Men over 40, 50 wearing shorts?

Well, at least it's not another Trump thread.

Why not? Some people look better the more of their bodies are covered -- at any age.

I'm not much of a shorts man, so have no personal stake in the matter, but so long as your legs don't look like old purplish-bruised hairless ball skin stretched taut and shiny like some perverse drum, I don't mind.

If you're fit and in reasonably good shape then yes you can get away with shorts at pretty much any age.

R2 is right, I've seen people in their 20's that really need to be fully covered (and a considerable acreage of material will be needed)

So long as where you are is shorts appropriate. Don't go to a funeral thinking black shorts are appropriate. If it's shorts appropriate and it's warm enough you wear what you want. Who cares what others think? Fuck 'em. They don't feed you; you don't need them.

I’m with R4, it’s not the who so much as the where for me.

I don't care who you are, if you are out in PUBLIC, make sure your ass, dick, balls, vulva or pubic hair is not visible or hanging in shorts. Shorts should not resemble diapers. We don't need to see all that.

If you are inside or in a private area (spa, pool, laying out, sunning your buns) then go ahead and show yer stuff if ya want to.

I go back and forth on this. I would never wear shorts in LA or NYC - you'd look like a tourist, but in the south and warmer climates and think they're fine when worn properly. And anyone can wear shorts, as long as they are wearing the right shorts. You have to be thin in order to wear the shorter styles.

Some DLers don’t know what it’s like to live in a hot and humid climate. Hence, the rigid “rules” about shorts and flip flops.

What? People in LA wear shorts all the time. Non-tourists.

I live in NYC and wear shorts on hot days.

[quote] I would never wear shorts in LA or NYC - you'd look like a tourist,

That's absurd, even by DL standards. As if native NYer's never wear shorts? We won't even get into LA.

OP needs to spend the money on a Netflix subscription to relieve his tedious boredom.

I probably live in a hotter climate than most anyone here, R8, (up to 120F in the summer), and yet I would only wear shorts on the very rare occasion of going to the beach or something similar. It's just a matter of personal taste and comfort, certainly not a rigid rule nor a point of shame.

If I were given the power to make rigid rules that would be observed closely, I could find a few hundred or so very easily before giving even a fleeting thought to shorts

who cares as long as you're comfortable and don't smell

Imagine living your life concerned whether other people are following arbitrary fashion rules that have absolutely no impact on you.

short shorts are required

[quote] who cares as long as you're comfortable and don't smell

Best advice ever offered on DL. Applies to almost every situation.

Yes, it's fine.

If you got the legs . . .

There is more to consider in life than whether or not other people approve of your body or your clothing. If it’s hot out, wear shorts.

When I moved from upstate NY to SWFL, I sold my wardrobe to the guy who bought my house. That was eight years ago. I could count the number of times I’ve worn slacks here since on one hand.

Most middle aged and old men have scrawny ugly chicken legs and even I wouldn’t stop them from wearing shorts if weather permits. I just avert my eyes.

I've been catching up on New Yorkers and just read a feature on Thom Browne, who was pictured wearing shorts with a suit jacket. Looked like a fool.

But yeah, if your legs are okay and the time/place is appropriate, have at it.

[quote] imagine living your life concerned whether other people are following arbitrary fashion rules that have absolutely no impact on you.

Calm down Swami, its a big leap to assume asking such a question indicates a slavish adherence to arbitrary rules.

This is how I picture R7:

I have the legs, but my rule since I was about 30 is no sports, no shorts.

And now you’re 92 years old r26?

No, but I do live in Europe.

[quote]Most middle aged and old men have scrawny ugly chicken legs

Yeah that would be me. Ugh. I wish I had the legs to wear shorts. Jealous of guys who do.

[quote] I sold my wardrobe to the guy who bought my house.

That's an unusual combination transaction.

The problem with most men is that they get a style and just stick with it, even long after the style no longer suits their particular body type. Wear shorts if you want, but just make sure that they fit and are appropriate for your body as it is now and not as it was back in 1994

I'm 62 and where shorts in hot weather. Don't understand why Op considers wearing shorts a faux pas.

[quote]No, but I do live in Europe.

Yes, shorts in a city are an excellent indicator of a non-European. Shorts + city + loud = American.

Hotpants for everyone.

I agree with r7, but r25 cracked me up nonetheless.

WHO wears short shorts?

WE wear short shorts!

I lived in a small Italian city for most of my adult life and never wore shorts. You just don't. That's for tourists. The only time I ever wore shorts was on vacation at the beach. And it was the same living in NYC. New Yorker's don't wear shorts.

Now I'm in a small American town and I'm in shorts from May to October. If you're an older guy, no one is looking at you anyway....so who cares?

I switched over to shorts at the beginning of this week. I have the legs for them, and look decently put-together in a modest pair. Wearing tank tops, alas, is an entirely different matter.

I'm in Wilton Manors, FL. It's going to be in the 90s this weekend - wearing anything other than shorts would be suicide...

I am 57 and still look great in shorts.

I love wearing them.

What do you guys wear on your feet when in shorts? I feel ridiculous in socks.

yeah, socks don't work. light slip on shoes without socks are the best. I think you should avoid sandals if your feet are jacked up or unkempt.

A self-congratulatory remark from Greg? How unexpected!

I'd like to see photos of these great-looking legs in shorts.

[quote]I probably live in a hotter climate than most anyone here, [R8], (up to 120F in the summer), and yet I would only wear shorts on the very rare occasion of going to the beach or something similar.

Ah, R13 -- but I bet you have an attractive collection of caftans!

If you're in a place where people wear shorts then you can wear them too. Period. The kind/style depends on your body type and age. I despise long shorts, as they are unflattering to just about everyone. The word "short" is in there for a reason! To me, the far bigger sin is inappropriate footwear with the shorts. Shorts are casual wear, so they require casual shoes. Socks, if worn, should be ankle-length -barely visible if at all. Sandals are perfectly fine unless you have toenail fungus or some other unsightly problem. Socks may never be worn with sandals. If for some reason you have to wear socks, put on sneakers.

One recent summer in London during a terrible heatwave I looked around and saw businessmen wearing shorts as part of a suit! Actual tailored shorts of the same material as their coats. I consider now that I have seen Everything, and no longer worry about wearing walking shorts in Europe. If it gets hot enough, the locals wear shorts too. The only real difference is that my legs are usually more tanned than theirs.

I am 61 and have perfectly respectable legs.

What about women in shorts, DL? Do you mind hints, or even blasts, of cellulite or varicose veins? Or do you not care as long as they're not coochie cutters and nothing smelly or hanging out?

My mother raised me to be in slightly above the knee bermudas only because I have thick thighs (not sure they save lives).

No one cares about women r47

My eyes just slide off of them

R47, I won't expand on your description except to say that older women with nice legs tend toward wearing dresses and skirts, at least in my experience.

But I'd rather see chicken-legged old men than some of the bloated, misshapen, rippled, older women legs I regularly see in shorts in summer.

When I lost a ton of weight, I kept the chunky legs and ass for about 30 years.

Now I’ve been getting thinner, my thighs are hollowing out. I’m worried that my ass has lost all fat and is now just bad deflated rubber and my bullshit bodyhair has evolved into muskrat fur and my balls itch at weird times without a tumor. Now, I’m convinced I have ghost tumors. You wouldn’t know about them. Sniff.

Free to Be … You and Me.

R46, no show socks went out of style. It’s fine to wear black athletic socks with black tennis shoes or white socks with light sneakers.

I live in the Northern US Great Lakes and there are plenty of people who wear shorts all year round, doesn't matter whether it is snowing or ice cold out. Shorts look better than sweatpants or leggings on fat legs and even on most people.

[quote]no show socks went out of style.

No they haven't

You are correct op

Somebody better inform Chris Pine about the no-shorts rule in Los Angeles.

We see nasty varicose veins down the leg to the ankle around here, then the flip flops with crusty feet. Nice

Some of us are not confined to the dementia ward, like you r57

Short pants are for boys age eight and under.

I wear shorts most days of the year. Always have. I do this for comfort.

Whether I have nice legs or not does not weigh into my decision to wear shorts.

Also, what others think of my decision to wear shorts couldn't possibly matter less to me.

I'm in shape, and my clothes fit well. But I'm still going to wear whatever I want on any given day, regardless of age and the opinions of others. And shorts over forty and fifty, of all things? Get fucked. I only get one life, and I'm not holding back where that's concerned. It helps that my wardrobe is fairly traditional (with a lot of fun pieces thrown in). But I'll be wearing shorts when I'm eighty.

For most men it's generally not a good idea to wear shorts if you're over 50, unless you always had pretty good legs and are still in decent shape. I see older guys in shorts and it's mostly cringe inducing. I'm 62 and I still have good legs, so I will sometimes wear shorts on very warm days.

I wear boxers as shorts.

I was in the gym and looked in the mirror and saw suddenly I had old man legs when I always had shapely, muscled, hairy legs. Since then I haven't worn shorts when I was always in them outside of work when the weather got warm. I was grossed out by the loss of hair, the translucent skin and veiny look. I don't like looking at them and other people shouldn't have to see them even quickly in passing. They might not care 'He's old so what?' but I do.

Just don’t pull your shorts up into your ass crack. If you do, you will be asked to leave.

If it feels good, do it.

Life is short. Ignore everyone else’s silly rules. Wear what you want.

R67 = R66

The benefit of never skipping leg day. My legs are like tree trunks and my ass is a badonkadonk. Even at 49. I gave up knee length cargos a long time ago for 4" inseam shorts.

I like hairy legs, and shapely legs with all the parts in evidence (as opposed to those poor things whose thighs, knees, calves are ankles are indistinguishable - just a sausage with a shoe on one end.)

Otherwise I never saw the appeal of muscled legs. It's not as though I need someone to pull a tractor out if the mud or give them plough oxen a day off.

But to each his own.

*give the plough oxen

[quote] just a sausage with a shoe on one end.

That made me laugh.

[quote] The benefit of never skipping leg day. My legs are like tree trunks and my ass is a badonkadonk.

I am afraid I will have to be the judge of that.

Photos please, or it never happened.

I wear shorts all summer and sometimes not in the summer. Who gives a shit?

Some DL posters feel they are the arbiters of taste in fashion. However, when we have threads asking for specific fashion advice, it’s crickets or Costco.

My legs are very hairy but a bit chickeny (henie? Sonia) no toenail fungus but huge gnarly toes with untrimmed nails. I wear crocks.

Sure, you can wear whatever you want. But we live in a society, and dressing/grooming nicely is also about showing consideration for others.

On a plane, do you want to sit next to The Dude?

Maybe r77. Depends. If he doesn't stink...

R77 Wearing shorts doesn't make you The Dude.

R77 You'd make a good mom.

And you're a perfect misogynist, r80.

R79, some people said it didn't matter what your legs look like. I say if your legs look horrible, don't show them in public.

R81 has mommy issues

As do you, r83, nobody escapes that one.

Amen R75.

By all means, dress for comfort, in your clothes bought by the bag from Costco. Because nothing is more important to us than your lardass comfort.

R86 has control issues

I’m too busy with my own life to give a sweet fuck-all for what anybody is wearing.

But not too busy to be a complete asshole and announce my indifference on social media.

Never too busy to call out a cunt.

Dumbest thread.

Aggressively unattractive.

And?

R37 We have to needlessly suffer in the eat just because a entire country is stubborn and foolish in its fashion rules? Europe has the fastest rising temperatures of any continent; we'll see how long they last in their dress pants. And when I go to Italy I AM a tourist, which is far more obvious by my American accent and inability to speak Italian than by my clothing choices, so what's the point of trying to hide the fact?

I'm not saying wear a Disney tshirt, MAGA hat, and Costco cargo shorts, but it's important to consider one's own comfort when traveling.

Woman of a certain age here. No shorts ever. Not even when running. They are generally unflattering to women, except for those who have longer, slim, toned, blemish-free legs--i.e., less than about 20% of us.

In hot weather, a light dress is perfect and merciful to others' eyes.

Same rules for men, including the dress.

[quote] "Sure, you can wear whatever you want. But we live in a society, and dressing/grooming nicely is also about showing consideration for others."

The key is to exercise self-respect, and an understanding of what is appropriate when, and where. I'm not suggesting people walk around looking like garbage. I just think that people should dress for themselves, R77. Fashion should be fun. But there absolutely are necessary and important guidelines.

[quote]it's important to consider one's own comfort when traveling.

I would never say don't consider your own comfort, but there are flattering and appropriate styles that both provide comfort and allows you to make a nice presentation. The way you're dressed, the way you're groomed can sometimes make the difference between a table at a nice restaurant on vacation versus a Big Mac and Fries at the Rome McDonald's.

You don't have to appropriate the styles of where you're traveling, but do you really want to look like a rube in shorts and Crocs just because it comfortable?

In the DC summer, a pair of lightweight linen or cotton trousers can sometimes be cooler than a pair of shorts.

Just in general at least 50% of people do not have nice enough legs that should be displayed wearing shorts, at least not on a regular basis. That percentage increases as people age due to either muscle loss, or fatty deposits or legs just get too scrawny. Just my own personal observation that people over 60 shouldn't wear shorts on a daily basis unless you don't care that it makes you look worse and older.

This thread is hilarious

If you live where I live, Naples FL, you’re gonna see men’s legs no matter what. At least they’re tanned here. Lawyer John Morgan says that being tan makes fat even look better.

r73 Here, see?

All this fuss is ridiculous. Restaurants, churches, and a few other places have dress codes. You follow them, or you don't enter. Easy. But cities and countries do not have dress codes. If your clothes are clean, fit properly, and cover what is legally required to be covered you are fine. American tourists are always easily picked out of the crowd. We tend to be bigger and taller, and our clothes are different in color, cut, and style. You're not going to be mistaken for a native, so as long as you're not being offensive -be comfortable!

I self identify as a pretentious European cunt and I demand that you affirm me…all 350 pounds of me wearing a Wisconsin Badgers T shirt, flip flops and ass showing shorts

Gosh, I just couldn't care less what a stranger is wearing when I'm out and about. If it's hideous? That's on them. If they look great? Cool. I guess? Unless I'm planning to fuck that person, I just don't really care either way.

And when I'm running errands or whatever, I wear clothes strictly for comfort. That is usually shorts. I'm 44 and have nice enough legs. But I would wear shorts even if I didn't. Again, I am not looking to get laid when I run to the store. I guess I'm not super interested in strangers' approval. I also don't want to be a source of discomfort for said strangers. I am NOT wearing short shorts. Just normal khakis.

Now, if I'm going out or to a wedding or to an event? Then I do dress to kill. Because I have a specific reason to do just that.

[quote] Now, if I'm going out or to a wedding or to an event? Then I do dress to kill. Because I have a specific reason to do just that.

What's your reason?

Full basket?

Why are baskets and bulges more visible in shorts? The lighter colors?

Yes. Esp ugly fat whores. The females think they can wear whatever.

Men over 90 wearing shorts?

After a certain age, your elbows and knees should remain unseen.

Are shorts really necessary in a climate controlled indoor environment?

Not all of us are confined to the memory care unit like you are r110

I’m wearing shorts RIGHT NOW, in public, because it’s 91 F.

My legs don't look so bad, but my knees I'm not so proud of. I had a good legs in my 20s. In my 30s, I got fat. I lost weight in my 40s, but by then my knees started to sag.

You can wear shorts if you can pass the "old man test" !!! I tried it I passed!

Damn R101! You're the perfect Mesomorph!!! Are you single?

New Yorkers do wear shorts. Especially in the park and in the warmer months, particularly July and August. But not everywhere.

r114 Nope same man 25 years.

Shorts always... I'm in Florida. Unless it's really cold, like in the 50s.

My legs look terrific. The rest of me...

I follow this almost 40y/o on Twitter. He’s in London.

What say ye, Datalounge?

I'm 62 and wear shorts whenever I want and I live in Los Angeles. Do you and do it with pride!

I think everyone enjoys a gander at white scaly skin. Especially with sagging white socks.

R81 Because you sound like someone's mom?

I didn't realize so many of you look so shitty. Saggy knees? Scaly skin? I'm 65 and my legs have looked the same for 25 years. Maybe I'm just lucky but I always tried to exercise. My folks looked good in shorts in their 80s.

Fine. When it's hot, why not?

This question is so fucking stupid, OP. What's your problem with shorts?

If ya got it...

Most people consider themselves better looking than they actually are. The same goes for opinions about one’s own appendages.

R126 Not really.

A typical example of older men wearing shorts.

r128 you and I go to different beaches,

^That's no beachgoer. That's AI

okay this beach then

[quote]I would never wear shorts in LA or NYC - you'd look like a tourist,

Oh just get fucked

[quote] Hence, the rigid “rules” about shorts and flip flops.

That's because Mother always told them "shorts and flip flops are only for the common people."

As the doctor administered the weekly enema.

r132 she's never been to SMB on a Saturday night in july.

Of course it is acceptable at any age- sheesh. What no one should pay attention to is the judgement of dehumanizing imbeciles.

After 70 it's a very short mumu or nothing.

Everyone who said who cares? As long as you are comfortable must not own and Use full length mirrors.

What you don't seem to understand, R137, is that we're saying we don't CARE what other people think. We look in those full-length mirrors all the time. But we see ourselves as a whole person -not just legs. That's the great thing about a full-length mirror: it allows you to see more than just a part of you.

Komfort, komfort uber alles.

Is R129 Robert De Niro?

Older men not wearing shorts is just as sage advise as they shouldn't go around shirtless.

R137 So you think every man over 40 or 50, without exception, needs to hide his body? You've never seen any attractive older men?

OP wants men in burkas.

And caftans.

I know this bi guy who doesn't wear shorts ever! he has very skinny legs. He works out but only his top half of body. He doesn't look bad for a man in his mid 50s, doesn't have a belly. He knows they're too skinny and ugly to wear shorts

The legs are the last to go.