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The Great GQ Shorts Survey - GQ Magazine

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How long is too long? How short is too short? Is TikTok right about inseams? The GQ style team breaks it all down.
Patagonia Shorts on graph
Photo Illustration by C.J. Robinson

Historians of the future will look back on 2020 and find a rich text. There was the once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, of course, and a presidential election of unusual consequence. It was also a really big year for shorts. Spring and summer 2020 found many Americans spending most of their time at home, swapping their jeans and slacks for something a little more comfortable, or otherwise out marching in the streets (and probably not in long pants). TikTok began its bizarre, meteoric ascent through popular culture, bringing with it some fiery-hot takes on shorts length. This was, indeed, the shortest summer of our lives. To make sense of the biggest shorts year in recent memory, GQ's style team convened to answer the most pressing shorts questions we could think of. 

What is the ideal shorts length?

Rachel Tashjian, staff writer: Basketball length: about a seven-inch inseam, or right above or below the knee.

Sam Schube, senior editor: Depends on the activity: two and a half inches for exercise, four for the beach, five everywhere else.

Martin Mulkeen, commerce director: Five inches.

Chris Gayomali, articles editor: Basketball shorts-length.

Willa Bennett, senior manager, social media: Five inches or shorter, thank you TikTok. Always trust the youth.

John Stockton wearing shorts of appropriate length.

Dick Raphael

Noah Johnson, style editor: Two to three inches below the knee.

Nikki Ogunnaike, deputy fashion director: Love a five-inch on guys! The more thigh the better!

Cam Wolf, staff writer: Five-inch inseam TikTok is nothing but a ruse to distract guys from the fact that the seven-inch short is still the ideal length. I want most of my shorts to hit just above my knee.

Megan Gustashaw, project and content manager: Five inches. 

Codie Steensma, deputy managing editor: The five-inch hype for gents is even more consistently solid for ladies.

Samuel Hine, senior associate editor: Five inches. Shorter if you are running, much longer if you are Rick Owens.

Yang-Yi Goh, style commerce writer: Either an inch shorter than you're comfortable with or three inches longer and flowier than anything you've worn since your Warped Tour days.

What shorts have you worn the most this summer?

RT: Raf Simons boxer shorts and Stussy board shorts, plus basketball shorts

SS: A pair of white, mesh-lined, Netflix-mailer-material gems from Adsum.

MM: An old version of these, from Bonobos. These, from Outdoor Voices, are a bit long so sometimes I'll roll the top to show a bit more leg.

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CG: Champion basketball shorts.

NJ: Casey Casey Ball Shorts in dark navy.

CS: Baserange raw silk Fortuna shorts & Acne satin shorts.

NO: Entireworld sweatshorts.

CW: I have two pairs of shorts I wear nearly every other day: a pair of purple 5-inch Patagonia baggies and John Elliott's luxe take on tie-dye basketball shorts. Upscale basketball shorts are really peak shelter-in-place wear—they are comfortable swishing around the house and nice enough to for a grocery store run.

WB: My Champion bball shorts are my absolute favorite. My fav fits of the summer have been my Champion shorts and either a crisp button up or a vintage jersey. They also look très chic with my Jordans.

MG: Mesh shorts with a four-inch inseam.

SH: Bode rugby shorts. They've got a five-inch inseam, a loose and billowy leg, and are now officially co-signed by Jay-Z, who was just photographed wearing them in the Hamptons. Flex!

YG: I just copped a pair of white Barbarian rugby shorts, which I used to wear while riding the bench on my high school rugby team. They have a daring four-inch inseam, are burly enough to survive the gnarliest of contact sports, and—like me—are made in Canada.

Have you been wearing shorts more or less often during the pandemic?

RT: MORE.

SS: A little more? I kinda feel silly if I'm not wearing pants to work.

MM: Way way way way more. I wear shorts every single day. Can't remember my last long pants day.

CG: Literally every day.

NJ: Way more. Pants are rare.

article image

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Get out your short-shorts and take off your shirt: it’s time to have yourself a Picassocore summer.

NO: More!

CW: More, much more. I never wore shorts to the physical office, meaning they were strictly a weekend indulgence. But now that my office is my home...

MG: So much more.

CS: More.

SH: My apartment's AC is busted, so shorts are an every day thing.

What is the best footwear to wear with shorts?

RT: Slippers, water shoes, or sandals. Doc Martens are cool too

SS: Loafers, preferably suede; white canvas sneakers.

MM: I like Birks or sneakies or Vans with no socks

CG: House slippers.

CS: Mule/slip on/slide.

NJ: Ribbed crew-length socks and running shoes.

NO: Converse Chuck Taylors like an old-timey basketball player.

CW: Low-top sneakers or, if you're classy, funky loafers!

WB: Jordans, baby.

MG: Old sneakers.

SH: Socks and Docs. My socks of choice are the white cotton pique ones Uniqlo makes, and my Dr. Martens are a Comme des Garçons collab. I also wear Solovair Gibsons, which are made at the original Docs factory in the UK.

YG: Sperry Captain's Oxfords and sparkling white tube socks for the full geriatric experience.

Who is the patron saint of shorts? As in: which person, famous or not, has worn them best and most inspirationally? Feel free to share a photo.

RT: JOSH HARTNETT

SS: John Stockton

MM: Too many to list, but right now I'm feeling William Hurt in Body Heat (1981).

CG: These kings.

NJ: I think my favorite shorts fit of all time is actually Frank Ocean in Comme des Garçons Homme Plus on the cover of 032c.

Jalen Rose, shorts innovator.

Mitchell Layton
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CW: Nigel Thornberry. Pleated safari shorts? Hell yeah. Also, my life changed when Frank Ocean wore those sparkly Comme des Garçons basketball shorts.

WB: Harry Styles. This is non-negotiable.

MG: Picasso and Harry Styles.

SH: Anyone born before the ’70s.

CS: Steve McQueen for the famous Dominis photos, but also some shots in The Thomas Crown Affair.

YG: The game warden in Jurassic Park, The Fab Five, and Mark Hoppus circa 1997.

Fashion heads: what are ~the shorts of the season~?

RT: Kiko Kostadinov's culottes.

CG: Basketball shorts.

NJ: Probably still Patagonia baggies. Or the Champion mesh shorts with pockets.

NO: Though I wish they were shorter, I'll always love a Dries van Noten short.

CW: Prada's black nylon shorts.

WB: YOUTH BBALL SHORTS

MG: The big, long Loewe shorts stand out to me.

SH: The shorts and culottes worn by USPS letter carriers.

How short is too short? How long is too long?

RT: 3 inch inseam. NO Short is TOO LONG!!!!!!

SS: Too short is basically impossible. Only maniacs go below the knee.

MM: That's different for everyone. You just gotta find your leg love quotient.

CG: All shorts are good.

NJ: N/A. There are no limits!

NO: Ya know that episode of Friends where Phoebe is dating the guy who wears basketball shorts with no underwear? That's too short.

SS: Too short is basically impossible. Only maniacs go below the knee. 

CW: Too short: Jerry Falwell Jr.'s speedo. Too long: capris. Everything in between is good shorting.

MG: Being too in the middle is really the thing that should keep you up at night!

SH: There's no such thing as too short. If your shorts look like capris they are probably too long.

CS: I want to see NO cheek. Standing or bending. I feel more accepting of various lengthier lengths as long as they're not cargo.

Please share any thoughts on pleats.

RT: “Pleats PLEASE!!!!” -Issey Miyake

NO: No pleats, please.

CS: Not everyday, and never khaki golf style. But I wouldn't roll over in my grave if you buried me in some proper slacks.

MM: Look great on Adam Scott!

CG: Pleats are cool.

NJ: We talking ghurkas? Fire. Golf shorts, not so much.

SS: Pro.

CW: If one pleat is good, two pleats are better. And making the entire shorts out of pleats (See: Miyake, Issey) is best.

MG: Wish more shorts had them.

SH: When it comes to pleats I stick to the martini rule: two are too many.

YG: The deeper the better. And if you've got 'em, make sure that shirt is tucked.

Cargo shorts: in or out?

RT: Fine, I guess.

SS: Out.

MM: For ME they are OUT, for the simple reason that the addition of side pockets necessitates an inseam that is too long for me to feel comfortable. But I see DiCaprio out here doin' it big with the cargos and more power to him, I say.

CG: They're not basketball shorts.

Josh Hartnett, seen here making a case for the cargo short at the 1999 premiere of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.

Barry King
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NJ: In. Good for carrying weed.

NO: Out.

CW: In! We've ridden all the rides at Bizarro Pants World and now I'm ready to check out the weirdest shorts in the universe.

SH: I can't think of a cool pair of cargo shorts right now, but I'd be happy to be proven wrong. Cargo pants on the other hand are unequivocally in.

CS: See above. Out.

RT: In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, it is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion.

SS: The children are our future.

MM: I am old and feel real confused by it! Like, I don't understand if they are clowning on long shorts or if they are meta clowning the concept of favoring one short inseam length over another. We're just working from such a vastly different set of cultural codes and touchstones. These kids were learning cursive (or maybe kids don't learn that anymore?!?!?) when bro short shorts purveyor Chubbies was in its heyday.

CG: Childish.

NJ: Zzzzzz.

A close crop of legs in short nike shorts.

TikTok Really Likes When Guys Wear Short Shorts

A boatload of memes on the social network can't be wrong: five inches is the perfect length for shorts.

NO: YES TO THIS.

CW: Any time we're getting horny for shorts on main that's a win.

WB: A nod to the future. Always trust the youth.

MG: This is about female desire!

SH: Gen Z might save us after all.

CS: An arguably tasteful way to be horny post-quarantine.

Is there anywhere it's inappropriate to wear shorts?

RT: Zoom (just kidding).

SS: Nighttime.

MM: White tablecloth dining establishment? (In-person) job interview?

CG: Wedding night bed.

CS: Depends on the length, really.

NJ: Yeah, most places: Weddings, funerals, graduations, restaurants, stores, clubs. Shorts are for leisure time at home, and boats.

NO: Da clurb.

CW: Absolutely. Don't wear shorts to a fancy event. You are not Pharrell.

MG: Not anymore.

SH: The Condé Nast office!

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The Great GQ Shorts Survey - GQ Magazine
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