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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Peter Bevan

The best short shorts for men – and how to pull them off

Paul Mescal is seen front row at the Gucci Men's Spring Summer 2025 Fashion Show during the Milan Fashion Week Menswear Spring/Summer 2025 at Triennale di Milano on June 17, 2024 in Milan, Italy.
Boxer boy … Gladiator star Paul Mescal has embraced wearing underwear as outerwear Photograph: Victor Boyko/Getty Images for Gucci

According to the hemline index, skirts shift upwards during prosperous times – the theory being that hemlines rise and fall in line with the economy. Well, it seems that for guys, it’s the opposite. With turbulent markets, our shorts are rising higher than ever – so much so that this season has been dubbed “thigh guy summer”.

Sure, we’ve sort of been here before. Donald Glover was spotted in teeny tiny shorts back in 2022 while Paul Mescal, the king of short shorts, has been wearing them ever since Normal People was released in 2020. And lest we forget Milo Ventimiglia’s viral moment in his post-workout micro-minis in 2021.

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