HIGHER HEMLINES ARE HERE FOR HOT BOY SUMMER

By Lizzy Zarrello

The most recent menswear shows have embraced the short shorts trend.

Last summer came the timely end of awkwardly long gym shorts. TikTok users began their obsession with five-inch inseam men’s shorts, and hemlines have been continually rising ever since. With the “QuadSummer 2021” underway, men have never been more excited to show off a little more skin. While some are asking how short is too short, the likes of Milo Ventimiglia, Paul Mescal, and Harry Styles, have all received praise for their bold, skin-baring styles. Their choices have also now been validated by some of the most well-respected design houses in the fashion industry this past men’s fashion week in Paris.

After a year largely spent quarantining, many are treating this summer as a fresh start. Prada’s Spring/Summer 2022 Menswear Collection embodies this sense of rebirth, with Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons’ latest output embodying the childlike joy of a trip to the beach. The majority of the models showed off their long legs in not only short shorts, but beach skorts, aiming for a more feminine gender-neutral appearance with patterns featuring shades of pink and purple.

Also embracing the two-inch inseam is JW Anderson, whose Spring/Summer 2022 men’s show mainly consisted of men in athletic short shorts in bright shades of pink and blue. Both revealing and innocent, the looks included oversized childlike clothing in vibrant colors and fruitful patterns.

Fendi’s collection showcased cargo inspired short shorts with pockets along the bottom hem. However, legs were not the only skin on display; Silvia Venturini Fendi also paired shorts paired with matching cropped blazers, showing an unusual amount of midriff for most men, breaking the boundaries of traditionally masculine silhouettes into something hot boy summer friendly.

But it’s not just shorts: many designer brands this runway season have been incorporating gender fluidity into their collections by straying away from traditional “manly” designs and exposing men’s midriff, thighs, and cleavage. Burberry and Rick Owens created sleeveless shirts and jackets, some models were left shirtless sporting only their bare chests. In Burberry’s press release, Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci states, “I wanted the collection to capture that free spirit of youth and its honest and daring attitude, that sense of experimentation and fluidity.”

The “QuadSummer 2021” movement is working towards breaking the boundaries of mainstream masculinity. With the help of some of the biggest design houses in the fashion industry, such a look has the chance to become the norm in menswear. Now is the time to leave five-inch inseam in the past and embrace the exposure of more skin to the summer sun.

Image credit: OWENSCORP, Burberry, Fendi, Prada