not to try this look at home. Tom Fitzgerald, who runs a podcast and website with his husband Lorenzo Marquez, agrees. He told the BBC that while they usually enjoy seeing Mescal's legs, the Gucci outfit looked a bit silly on him. 'To be clear, we don't think any guy has to worry about whether or not he's got Mescal-level legs if he wants to air out his thighs for the summer,' Fitzgerald said. 'Too many people are too hung up on whether men should show a little skin, and we think everyone needs to lighten up and let the breeze hit them where it never gets to. The Earth is on fire. Let the guys cool their pins off. ' A guest at Paris Fashion Week also favored the short-shorts look. 'I don't know if I'm ready for a man out in the world in a boxer short,' Nnadi continued on The Run Through. 'And I should be, because you see it on women all the time. ' Womenswear seems to be bringing the boxer and board short back, as seen on the runways of Miu Miu. Darnell Mitchell, a New York City personal shopper, usually helps style men, but he used to work with women. He loved a nice pair of short shorts and the play on whether they were dressy or not. 'Taking a pair of shorts, throwing them with a nice jacket or third layer of some kind, a pair of heels and a nice camisole top or classic white men's shirt! I would just tell myself, how would Carrie Bradshaw dress this up? ' Actor Colman Domingo recently sported long denim shorts to the Louis Vuitton spring/summer 2025 menswear show in Paris. Many people will welcome seeing shapely thighs on display this summer, but another trend is also re-emerging: long denim shorts, or 'jorts. ' Writer Jason Diamond embraces jorts now that he's a new dad. His wife asked him to retire denim cut-offs in his 30s, but she recently asked him to wear them again. 'I guess becoming a dad is like some sort of Fountain of Youth thing where you're able to wear jeans turned into shorts again,' he told the BBC. Colman Domingo wore dark denim pleated jorts to the Louis Vuitton show. It's hard to make him look bad, and he still pulled it off, but how can regular people nail this trend? The long, baggy look is popular this summer, including the Loewe jorts. 'We're sorry to say that jorts are never truly going to go away, which means they are, by definition, a modern classic,' Fitzgerald says. He advises people not to try the version seen on Domingo and instead to dress them up with a knit polo and some casual Vans. Mitchell says the details are crucial: 'High-rise works, a frayed bottom, a stylish drawstring, thought-out patches – all of this makes them go from John Cena to an intentional piece of clothing. ' Ultimately, the best accessory is knowing your body. 'I'm a big proponent of everyone can, for the most part, wear anything, no matter what the gender, as long as you feel good,' Mitchell continues. 'Honestly, it's simply confidence.