Can Men Wear Shorts To A Wedding?

I’m 49 but Young Looking because I lost over 88lbs and slim down to just 14% body fat. I’m actually more attractive now @49 than I was when I was FAT @29. It’s not the “AGE” but the SHAPE you’re in. I do wear shorts (but NOT Cargo). I hate Shorts with large leg opening (make you look fat). It hard to find shorts with tighter leg opening, so the best option is to CUT slim jeans/ chino into shorts.

Love shorts and will always wear them. Im 58, and in the spring and summer where i live it can get pretty hot. Rather be cool and comfortable rather than be hot and stuffy. I have always said, if you feel good and confident in what you wear go for it. I dont really care what others think about it, as long as Im good with what I choose to wear, thats all that matters.

this was really helpful as well, john. i have been helping my favorite gym instructor with some facebook Live Zumba classes since the lockdowns, and i have taken your suggestions (staying away from gym shorts that are too long and too baggy), and they have been very well received. as it is, most of my classmates wondered how i could walk and talk at the time, especially at 65. LOL!! needless to say, I have incorporated your suggestions into shorts for other than the gym. thanks so much.

It is difficult to image not wearing shorts during hot and humid weather, especially during the months of July and August. The older I get, I do find myself feeling more self-conscious wearing shorts. Thank you for helping to ease my mind that it is OK to wear shorts, even as a man over 40 and beyond.

Thank you. I am 66, youthful, athletic and have well defined legs. Family trait. I have lived in the Philippines for over 12 years. I run a business and have to diversify my dress, but I wear shorts every chance I get. I do so for comfort, but I can pull them off. I watch these websites for perspective, but I do reject the idea of strong opinions disguised as rules. I agree that a good fit is essential and also logical. I agree that certain colors clash with certain skin tones. Most importantly I agree that style is a form of self expression and personal choice. I like shorts.

off course ! im with you (1000%) with regards to wearing shorts you just have to bring your swag about it, im from Singapore, so i think it’s safe to wear shorts here. it’s all about presentation,that why i follow your website, &RMRS websites. fyi…… your never too late or too old to always present yourself right! CONFIDENCE!!!

I am 54 and always wear shorts and I’ve become accustomed to them so much that I don’t wear long trousers unless im going somewhere it wouldn’t be appropriate for shorts (like a funeral) you have some really good advice and i will share this article to friends who worry about the whole thing. Thank You.

I didn’t know that older men wearing shorts was an issue. I’m over 60 and love to wear short. I’m very particular when shopping for shorts. I do not want to appear immature (trying to look 20ish or 30ish). There are plenty of options to choose from to accomplish my goal of looking mature and not dorky at the same time. I do see some shorts options that, in my opinion, are dorky – maybe that’s possibly why some stylists diss shorts for older men in general, I don’t know. I follow a few websites for style, one of which is yours. I appreciate most of what you post/stream. One that you mentioned that I absolutely refuse to follow, AWxInc (the female of the two) is EXTREMELY condescending on most of her rants. I can respect Youtubers for their point of view, but she, well, over-the-top arrogant in her approach. (She makes me want to go out and buy a case of crocs and distribute them in Manhatten.) Thanks for this very informative post. You always help and add solid knowledge to my styling endeavors. Thank you sir.

Jon. Here’s a comment inspired by my ironic circumstance. I am a bilateral leg amputee, so wearing shorts is a convenience! I’ve have long past the self consciousness of stares & the uncomfortable “thank you for your service” comments. One of several awakenings resulting from this fore-shortening, is that, not only does form follow function, but I can also change my legs like you guys can change your shoes! With the awesome advancements in prosthetic tech I proudly exhibit “my gear”— its shorts 24/7😎. The point being; Guys, move past your insecurities!!! However, adhere strictly to Jon’s caveat: take the care to tailor your wardrobe perfectly.

Hey John! Whilst I do agree one should wear what they want, I also do see that shorts can look juvenile and/or too casual. As long as you keep that in mind I think it should be fine! Plus if it’s 35 celsius out and so humid your sweat doesn’t evaporate, no advancement of textile technology has made it cooler to wear long pants over shorts! – Han

That’s depends on the figures (not 40,50,or60)to make it looks good in shorts, in this case, short people looks better than tall people, as they have long and thin legs, short people can have some length design shorts to make it looks good, but one thing they should know that the right size of polo shirts is a perfect choice go for a shorts, some overlength T shirt or dress shirt looks like a skirt for them if they are not have tuck in or in a shorter design(sport)shorts.

I think you have excellent taste and as an older Florida fellow I agree entirely. However, one point which merits emphasis is that long basketball or similar shorts look stupid on grown men of any age, except on a ball court. Even worse are the camouflage shorts and pants which should be restricted to wooded areas, military deployment to forested areas or perhaps worn to an audition for a part in the next Mad Max remake.

I think you should have mentioned context for wearing shorts. Of course any older guy can wear shorts if he is going to the gym or swimming/hanging out by the pool/beach. What I am imagining most people struggling to think about is if an older guy should wear shorts to something like a backyard bbq in the summer. In Ashley Weston’s article, they very importantly mentioned that at some point it’s going to be so hot outside that wearing shorts will not make you feel cooler compared to wearing pants.

I think making your legs look ‘presentable’ also plays a part. If you have wild crazy hairy legs, maybe think about trimming the hair with clippers to make it a little neater. The hair on my shins stops growing half way down. It makes it look like I started shaving and decided to stop half way up. So in the summer I start using hair removal cream in the shower. Or I’ll use clippers to try to blend the hair in so it isn’t just a line with hair on one side and no hair on the other.

I’m a 53 year old man and live also in a warmer climate enviroment so shorts are very comfortable to wear. That said the trick if any is like many things it needs to be Age Apropiate. Sure we are bombarded with imagery featuring the young, but one can take ideas from it to incorporate it to ones liking and style. Many men my age and even older are taking care of their bodies and so they look fantastic, however even if one has the body of a 20 something year old don’t dress it as if you were that age. But at the same time if you feel like it go ahead, its within your comfort zone then. John thanks for making such great articles with great topic!

I’m with you on this one John. This has been a big fashion debate topic in The NY Times for years. It comes up every year. For example, Fran Lebowitz is a big opponent of men wearing shorts. The question about age appropriateness arises from the fact that “short pants” used to be worn only by younger boys. That fashion convention was well understood by adolescent boys in the 70s, and earlier, who wouldn’t be caught dead wearing them after age 12 or 13. It suggested you were still a little kid. Sports and physical education were the exceptions. I began ignoring that rule in the mid 80s in my 20s. That seems to have been when it first started to became mainstream for younger men in the United States to wear shorts. It was also a function of men living in hot climates. But yes, men can wear shorts. Never to formal events and never to “the office.” I have age guidelines that relate to length. Generally speaking it’s not cool to wear short shorts around 5 – 6″ because it’s too provocative, especially over 40. My rule is 7 to 9 inches. The older I’ve gotten – the longer, so at age 61 I now mainly wear 9 inch shorts. My intuition always led me to dislike longer shorts at or over the knee because those are “half pants” or Capri. They look like hell, make up your mind shorts or pants. Also no cargo shorts unless you need them in your work. There is a working man exception to that rule. By definition, for men shorts are at least a couple of inches above the knee. I’m more conservative (only in fashion) so I generally wear solid conservative colors, but that’s just me it’s not a rule.

There was a technical glitch five minutes before the article was scheduled to start, but the excellent advice notice that you included into the promotion article apparently over rode the technical problem and at 8.58pm, Melbourne time it fired up spot on time. I am only detailing this for you because I have been personally involved with the setting up of global telecommunications, on a still ongoing basis since 1972 and in this end of the world, the reception problem is usually at the sending end, because the Australian network is extremely stable. Which is a constant frustration when you are trying to communicate with the neighbours in the Pacific, or in Indonesia. Where I notice that your articles are watched. Anyway you didn’t convince me that I can wear shorts south of the Equator. But they certainly look good on you. But as my mother would remind me in Summer “You’ve got legs like your Father. They look like Coke bottles”. My father was in the Navy and in Sydney, in the summer period, the compulsory uniform was baggy white shorts, with white shoes — not a good look. Phil.

I’m in my 60’s, live in SoCal and play a lot of golf. Oh, and I’m only 5’7″ tall. For me, tailoring and perfect proportion is a must with all my clothes. Yes, I love wearing shorts but often have a difficult time finding the right length and fit. I pay to have my long pants tapered and hemmed, so why not shorts too? Yes, I spend more than guys who are 6’ tall and can wear off the rack sizes, but everything I own fits me perfectly. I’m happy to pay the extra money to dress well, on the course or off it.

I’m a 57 year old grandfather with a decent build. An older guy looks great in shorts permitting its the right fit colors and proper shirt and footwear. At 57 I look better than some 30 yearolds in my area who don’t care about style. I’ve seen 25 yearolds who look horrible in shorts and some 70 yearolds who look great.

The two over at AWxInc are totally wrong. And they’re also wrong about how guys should “never wear henleys.” It reminds me of an old YouTube article where a so-called “expert” said guys under 5’10” should never wear sweaters, suits, and about 20 other things because they supposedly make them look shorter. Some weird ideas out there.

I understand why shorts get a bad rap; unless you look like an Italian fashion model, it’s unlikely that your hairy legs are your best feature. As you get older you’re also more likely to have varicose veins etc. I have lived in a wide variety of climates (I’m from Scotland where it’s not unrealistic to go 365 days without needing shorts) and generally I prefer to wear trousers/pants when I can but if you live in a humid tropical or subtropical climate that’s simply not going to be realistic throughout the year. Stick to well fitted tailored shorts and I think shorts look fine at any age.

Shorts over the age of 40 and 50? Absolutely! Especially in warmer climates. In the end, find your own style and enjoy it. Stop concerning yourself with what others think. You don’t want to look back upon your life in years to come and regret having not done what you wanted to do because of what other’s thought. That’d be a tragedy. Be you!👍🏻

OF COURSE YOU CAN WEAR SHORTS !!!!! Will this look nice on you?? Very very VERY likely not, regardless if the shorts fit you well or not!!!! A cuffed chino for summer will look a million times better… shorts truly look MUCH more juvenile than a man in a cuffed chino – period! You wear what you want though! haha

Like so many other viewers, it hadn’t occurred to me that some people feel men shouldn’t wear shorts. I’m a 53 year old professional woman and I don’t know a single man who would find wearing shorts strange. Clearly I don’t mean in a high end restaurant at 9:00 pm or working in most business offices but for errands and socializing, this is normal. The bigger issue I see is putting the outfit together so you look fresh rather than sloppy. If you wear that t-shirt to cut the grass, it’s not the best choice for going out for the day. I love the driving moccasins in your next article. Men should wear them more.