Do you wear shorts in the summer?

What is your take on shorts? Do some of you refuse to be seen in shorts? My Uncle said he was not allowed to wear shorts back in the 50's and 60's. I like to wear knee length cargo shorts with silk button down shirts and leather sandals. Is there another wardrobe option I should be considering such as linen pants or seersucker suits?

Yes, but not to work... or out on the town...

live in Florida wear them all the time.

Work -> workpants all the time

Home -> Shorts all the time. I usually change when I come home from work...

I went through last spring/summer without wearing shorts once. I picked up a few pairs recently for this summer though. I am going to be in the Philippines for a week and figured I sort of needed them for that, so I could use them the rest of the summer. I don't think I'll break them out on the weekends until it hits the 90's though. I am very comfortable wearing pants/jeans in 70-80 degree weather.

Would you wear shorts to the grocery store, or to the movies, or when shopping at the mall? I'm not always clear as to exactly when they are appropriate.

I agree with Luc. Work for me is a suit and tie all year round. I like to wear casual shorts at home though and I'll wear shorts out on the weekends when I'm out shopping and things like that but I always put on long pants for going out to dinner.

In Southern California, shorts are always appropriate.

Well, I can't get away with them at work during business hours, but I often change if kept late or I come in on the weekends.

If it were up to me, I'd live entirely in shorts, short-sleeved polos and sandals.

I don't wear jean shorts, though, and I think shorts are appropriate any time the weather permits.

I never wear shorts

No

Kouros said:

Would you wear shorts to the grocery store, or to the movies, or when shopping at the mall? I'm not always clear as to exactly when they are appropriate.

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In a climate like the one we have here in Oz, shorts can be worn in just about every casual setting. I wear year round, summer and winter. However when watching American TV, I notice that wearing shorts is not all that common. I am left with the feeling that shorts kinda considered children's wear.
The cultural norms where I live, dictate that shorts are acceptable for just about everything but formal and business attire. Your culture seems to be different.
I'd love to here more about the cultural norms regarding shorts in the US and if it varies from state to state.

Pete

I wear shorts a lot, I avoid wearing them at night until its 80+ and generally would never wear shorts if its cooler then 70. I own linen and seersucker pants, shorts and jackets that get worked into the hotter months.

Depends upon what the day entails. During work, my standard uniform, though we are now allowed to wear shorts (uniform style). At home, almost daily shorts. When I need to dress up, pants is the way to go.

I have to wear long pants at work, and when I'm working around home (I live on a cattle ranch). Aside from that, I wear shorts every chance that I get. Unless I'm going to work or a formal occasion, shorts are my preferred attire in the summer...

saltypete said:

In a climate like the one we have here in Oz, shorts can be worn in just about every casual setting. I wear year round, summer and winter. However when watching American TV, I notice that wearing shorts is not all that common. I am left with the feeling that shorts kinda considered children's wear.
The cultural norms where I live, dictate that shorts are acceptable for just about everything but formal and business attire. Your culture seems to be different.
I'd love to here more about the cultural norms regarding shorts in the US and if it varies from state to state.

Pete

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Rules:
Shorts are ok between late april and mid september as long as the outside temperature is above 70F. Shorts are only ok after dusk if the outside temperature is above 80F and during the months of July and August.

Shorts are an acceptable part of formal attire as long as they are part of a morning suit (or short suit) and the event is to take place out side during the day during the months summer. For example I wore a 3 peice short suit with a tie to a good friends wedding last July and was not out of place.

Taste:
Shorts should fall between 4 and 8 inches above your knee. They should never have cargo pockets. If wearing shorts with a collared shirt the sleeves of the shirt should be rolled up at least once. Shorts should generally not be worn with suspenders or braces. Shorts should only be of linen or seersucker in the hight of summer. The silhouette of shorts is very important as they have a much smaller area to create it.

Typical scenario on the extremely rare occasion that I have ever worn shorts:

Wife says, "It's going to be hot today. Why don't you wear those new shorts I bought for you?"

Heavy sigh... alright. Put shorts on and blistering hot sun burns the dickens out of my legs, SPF 30 didn't quite cut it. Bugs! Holy crap! I have quadrupled the the surface area to be attacked by bugs. Wind starts to blow softly and greatly annoys me as it disturbs the hair on my legs. Wind brings in cooler air. It's starting to get a little too cold for shorts, but we move to the bonfire. The radiant heat from the flames feels greaaaat against my now sunburned legs. Horseflies have gone to bed but now the mosquitoes are attacking, spray mosquito repellent on top of sunscreen. Finally I walk back to my cottage to put on long pants. I could have just put them on in the morning and saved all the hassle.

Shorts are like sandals, they look like regular clothing, but they leave you dangerously exposed.

I wear shorts pretty regularly in the summer, for work it's usually Dickies shorts. In the Gulf Of Mexico the engine room gets up to 130 degrees, pants just make it miserable.

I wear shorts whenever possible (weather permitting).

Yes almost always in summer. I'd don't wear them to work.

Kind of a non question really. Shorts are pretty universal. A no no as business and formal wear attire but OK for everything else. Even the USPS, UPS and many others wear them as uniform items.