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Tom Ford Dead Right About Shorts: Men Should Not Wear Them
"A man should never wear shorts in the city. Flip-flops and shorts in the city are never appropriate. Shorts should only be worn on the tennis court or on the beach."
—I am not generally the Tom Ford-adulator in the editorial team here, but today I swear fealty to Tom Ford, who is indeed correct.
Okay. What if you are a very, very warm and sweat-prone fellow? In the depths of August, in a city, it's unbearable. Just carry sponges in your pants?
get a house in the Hamptons, duh.
Hey, if it's moist enough, try growing some corals, too.
Tom Ford needs to learn how to button his goddamn shirt before giving anyone else advice on how to keep covered up.
This. Also, he should possibly maybe start marketing cologne that doesn't smell like an old train car where people just had sex.
But what is Tom Ford's position on that demoniacal attention whore, the moon?
At first, when I read Tom Ford, I pictured Tom Wolfe, but the advice and source still made sense, so I managed to not put shorts on even in that uncertain interim before I corrected my mistake.
WHAT DOES TOM WOLFE DO AFTER LABOR DAY!!!???
I think he must fly to the Southern hemisphere or something. The rules are different there.
You know he actively wears all white because he heard somewhere that it instinctively angers people?
Maybe everyone knows that.
Also, it might not be true.
Just so I'm clear, "city" here refers to "New York City", correct? Because Tom Ford can bite me if he thinks I'm not going to wear shorts in Austin. But we're not really the "city" in question, right?
My confidence that there is some random guy out there to care about my sloppy clothes is what makes being a slob worthwhile. I hope somebody is there to be annoyed by the word "random" as well.
And this is why Tom Ford is ignored in the City of Reno.
A gentleman never wears shorts while eating 1.99 ham n eggs at the CalNeva.
Be careful Choire, you are agreeing with Ann Althouse on things now.
Are women allowed to wear flip-flops in the city? Because I don't, as a rule.
Probably not, but I'm guessing some nice leather slides are OK. Or gladiator sandals. Or espadrilles.
again…we are talking new york as the "city"?? because im in Florida and i am wearing flip flops all. the. damn. time….
I'm in DC, so by "the city" I basically meant anywhere where there's a higher percentage of concrete than grass …. although Southerness/proximity to the beach should probably be taken into account somehow.
Tom Ford's rules reflect his bi-coastal education. From Los Angeles he takes on the mannered (nearly Southern) way of being that seems to derive from everyone's ongoing participation in being at-the-moment-of-discovery every second of the day. In LA, the rudest thing one can do is inquire beyond a person's facade; And from NY Tom Ford now tries to bring to the daytime what you can't (on the residential parts of Park and Fifth Avenue, and almost the whole of NYC) do at night: show your bare legs if you are a man. This from the guy that makes and sells $700 to $1,100 (white) "tennis shorts" for men. Hurry up, your size may already be sold out.
It's as if my soulmate were a blog commenter.
It's a very rich tapestry.
I am so going to wear shorts at St Bart's, and flip-flops if I can score a pair.
For "nearly Southern way of being," read "nearly Vanderbilt-frat-boy way of being." Because excuse the hell out of me with a ball-peen hammer, but I'm sorry.
No one should ever be allowed to wear flip-flops. Anywhere. City, beach, Gitmo — I don't care. Flip-flops are an abomination and signal that you are late for class because you slept late in your frat house.
The thought of having nothing but an inch or less of filthy rubber between one's feet and a city sidewalk in the summertime ought to be enough to make people put on something more shoe-like.
And even though Tom Ford frequently darts around in public looking like a greasy mid-'70s throwback, he's dead right on the shorts issue, bless his shiny-shirted heart.
On the subway! What are people thinking? I walk through enough vomit and urine in my (friend's?) bathroom as it is!
Flip-flops in public seems to be the main faux pas here, at least I'll say so. Flip-flops with jeans? I'm still offended at that sight. Shorts with real shoes? Ehhh if it's sunny out, I'll allow it and maybe even partake, but once that sun sets, I'm looking to change into my party pants STAT.
I take issue with his beach and tennis exceptions. Rules are rules and NEVER means NEVER. Just as there is zero tolerance for "pretentious or racist or sexist" there can be no allowance for shorts and flip-flops anytime or anyplace.
I'll play tennis in flip-flops if I want to, mister.
You're not the boss of me TOM FORD!
Tom Ford is, as usual, correct and perfect in every way. That is all.
I'd say, "Let that pretentious ass come hang out in the city of New Orleans in August and then go fuck himself," but let's just skip to the second part.
you must have missed the part of the article where he (laughably) dictates that people should not be pretentious. now go buy one of his $5,000 suits.
I can't really take Tom Ford's advice too seriously here. Sorry! Not because wearing shorts is cool. Its not. But somehow I think he is picturing the same pressed pair of trousers for every guy despite monsoons and such–in which the the only option is relaxed denim.
Wow! you guys worry about Tom Ford — like worrying about Edie Sedgwick?
OK Spring has sprung: but you All need a vacation. Time to get Out of New York for a week
Oh — and as for Tom Wolfe, well he's from Richmond, and that is all I have to say about that.
Best from Charlottesville,
Who's a bigger dipwad? The guy that's totally unaware of Tom Ford and that wears shorts or the guy that's hyper-aware of Tom Ford and all the BS NY fashionistas? 9 out of 10 the guy that is unaware is the one you'd rather hang out with. Pretentiousness kills me, especially NY pretentiousness…live in South Florida other than the standard NY-Nov. through Feb. and then write about shorts on men.
To be fair, living in Florida is kind of a fashion faux-pas.
Its not always pretentiousness; occasionally its just 'correctness.' Signed, a Kentucky girl.
I have no idea who Tom Ford is, but I totally agree with him on this. City_Dater hits the nail on the head above: I would be terrified of walking down a city street (be that city NYC or Seoul) with flimsy flip-flops on.
I absolutely hate this debate that comes around every year – a tad early this year since it's been fucking snowing for three days. Shorts and flip flops are always fine with me because nakeder is better.
At least the "plaid" part of his skin tight suits will help hide yer ball sweat stains come August
I can appreciate Mr. Ford's intent—as a designer, of course he wants to see men dress better—but somehow I suspect he doesn't spend many 90+ degree July days walking around in Manhattan (or any other city) or riding public transit there. I imagine his summers are spent largely in the Hamptons or in Europe, lounging on beaches, and when he does have to return to the city for work, he's driven around by a car service and only has to walk from the door of his home to the car to the door of his office building. If that was my life, I'd probably wear long pants in summer too.
(For the record, I'm in my mid-40s, so I wear my shorts to the knee, which I feel adds a tiny bit of decorum and dignity to my summer outfits. And I would never, ever wear flip-flops in public.)
I recently became a US citizen, and am therefore no longer allowed to talk about clothes, shoes, fashion, or taste. No exceptions. Sorry.
whats with the flip flop hate??? i literally have a pair on right now…sitting at my desk, at work, in Florida….people hate flip flops that much?? i had no idea…i wear them all the time…O WELL!!!!
Feeling like maybe I'm the only one from California in the room?
(backs away slowly, looks for the door)
(hurriedly follows, Rainbows clutched sweatily in hand)
Shortpants on dudes are for when you are playing sports, at the gym, at the beach, or around your house. I am a sweaty dude too, but if you are so unbelievably sweaty that stepping outside in even a light linen pant will make you gross, it's probably better for everyone if you have as much fabric between your balls and the outside world as possible. Wear plus-fours and tuck them into your socks, please.
Men should only wear dhotis and chappals. (Salwar kameez OK for weddings.)
Thank you everyone. I'm so gonna give some pointers to the hairy dude wearing a dress next time I see him at the 14th street stop.
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