Sunday, April 03, 2011

Snarky Fashion Rant: Guys Wearing Shorts in Winter

Is it just my imagination or has the following "somewhat retarded" fashion trend been gaining popularity in recent years: Guys are now wearing shorts all year-round, even in the middle of winter, and sometimes even when it's snowing and really cold (see example above)?  This last winter especially, I observed many dozens of guys wearing shorts outside in Minnesota, Michigan and Washington, D.C. even when the temperatures have been in the 20s, 30s or 40s.

Maybe this is something like the retarded fashion practice of wearing a baseball cap backwards, where the thinking must be something like this: "It doesn't make any logical or rational sense to wear a baseball cap backwards (or wear shorts in the middle of winter), and in fact it's somewhat retarded.  But maybe it's so goofy and retarded, that if enough people start doing it, it will somehow be perceived as being cool and fashionable, instead of being nonsensical and stupid."   

Help me out here, has anybody else noticed this? 

16 Comments:

At 4/03/2011 8:58 AM, Blogger Sean said...

I've seen it a lot over the years, but I haven't noticed an increase. When I ask these people what they're thinking, they always say, "I'm not cold. I like shorts."

 
At 4/03/2011 9:08 AM, Blogger Tim Worstall said...

It's clear that Bryan Caplan has become a fashion icon.

 
At 4/03/2011 9:41 AM, Blogger Adam said...

I wear shorts year round. My legs don't get cold (they get cool, but I like that) and I don't like wearing pants. It's not a fashion statement, it's pure comfort.

When it's in the 30s or 40s my favorite attire is shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt. Does that make me stupid?

 
At 4/03/2011 9:42 AM, Blogger Jason said...

Seen it. I think they are morons wearing the uniform of retards.

Seriously, 100,000 years of homo sapien technological improvement and people consciously deny it? More and more Mike Judge's "Idiocracy" seems prophetic.

 
At 4/03/2011 10:06 AM, Blogger Marc said...

As someone that does this, it is for comfort. I should say I never go out in shorts if I expect to be outside more than a few minutes. Using a snow blower to clear snow in shorts is retarded, shoveling on the other hand is hard work and though I wear pants, I always wear a light jacket no matter the temp and I still sweat.

 
At 4/03/2011 10:11 AM, Blogger Matt said...

I perceive it as a "manliness" issue/conundrum (see Harvey Mansfield's book) within the workforce population. Fewer men wear dirty, rugged wear...it's a manifestation of a male identity problem...not limited to the seasons either.

 
At 4/03/2011 11:20 AM, Blogger Mark Sundstrom said...

My gosh, is this an April Fool's post that's two days late?? I walk outdoors for exercise every day of the year, regardless of the weather, and if it's above about 35-40 degrees, I'm wearing shorts, because it's more comfortable.

 
At 4/03/2011 11:34 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

More of our body head is lost thorough our head than our legs so it makes much more sense to wear shorts than it does not to wear a hat in cold weather (I used to be a runner). If someone is not wearing a hat and someone is not wearing long pants and it is cold, who is really the retarded one? :)

The backwards baseball hat is another story. It does deflect the sparks from going down your back at the collar opening if you are wearing a welding helmet and welding and it is impossible to wear the baseball cap forward when wearing a catcher's mask.

I find it difficult to take anyone professionally seriously if they are wearing their hat/cap backwards. Maybe that's the real reason--maybe we could stand to take ourselves less serious sometimes and just have fun.

 
At 4/03/2011 1:07 PM, Blogger Ron H. said...

Here's a good argument for why wearing a baseball cap backwards is retarded.

 
At 4/03/2011 1:36 PM, Blogger KauaiMark said...

"...baseball cap backwards"

Since I'm bald, I need head covering during sunny weather.

So yes, I wear mine backwards but only while driving with the top down.

It blows off my head if I don't.

 
At 4/03/2011 3:15 PM, Blogger Ron H. said...

Actually, that guy blowing snow while wearing shorts has probably just spent $200 in that new tat on his calf, and wants to show it off.

 
At 4/03/2011 7:22 PM, Blogger Steamboat Lion said...

We have a rule here in Steamboat - no long pants for casual activities unless there's snow on the ground.

You don't see a lot of guys wearing shorts though in the middle of a 400 inch winter.

 
At 4/03/2011 7:40 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

The FeMen who sport tattos(sic?) on their calves are acting on an urge to distinguish themselves and strut their 'plummage'. If one places a beloved mark on a limb and then covers it with clothing, then one becomes like all of the other uncool squares in suburbia.

OMG! What's worse than that?! Having children who prefer to read? Driving an old (pre-'09, non-hybrid) car? Oh, the humanity!

 
At 4/06/2011 3:01 PM, Blogger Tscottme said...

When I was in college in Daytona I had my first contact with this behavior. Most students were from NY/NJ/PA. Guys (Guidos) that would wear long pants all year long showed up in shorts on the first frost day of the year.

 
At 4/07/2011 8:28 PM, Blogger Dr. Tufte said...

I know what "mountain weather" is.

When I moved to the high plains, hard by the mountains, of southern Utah 10 years ago, my real estate agent warned me about mountain weather. He wouldn't tell me what that meant.

I found out about 2 years ago, and again last Sunday.

Mountain weather means the day will come when you have to shovel in sandals.

This past Sunday was worse. The wind was blowing on Saturday and aggravating everyone's allergies. It was hot, so we closed the windows and turned on the A/C for the first time this year, and went to bed. When i woke up (at close to 10) there was still about 4 inches of snow on the ground.

So ... this guy isn't that crazy.

 
At 2/18/2012 10:55 AM, Blogger Keith Lander said...

It's not about fashion for me. It's this simple. Wear shorts, loose weight. It takes calories to keep your body warm, wearing pants reduces the number of calories you burn at rest to stay warm. I've worn shorts year round for 20 years and have caught flack in years past but now that this knowledge is becoming more main stream I catch way less grief. Plus WAY more comfortable.

 

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