Every summer, the menswear conversation inevitably turns to shorts. How long (or short) should they be? Can you wear them to the office? What about at night? Should a man even wear shorts at all? All valid questions. A breezy pair of shorts may be practical and comfortable once temperatures soar, but they’re not exactly known for signaling advanced-level style. Or at least, that’s what conventional menswear wisdom suggests. These days, however, a growing number of well-dressed men are making the case that shorts can look sharp and dressy—as long as you know what you’re doing.
Come summertime, the record-label executive Sameer Sadhu has zero hesitation reaching for shorts. He’ll wear them with everything from breezy button-ups to gauzy white tees (and, occasionally, a Napalm Death long-sleeve). “They’re just something I’ve always worn,” says Sadhu, who grew up in humid Singapore. “Shorts and a T-shirt were sort of the uniform I had. As I got older, it just became a bit more refined.” For Sadhu, that refinement meant swapping out his trusty Dickies for dressier designs from Comme des Garçons and Stòffa. And just as importantly, it also meant upgrading what was on his feet: “Now I just wear loafers instead of a pair of Converse or Vans.”
How to pull off this forbidden formalwear move.
