6 Tips for Mens Shorts Codes for a More Mature Look

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6 Tips for Mens Shorts Codes for a More Mature Look

In the summer, there is an increasing number of people asking, “I want to wear shorts, but I’m worried that they will make me look childish. What is the best way to wear them to look more mature? These are some of the comments we receive from our readers. It is true that if you coordinate shorts without thinking about it, you often end up looking like a kid, or you end up with an ugly style that is not popular with women. Such mistakes in shorts coordination can be avoided surprisingly easily if you are aware of a few things and know the right items to match. So, in this issue, we will introduce some tips for making shorts coordination look more mature!

Tip #1: “The most important length in a shorts coordinate is now knee-length!

When creating a shorts coordinate, the most important point to keep in mind is the length of the shorts. While there have been trends in the length of shorts over the years, the current trend is toward knee-length shorts, or just above the knee. Furthermore, this knee-length is “just the right length,” neither too long nor too short, so it is important to keep in mind that it is a length that gives a balanced and relaxed impression.

Editor Izumi
Right now, I think it’s a good idea to choose a length that is just long enough to have the hem over the center of your knee plate. It could be a little shorter than the knee, but maxing it out would be about 10cm. I would feel that shorter than this would be bizarre, so for me personally and for the trend, I think it is best to keep it within 10 cm above the knee. On the other hand, if the length is too long and completely hides the knees, it gives a wild impression. When I was in the Alaska generation and around 20 years old about 10 years ago, there was a difference in trends (and youthfulness?). There were many people around me who wore shorts about 15cm above the knee in a fashionable outfit, or half pants below the knee in a dowdy skater fashion…. However, I recommend that men of the generation above Alaska now wear knee-length shorts, keeping in mind that this is a style that also exists in the past.

Jacquemus shorts

Tip #2 “Create a Y-line silhouette with a slightly oversized top and shorts.”

Size balance with tops is also important. As mentioned above, the current mainstream of shorts is relatively true to size, so if you match a true-to-size top with a true-to-size item, you are likely to end up with a tight, unrefined impression. The main tops to match with shorts are basically T-shirts and shirts, but the silhouettes of these items have settled down from the big silhouettes that were a major trend over the past few years to slightly oversized items, so it is best to choose such items to match.

Editor Izumi
I actually went in to cover the event and saw highly sensitive men at Pitti and Milan Fashion Week, etc., and the extreme oversizing has really decreased. The silhouettes have been reduced to either true-to-size or slightly oversized silhouettes. Just-size tops are of course good for wearing with long-length pants, but with shorts, they look too wild. I think it will work well if you coordinate with the image of a “Y” line!

GENTLEMAN PROJECTS T-shirt

Tip #3: “If you want to give your shorts coordinate a quick, mature look, matching them with a shirt will do the trick!

There are probably more than a few people who have a childish image of shorts. In such cases, it is recommended to choose shorts with a mature design as a base, and to enhance the mature look with other items. For example, items with a shirt collar can easily create a mature look, and look much more mature than a T-shirt, so if you have any of the above concerns, try combining them with a shirt.

Editor Izumi
Shirts can make any outfit look more mature, not just the shorts coordinate, so an adult man should have a few shirts for summer. Why not enjoy wearing them in a variety of ways? For example, if you want to go full throttle with a summery look, you can wear a short-sleeved open-collared shirt with a cool, attractive look. Linen and cotton are the basic materials, but you can also express a more mature look with rayon and other materials that have a sheen and a softness to them.

Tip 4: “Summer knitwear is also effective if you want to look elegant.”

The shirt combination in the previous section is an easy-to-understand coordination technique, but you can also refer to other patterns. Here is a shorts coordinate with a cardigan over a T-shirt. Although the color scheme is a bit garish, it adds an elegant element unique to knitwear to the coordination.

Editor Izumi
Knitwear in summer…? You may be thinking, “But of course, this is not a winter knit! There is a genre of “summer knitwear” made of breathable and cool to the touch materials such as tropical wool and linen, which can be worn in summer without worrying about the heat. The above snap shows an example of coordination with a summer knit cardigan, but please consider knit T-shirts, which can create a classy mood with the look of a T-shirt coordinate. I think it will change the way you think about T-shirts and shorts.

JOHN SMEDLEY Knit T-shirt

Tip #5: “If you are aiming for a chic and relaxed adult image, use darker tones for shorts.”

Of course, shorts in light tones such as beige, white and light gray are fine, but if you want to create a more mature atmosphere with color, choose dark tones such as black, navy and brown. The fresh impression may be diminished, but if you are looking for a chic and relaxed style, try coordinating with shorts that are darker in tone.

Editor Izumi
Shorts with bright or flashy colors can create a resort or summery brightness, but they can also be associated with a young image. If you want to go for a chic look, black is the best choice. If you feel that black is too heavy, why not try brown or dark olive green as well?

STONE ISLAND shorts

Tip 6: “For the classic men’s summer coordinate of shorts and sandals, match elegant leather sandals that look like leather shoes.

When creating a shorts coordinate, you may be tempted to wear sandals. Leather sandals are good for a seasonal look, but if you choose rubber thongs or sports sandals, there is a big chance that you will look like a little boy, so we would like to focus on leather sandals. Leather sandals are the perfect summer shoe for adults. Although they are sandals in shape, the texture of the leather gives them a classy mood like leather shoes.

Editor Izumi
Leather sandals are a very common shoe at summer Pitti and other events. Especially in the June 2023 installment, there were large numbers of men wearing Birkenstock Boston. Mule-type sandals such as the Boston are a little special, but basically, the larger the area of leather on the upper of a leather sandal, the more elegant it looks, similar to leather shoes. Gurkha sandals are a typical example of sandals that are closest to leather shoes. On the other hand, thong-type sandals such as island slippers are quite rough, even if they are made of leather. Of course, they are definitely more mature than rubber beeswax sandals, but if you want to give a more mature look to your shorts and sandals coordinate, a type with a buckle belt is a good candidate.

Paraboot Pacific

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