Despite repeated heatwaves and shorts making an appearance on the runway, retailers say male consumers aren’t yet ready to embrace the trend.
Although searches for the term “shorts” were up 40 percent in June compared to the same period last year, shorts with an inseam of less than five inches (the benchmark for “super short”) remain an aspirational search, with most men’s shorts sales coming in at six inches, according to a study by data analytics firm Trendalytics.
So, have your quads really become your new biceps? The short answer is yes, but every inch makes a big difference.
Actor Paul Mescal attends the Gucci Spring 2025 show in Milan. Aitor Rosas Sune/WWD
“From Paul Mescal sitting front row at Gucci to Chris Pine at the Pullman premiere, skin seems to be everywhere this summer,” says David Schirbeul, a former editor and stylist who joined Bloomingdale’s earlier this month to oversee the menswear department.
While Mescal prefers a three-inch short, Thielboile advises men to start with a five-inch inseam and work their way up. “Try it on and wear what feels good,” he says. “We’re at a time in menswear when there really are no rules when it comes to length.”
But men weren’t always encouraged to flash their thigh meat. As late as the 1950s, shorts were still considered indecent in many American cities. Yonkers, New York, made the wearing of shorts illegal in 1937, and the town of Honesdale, Pennsylvania, followed suit a year later. “Honesdale is a modest town, not a bathing beach town,” one city official was quoted as saying at the time.
Today, shorts are popular, but not yet as popular as “hot pants,” a term coined by WWD in 1970 to describe women’s micro-shorts. Despite high-end brands promoting the extreme style, the general consensus is that a slightly ambiguous mid-thigh cut is just right.
Bruce Pask, senior editorial director at Neiman Marcus Group, said designers battled over length throughout the spring 2025 menswear season. “Dior, Fendi and Ralph Lauren all showed above-the-knee tailored shorts during their shows, while AMI, Wales Bonner, Dries Van Noten and Officine Generale opted for longer lengths,” said Pask, noting that both styles have fashion credibility.
Above-the-knee shorts from Fendi and below-the-knee shorts from Ami’s Spring 2025 collection. Courtesy
Reginald Christian, senior fashion manager of menswear at Saks Fifth Avenue, agrees, but thinks shorts are fresher: They add a “funny, retro-sporty vibe to the modern male wardrobe” and should appeal to a “younger, more body-confident consumer,” he believes.
Still, in terms of sales, the New York-based retailer is seeing its seven- to 10-inch Bermuda shorts as its best sellers. Nordstrom agrees, with men’s fashion director Jean DeLeon saying shoppers already accustomed to baggy skater shorts and dressy pleated versions that are “reminiscent of old Armani” are finally warming to the idea of micro shorts.
At Orlebar Brown, the resort-wear brand’s best-selling “Bulldog” shorts are just 6 inches long. “They’re most popular with guys who are tired of loose shorts and want something a little more shapely, fitted and premium,” said Trevor Hardy, chief marketing officer.
Orlebar Brown 6-inch Bulldog Shorts. Courtesy of Orlebar Brown
While Orlebar Brown’s 4.5-inch Setter shorts are gaining popularity, Hardy said the brand’s shortest shorts, the 3-inch Springer, remain a niche product. “Going any shorter would be a step too far, at least for now. There may be a new, more adventurous customer in 2025.”
Bonobos is confident the shorter trend is here to stay: “While our customers’ preferred inseam is 7 inches, we’ve seen a significant increase in sales of 5 inches,” said Hazel Morley, vice president of design. The brand is adapting its sales strategy accordingly, to offer more shorts in that length.
Chubbies has also hinted that it plans to expand its selection to lengths of 4 inches or longer by spring 2025. Created by a group of friends as a subtle antidote to high fashion, Chubbies describes itself as the pioneers of the modern era of ultra-short men’s shorts.
Chubbies removable swim trunks. Courtesy of Chubbies.
“Looking at the market in 2011, our founders saw that there was a flood of knee-length cargo shorts and nothing that fit them. They wanted to bring back the style of shorts our fathers and uncles wore,” said Brian Easterman, vice president of product.
Easterman joked that while the original 5.5-inch, chino-like model is Chubbies’ most popular leisure shorts, customers are increasingly looking to the brand for sportswear, like swim trunks that rip apart to reveal the briefs underneath for “ultimate thigh liberation.”
With the Paris Olympics in full swing, demand for shorter lengths could rise as attention turns to sports where sprinters and swimmers favor shorter lengths. Adidas saw a 53% increase in searches for four-inch shorts compared to last year. Conversely, searches for longer shorts with a seven-inch inseam fell 19%. “The shorter the inseam, the more searches we get,” said a spokesperson for the German sports brand.
Boston Celtics player Larry Bird plays during the 1980 NBA playoffs at the Boston Garden. Sports Illustrated, via Getty Images
Matthew Franek, founder of luxury men’s lifestyle magazine Wm Brown, says the love affair with micro shorts dates back to 1980s athletes like tennis champion Bjorn Borg and pro basketball legend Larry Bird, both of whom played in Dolphin shorts with a three-inch inseam. “I grew up with that fit,” he says. “It was the norm, it was totally uncontroversial.”
Today, Franek said, “To be honest, there are many different types of men who wear short hair, but for me, the short hair stands out more. In most cases, the short haircut is more common on men with a smart style.”
“We know how cyclical fashion and style can be, so it was inevitable that the ’80s would make a comeback,” he continued. For him, baring your upper thighs not only shows “confidence and positive body image,” but it also makes you appear taller.
Matthew Franek wearing custom shorts. Courtesy of Matthew Franek
Franek, who won’t wear shorts longer than five inches, has them custom tailored by Miami-based bespoke tailor Fayad & Co.’s Mason Linens. “They look great with a blazer, and I like the formal feel; they feel less casual and more serious,” she says. Brown is hoping to show off her leggy figure through her ongoing collaboration with British brand Hemingsworth; the two recently launched a line of olive-hued herringbone shorts inspired by French military uniforms.
Three and a half inches is certainly beyond the limits of most men, and most people hanging out in New York’s Washington Square Park on a day when the temperature felt like 100 degrees Fahrenheit were not too keen on that length.
Jack Whitney, a music industry professional visiting from Nashville, said his limit is 5 to 6 inches, but he prefers pants. While Whitney won’t be wearing shorts anytime soon, he acknowledged that others are. “I think shorts are in right now,” he said. “They’re stylish, and they make you look like you’re trying something.”
Jan Willem Winkel in lavender shorts chosen by his girlfriend. Photo courtesy of Lexie Moreland
Jan Willem Winkel was proof enough of this, wearing a pair of smart lavender shorts picked out by his girlfriend. The Amsterdam-born Winkel explained that he wanted to expose his knees because he loves cycling, but stressed, “But if they’re too high, they look too feminine.”
Local fitness trainer Joel Ramsay was the most vocal in trying out the three-inch shoes, saying: “When it’s this hot, you don’t want to be wearing that much clothing.”
