User: Zach M.

In your neighborhood, have you noticed that men's shorts have been getting much shorter for the last two years?

It's the case where I live, at least. It's mid-thigh shorts that are becoming in fashion, which is still too long for my taste, but at least that means I stand out much less than before in my short running shorts.

So have you tried to find men's short shorts that you could wear in public?

What I do is to wear them a little low at first, until I feel confident that the surroudings are safe, then I hike them up. I've been on long walks, to stores and played in soccer games with friends and have had no trouble. I think it's because the full runner look is easier to pull off than dress shorts. I do a get a catcall once in a while, but something like once a year. I don't let that deprive me of the fun of wearing short shorts in public. Also I kind of get some weird satisfaction at having my shorts generate a reaction.

I think some idiots think that my junk is about to fall off my shorts because apparently, they've never heard of underwear. I wear tight briefs as underwear. They act like very short compression shorts, so everything is under control, including when I get turned on by the feeling my own shorts.

I would not have liked being forced into a uniform in school, but I would have made an exception if it had included short shorts. It would have made me less shy about showing my legs, and less shy in general. Besides, they are fun to wear. I think it would have been interesting to see who wears their shorts higher or lower.

I've just re-read this message I posted in 2009, and I wanted to add that fashion seems to be changing in the right direction. Last summer (2013), I saw guys wearing mid-thigh shorts almost every day. I was out today and saw two guys wearing them even though it was only 55 degrees on this spring day.

That has pushed me to wear my short running shorts as casual wear in public again, on walks or to the grocery store. I figure that if mid-thigh shorts are becoming more common, I will look less out of place in my 3-inch inseam running shorts, especially if I sag them a little for modestly (but just a little). I have not met with any problems. The key appears to be the runner look (including a t-shirt, white socks and white sneakers). It's easier to pull off than the dressy short shorts look.

The Chubbies Shorts trend may have something to do with it.

I have even started wearing my running shorts (pulled high) in the soccer games I play. That's with friends, and I expected comments, but nobody has said anything. People are more accepting, and I get to run around in shorts as short as the ones I wore in PE class.

So straight guys, if you don't dare to wear your short running shorts in public, think again. Dress like a runner and people will think you're on your way to some athletic activity.

Plenty of women openly express their attraction to men in short shorts, and especially to male runners in good shape. Look around on the net and you'll find the evidence. I have been fortunate enough to be complimented myself, and I'm not particularly athletic.

You can get very sexy running shorts for men too. As I've written in the past elsewhere on this site, taking up running is a good way to give yourself a perfect excuse for wearing very short masculine shorts in public. Once people know you as a runner, you can pull off the short shorts even when not running.

I'm a straight guy too and you are certainly not alone in being drawn to short shorts.

To prevent yourself from pulling your shorts down so they aren't so short, you should wear the shortest shorts you can dare to wear, and you should wear a shirt of a contrasting color. This way, if you pull down your shorts too much, it looks obvious and silly.

I like to wear black shorts with a white shirt for this.

If your shorts are not short enough, you can roll up the waistband. You can also trim the hem to reduce the inseem to one inch or even half an inch.

Dressed like that, you may find it easier to be seen in public if you are running. People are more accepting of short shorts on a person who is running.