The rattling sound announcing winter’s arrival is not the usual symphony of central heating, windblown window shutters and hail. This season, it’s coming from the knocking of men’s bare knees.
Shorts are creeping up the trend scale, from tradie uniform to front-row favourite, with luxury labels and Australian designers celebrating men’s right to bare knees with sporty ’80s cuts, tailored thigh-huggers and second-glance skorts.
Haulier designer Jeremy Hershan (right) with Dylan Leadley-Watkins, modelling the shorts and blazer trend at the Haulier store in Paddington, Sydney.Credit: Janie Barrett
“Shorts can be a powerful look any time of the year,” says Jeremy Hershan, founder of Australian brand Haulier, who sent men down the Australian Fashion Week runway in May wearing shorts with blazers, socks and loafers.
“We love to mix traditional codes and throw our athletic-inspired track shorts or sailing shorts on with luxurious silk button-down shirts and a tailored jacket for an unexpected, carefree feel.”
When pushing shorts beyond the beach and building site, Hershan drew inspiration from Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, the thigh-baring band AC/DC, Marvin Gaye, Harrison Ford and John F Kennedy Jr.
Men’s tailor Oscar Hunt is preparing for the increase in interest above the knees by including shorts in their upcoming men’s ready-to-wear collection. Unlike US tailor Thom Browne, rarely seen out of shorts, the Australian label is not ready to pair them with formal suits.
“We love to throw a blazer over sportswear en route from gym to office,” says Oscar Hunt founder Chris Edwards. “They’re best cut with some volume and a generous pleat, finishing a couple of inches above the knee.”
Shorts have been peeking out from backstage at the menswear shows at Thom Browne, Dries Van Noten, Prada and Lanvin since 2021. The trend went into overdrive when The Last of Us actor Pedro Pascal wore black shorts by Valentino, with a red shirt and coat to the Met Gala in May, making men look down and decide that bare biceps aren’t the only gun show in town.
Sydney tradesman and two-time cover model of the Australian Tradie Calendar, which raises money for mental health charity Beyond Blue, John Lamech understands the appeal of shorts.
“They’re easy to get around in when you’re working, and they do show off the legs,” Lamech says. “It can be a bit of an ego thing. You get guys on the building site who push through winter and wear shorts all year round. Personally, I tap out around June.”
“For guys with great legs, the time has come to embrace shorts even in the cooler months,” says stylist Donny Galella. While he expects conservative Australian stars to cover their knees at the Logies on July 30, he remains hopeful for a knee outbreak later in the year.
“It’s probably more for an edgier red carpet, like the ARIA awards.”
Having seen Louis Vuitton creative director Pharrell and British designer Christopher Kane both wear shorts on the red carpet, Hershan sees no need for a Logies cover-up.
“Paul Hogan did wear a pair to meet Queen Elizabeth,” he says. “Perhaps that’s the only example of taking shorts too far.”
5 ways to wear shorts in winter
Look for winter fabrics. Breezy linen offers little protection against the elements. Creative director Matthieu Blazy at Bottega Veneta introduced quilted shorts which were popular on the streets of Paris in winter, while Dior currently has cotton-blend canvas cargo options available.
Winter ways to wear shorts: (From left) Influencer JS Roques wearing Bottega Veneta shorts in January at Paris Fashion Week; Influencer Abdulla Al Abdulla wears Louis Vuitton floral shorts with matching tights outside the Louis Vuitton show; US fencer Miles Chamley-Watson wears a checkered coat with striped shorts; A guest wearing white fluffy shorts with neon orange nylon pants outside BlueMarble; Bryanboy wearing Chanel shorts with black high leather boots outside the Chanel show.Credit: Getty
Layer up. The trend of athletic compression tights beneath running shorts has sprinted onto slow-walking street style regulars. US fashion consultant Nick Wooster was spotted outside the Hermès show in wintry Paris wearing knitted camouflage leggings beneath knee-scraping shorts. Influencer Abdulla Al Abdulla attended the Louis Vuitton in January wearing floral tights beneath floral shorts from the French luxury brand.
Cover-up with coats. Follow the lead of Pascal at the Met Gala and US fencer Miles Chamley-Watson outside the Sacai show during by wearing a long coat to shield bare legs in windy conditions.
Double bag. Two guests at the Paris menswear shows in winter wore bright orange trousers beneath shorts to add a pop of colour and insulation against the elements.
Big boots. Extroverts can dress like a Kardashian or pioneering influencer Bryanboy outside of Chanel’s winter menswear show, by investing in thigh-high boots. The higher, the better, with less mottled skin exposed to the elements.
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