How short is too short? For men’s summer staples, thigh-length is the limit.
At Gucci’s Spring 2025 menswear show in Italy this week, shorts dominated the runway, with 41 of the 46 pairs featuring pants that reached just below the crotch.
On the catwalk, pleated shorts in a variety of hues, from neutral blacks, browns and greys to vibrant fuchsias, oranges and floral patterns, were paired with breezy button-down shirts, long trench coats and lightweight blazers.
Among those in attendance was actor Paul Mescal, who wore a white striped mini with loafers, calf-length socks and blue oxfords, exposing his thighs and raising the question: are seam shrinks back in style?
“I’m a big advocate of men wearing shorter shorts,” the 28-year-old “Gladiator II” star, who has now earned the title “King of Shorts,” told GQ magazine at a fashion show on Monday.
Mescal has worn thigh-baring shorts many times before, most notably as street style in the form of sportswear, and while he may be the inspiration behind the current shorts revival, he’s not the only A-list star to wear them.
Jeremy Allen White and Donald Glover have also endorsed the micropants, and who can forget actor Milo Ventimiglia’s infamous appearance in them? Meanwhile, Chris Pine has also recently incorporated the controversial cut-offs into his wardrobe.
Last fall, the actor wore white shorts and a mustard-colored hoodie, and more recently, he called back to the heyday of men’s mini-shorts in the ’70s and ’80s when he wore an “I Heart LA” T-shirt and gray shorts to the premiere of his film “Poolman.”
“They’re called shorts? They’re supposed to be short,” Pine, 43, told E! News in defense of her outfit.
Signs of the impending seam shrinkage appeared a few years ago, when content creators spoke passionately about their preference for shorter shorts for men (5-inch seams, to be exact).
But this spring, fashion-conscious women are already embracing pin-show hot pants to bring back the retro style, with Sydney Sweeney and Kristen Stewart leading the way.
