Right, this is it, lads. The big one. The one we've been waiting oh so long for. We suffered the ignominy of 2021 - the summer that never was. But summer 2022 is rumbling down the track and it's time to put it all on the line. And by that, we of course mean it's time to get your summer shorts arsenal prepped and ready.
Summer dressing is hard because you have mush less to play with, and potentially much more to expose. (Sorry to be bald about it, but it's true.) It isn't just thighs and biceps - and, god forbid, abs! - that see the warm light of day. But your alleged mastery of light fabrics, pastel shades and retro sportswear is on the line, too. In winter, all you really need is one great overcoat and a pair of boots, but in the summer, it takes a well-curated wardrobe to overcome all the style hurdles that lay ahead.
For your tootsies, we've taken the liberty of pulling together a fresh edit of the best summer footwear, and for the bod, we've bunched together all the best shirts and T-shirts. But what does Summer '22 look like for your legs?
Last summer, a five-inch inseam dominated thanks to the popularity of Patagonia’s ‘Baggies’, a do anything sports short available in a range of outdoorsy colours. (They were sold out everywhere, yet the seven-inch version was readily available and widely shunned, apparently.)
But what goes up must come down, and according to a hefty portion of the Spring/Summer ’22 shows, hems are likely to descend as the temperature rises this year. At Dries van Noten, Lanvin, Giorgio Armani, Ermenegildo Zegna, Fendi, Paul Smith, Dior, Rick Owens, Hermès and more, shorts are commonplace and substantially volumised. At their longest, they loiter at the shin, while the shortest rarely skim above the knee, and many feature pleats and/or pockets to increase overall surface area. Styling advice tends to be tonal, with designers advising on oversized, monochromatic themes, and socks are recommended, especially if you’re wearing your big shorts with trainers.
However, a long short comes with certain proportional disadvantages, and if you're a short king that could do with a little elongation, then a shorter short should be the way to go. Those Baggies will no doubt prove wildly popular again, but you could explore that techy area of the market with something by And wander or Nike ACG. And if you want something a little more retro or sartorial, we'd point you in the direction of Casablanca or LEJ.
When it comes to shorts, underwear is worth a thought (to maximise comfort and minimise escapees), and you might want to do something about any especially pallid thighs. But other than that, just invest wisely and to your taste, before enthusiastically hitting the beach/park/pub garden.
