Nickelson Wooster, a fashion consultant and frequent subject of street style photographers, is known for his love of shorts. He wears them long and short, loose and tight, in leather, wool and twill.
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“Shorts are like skirts, and I think any woman will tell you there is no one length or shape that fits everyone,” said Wooster, 63.
At first glance, it might seem like the word “shorts” tells us what to expect from the appearance of the clothing. In practice, the length of shorts can vary greatly.
Still, every two or three years the same question arises: How short should they be?
Thanks in part to recently circulated photos of actor Paul Mescal wearing thigh-baring shorts, there’s one clear answer: pretty short.
Ross Figlerski, 32, recently started choosing shorter styles. “I’m a bigger guy and I find them much more flattering and reliable for whatever outfit I end up wearing,” said Figlerski, who lives in New York.
His fiancée also had an influence. “She demanded to see more thigh,” he said.
Inseam trends go up and down. The recent short shorts trend seemed to start around 2020, when videos about short shorts became popular on TikTok. Suddenly, the social media platform was filled with people clamoring for more men to show a little leg. Since then, short shorts have become more popular among men, with some of the more adventurous embracing side-slit running shorts that leave little to the imagination.
Liam Burack, a 15-year-old from Johnstown, Colorado, said “pretty short” shorts have been popular among his friends since the pandemic, largely for practical reasons. “For me, shorter shorts are more comfortable,” he said.
There are signs, however, that shorts hems are slowly coming back to earth. The new collections from Louis Vuitton and Lemaire shown at menswear shows in Paris in June featured hems that fell past the kneecap.
There is no universal idea about what is right or wrong to wear. “Everyone wears everything,” said James Harris, co-host of the menswear podcast “Throwing Fits.”
But for guys still debating how much leg to show this summer, Wooster had some fashion advice.
“I wear a length that hits right at the knee,” she said. “Not below or above — right at the knee. I feel like that’s foolproof. It’s never going to be bad.”
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