The next episode of our podcast is all about shorts! We talk about our favorite variations and how we like to wear them.  Obviously we like wearing full pants, but that doesn’t mean shorts can’t look cool.

Jump in and follow along with the podcast!

We’re nearing the end of summer, but it’s still fucking hot here in Los Angeles. The weather, compounded with quarantine, forces us to get comfy. This typically leads us to wear shorts.  As you’ll soon hear in the podcast proper, Spencer and I definitely (and still do) prefer full pants, simply because its much easier to wear within our preferred style.

We’ve owned shorts for a while (including some variations that you’ll see in the pictures), but it was only recently that we got the confidence to wear them out with an intentional look instead of just succumbing to the hot weather and being lazy.  And even then, I think we’ve gotten enough inspo that we could wear shorts year round- not simply because it’s hot.

Outline

• 0:55- Intro
• 6:00- Shorts
• 10:00- “I think the reason that shorts came back is due to the rise of gurkha shorts. They took the world by storm, and showed [the menswear community] ‘oh, shorts aren’t too bad – we can find a way to do it.’”
• 10:45- “I don’t want to default to shorts. I think a repeating theme of the podcast or twitch is where I say that ‘defaulting [to a n outfit] is something that I never want to do,’ or to have a lazy outfit.  If I’m going to be lazy I’m going to own it. Having a good mentality of what shorts excite you, what details you like, are a good way in making that connection so that you never have to feel like you’re being lazy.
• 13:30- Different Types of Shorts
• 15:45- “With flat fronts, you need something else with it to make them more interesting; I wear things (like jackets or untucked shirts) with flat front, plain shorts.”
• 16:30- “When you have a high waist and pleats, they create visual interest and play along with the center crease in your trousers. So with shorts, they’re great to make them look not boring.”
• 17:45- “Military heritage. Real men real style. Gentlemen. Joker! Discord!” “You’re just saying words.” 
• 21:00- “We don’t like capitalism– but we DO like having a lot of things.”
• 25:05- Material
• 25:15- “I prefer regular twill cotton, when you sweat or wash them you get that character, and they’re the classic.”
• 30:40- Colors
• 31:15- “I tend to like reds and yellows in my Madras patterns.”
• 32:15- Gurkha Shorts
• 34:35- “It’s like the double monk strap of shorts!”
• 35:20- “I typically wear my navy blue pleated shorts with belt loops and forward pleats from Polo Ralph Lauren.”
• 37:15- “Flat front slim shorts are a good way to do modern ivy.”
• 38:20- How to Wear Them
• 38:35- “Look at them as a literal alternative to pants. What do I wear with pants? Loafers and white socks. What do I wear with shorts? Loafers and white socks.”
• 40:35- “You can take the basic bastard look and make it way better by using slightly more interesting pieces, but the principles remain the same.”
• 41:40- “I like wearing jackets with shorts.  Some say it’s antithetical.  The look of wearing a long sleeve sweater with shorts is a thing though; it has a very JFK, 60’s/70’s prep vibe.”
• 44:30- “Shorts are typically going to be used in plain outfits, so I like to wear something with patterns or in conjunction with layers to make the outfit more interesting…I prefer interesting over plain.”
• 46:40- Length
• 46:50- “With the exception of gurkhas I think that they should be short, they look better when they’re not at the knee.”
• 52:40- Footwear
• 53:30- “Again I think of shorts as replacement pants, so any shoes I would wear with my pants I’d wear with my shorts.”

Recommended Reading:

• Shorts with Socks & The School Boy Look
• Casual Ethan
• Gurkha Shorts
• 4th of July Editorial:  2018 and 2019
• Die, Workwear
• Put This On
• Chino Shorts on MFA

Submit Your Questions & Stories

Thanks for listening and reading along! Don’t forget to support us on Patreon to get some extra content and access to our exclusive Discord. And we stream on Twitch too.

Buh-bye!

StyleandDirection | EthanMWong | SpencerDSO

The Podcast is produced by MJ and Matthew.

Big thank you to our top tier Patrons (the SaDCast Fanatics):  Seth Peterson, Austin Malott, Eric Hall, and Shane Curry.