who wears short shorts?

Larrysümmers

Hall of Fame
what are your opinions on dudes wearing short shorts playing tennis. i wear shorts that are half way down my thighs when i play. i cant stand shorts that go past my knees when i am playing. i just dont feel right like my movement is restricted. like in my soccer days i had the shortest shorts on the team.
 

Sentinel

Bionic Poster
I know someone who once remarked that short shorts are worn by gays. (He's in his 50's or so, and a very decent person, btw)

I laughed when I later saw some films of McEnrow and Connors etal. In the 80's everyone wore short shorts.

Funny how things change so fast.
 

baseline_monster

Professional
I know someone who once remarked that short shorts are worn by gays. (He's in his 50's or so, and a very decent person, btw)

I laughed when I later saw some films of McEnrow and Connors etal. In the 80's everyone wore short shorts.

Funny how things change so fast.

That was just the style back then. That was probably as common and cool as wearing basketball style shorts now. Davydenkos are just way to short
 

TheJRK

Rookie
There is a guy in my area who wears booty shorts when he plays tennis. We actually call him booty shorts dude.

I'm not sure if he just wears booty shorts in the summer because it is hot or if he wears booty shorts all the time. :confused:
 

r2473

G.O.A.T.
lol well like casual shorts i wear normal length, but i feel weird when i play in longer shorts

This is me on both counts.

I had to look long and hard to find these tennis shorts too. They are the same length as soccer shorts, but they have pockets. Nice deep pockets. I can't stand long shorts when I play tennis or when I run. But, running shorts are still easy to find.

When I left the court one day and went to 7-11 to grab a drank, some kid laughed and whistled at me, so I guess they are short.
 
Last edited:

ProgressoR

Hall of Fame
i like shorts that end just above the knees. I play with some older guys who play in polos and short shorts, with the polo tucked in, looking elegant. On younge guys those shorts would look just...well....odd.
 

Fee

Legend
As a female observer, I prefer shorts that are at mid thigh to one inch above the knee on male players. I don't like the droopy 'basketball' style long baggy shorts. They are unflattering to most and look sloppy on a tennis court.

No one should be wearing the Borg/Connoers/McEnroe era short shorts anymore unless they are in the middle of filming a parody or historical tennis film.
 

Capt. Willie

Hall of Fame
It is a fashion thing. If you got in a time machine back to 1979 with your current shorts, people would laugh and say you are wearing clown shorts. It's all a matter of relevance.
 

CanadianChic

Hall of Fame
I think short shorts on men is ridiculous unless you are gay (then, somehow it becomes acceptable). The same can be said for skinny jeans on men although even the gays I am friends with wouldn't be caught dead in them.
 

BorisBeckerFan

Professional
I'm only 5' 8" so if I wear shorts at or past my knees I look like a midget. I don't like showing alot of thigh either so just barely above the knee. Can't really deviate to much from just barely above the knee for me.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
It is a fashion thing. If you got in a time machine back to 1979 with your current shorts, people would laugh and say you are wearing clown shorts. It's all a matter of relevance.
You don't even have to go back that far. As recently as the mid-90's, most pros and recreational players were still wearing the same short shorts they wore in the 70's. I think it was Sampras in the late-90's that started the whole longer shorts look.
 

BreakPoint

Bionic Poster
I think short shorts on men is ridiculous unless you are gay (then, somehow it becomes acceptable). The same can be said for skinny jeans on men although even the gays I am friends with wouldn't be caught dead in them.
But if you were living in the '70's, 80's or early 90's, you'd be saying the same thing about today's long "shorts" (or should they be called "longs"?). :wink:
 

Dominik

Rookie
I hate short shorts... For me shorts need to be just above the knee or around knee length. Short shorts would look esp. awkward on me considering the 6'5 frame...
 

armsty

Hall of Fame
I wear soccer shorts to play that stretch a fair bit with me so I have a fair bit of give, they end at the top of my knees
 

CanadianChic

Hall of Fame
Why is it acceptable for gay men to wear short shorts?

Don't get me wrong here...I am jealous of the fact that my gay male friends are miles ahead of me style/fashion wise. My straight male friends are envious and can't keep up. Now, I'm not trying to stereotype...I'm sure there are plenty of gay men sporting mullets and bellbottoms but I'm just referring to the extreme met's I know. They have no fear of what others think of them and do as they want which is so refreshing. My post was more of a comment of esteem as opposed to any type of clumping of sexual orientation. I wish I had their fashion vision. The other day I was at one of my friend's houses and he was finishing up some yard work wearing the brightest orange headband I've ever seen. Somehow...it worked on him.
 

Nuke

Hall of Fame
I see a lot of old guys wearing short shorts, but it's not exactly a fashion statement. They're just using the same stuff they've had since the 70's and 80's, when that was the norm.
 

Fee

Legend
Don't get me wrong here...I am jealous of the fact that my gay male friends are miles ahead of me style/fashion wise. My straight male friends are envious and can't keep up. Now, I'm not trying to stereotype...I'm sure there are plenty of gay men sporting mullets and bellbottoms but I'm just referring to the extreme met's I know. They have no fear of what others think of them and do as they want which is so refreshing. My post was more of a comment of esteem as opposed to any type of clumping of sexual orientation. I wish I had their fashion vision. The other day I was at one of my friend's houses and he was finishing up some yard work wearing the brightest orange headband I've ever seen. Somehow...it worked on him.

Ahhh, gotcha. The only people I still see wearing those types of shorts are runners. I'm out of touch with my gay male friends, so I have no idea what they consider fashion anymore. I should have gone to the pride festivities this past weekend.
 

quest01

Hall of Fame
A lot of older guys who grew up wearing short shorts tend to wear them and anyone that's younger who were them are most likely gay. Most people wear shorts right that end around the knees or just below.
 

r2473

G.O.A.T.
I think Stockton had it about right:

john-stockton.jpg
 
T

Tennisqueen101

Guest
re short shorts

Personally I think that short shorts on boys who play tennis is attractive, it's really cute. If you are in shape I think that it is even better. Every boy should wear them.
 

Chopin

Hall of Fame
Most of my tennis shorts fall above my knees. I also really like the fine pleated ones. Ralph Lauren makes very nice tennis shorts in case anyone is wondering. Excellent fit (not too tight like some of the Nike ones) and excellent cut. I even wear them around on a day to day basis.
 
Last edited:

robby c

Semi-Pro
I wear Boast Classic tennis shorts. 5-6" inseam. They are pleated, so plenty of room. Got 'em in black, navy, and khaki.
I often wear knee braces, and too long shorts get hung up.
I can wear any brand shirt with them, but mostly Adidas.
I've yet to hear any negative comments, so I guess its okay.
Yeah, I've been playing since the 70's.
Robby C
 

max

Legend
As a female observer, I prefer shorts that are at mid thigh to one inch above the knee on male players. I don't like the droopy 'basketball' style long baggy shorts. They are unflattering to most and look sloppy on a tennis court.

No one should be wearing the Borg/Connoers/McEnroe era short shorts anymore unless they are in the middle of filming a parody or historical tennis film.

Totally disagree. Those short shorts are great and practical as well! :)
 

max

Legend
You don't even have to go back that far. As recently as the mid-90's, most pros and recreational players were still wearing the same short shorts they wore in the 70's. I think it was Sampras in the late-90's that started the whole longer shorts look.

. . . Yeah, I think Sampras, too. I have two pair of Sampras-esque shorts which, early this summer, just started to me to seem dated and old-fashioned. All that baggy stuff. . .

Short shorts work, they don't get in the way when you run, and, believe it or not, women of ALL ages seem to like to see them on a guy.
 

zacinnc78

Professional
i dont want to be seen in them ,but the short shorts would probably be more comfortable on them hot days....i play in a rough,black part of town( i dont even want to take my ball machine out there)
 

Moz

Hall of Fame
My short shorts attenna is going off, like the fire alarm at the station.

Sup - you'll be glad to know that I've seen the error in my ways. I have traded in my short tennis shorts into an even shorter pair of shorts:

800mbackstraight.jpg
 

SVP

Semi-Pro
It seems to me that Michael Jordan ushered in the era of longer shorts. Then somewhere along the way short-shorts became associated with a homophobic gay fear.

I would love to wear short shorts in the hot summertime, but at my older age, I'm afraid that the short shorts don't fit me anymore. Why don't they make "baggy short shorts?" I might wear those.
 

Limpinhitter

G.O.A.T.
But if you were living in the '70's, 80's or early 90's, you'd be saying the same thing about today's long "shorts" (or should they be called "longs"?). :wink:

That whole trend started in the NBA. The uniforms they wear look like clown outfits. I haven't bought new tennis shorts in 15 years. The one's I have still do the job and they're FRICKEN SHORTS! Not those ridiculous, ghetto clown pants (that Charlie Chaplin would be proud to wear) for sale at Sports Authority.
 
Last edited:

Chopin

Hall of Fame
That whole trend started in the NBA. The uniforms they wear look like clown outfits. I haven't bought new tennis shorts in 15 years. The one's I have still do the job and they're FRICKEN SHORTS! Not those ridiculous, ghetto clown pants (that Charlie Chaplin would be proud to wear) for sale at Sports Authority.

Limpin, I too wear short shorts and I can suggest some places to find traditional tennis shorts. Let me know if you're interested and I'll post where I've seen them.
 
I was in Manhattan this evening, saw a guy walking to a halloween party dressed as the early John McEnroe. He was wearing ultra short and tight tennis shorts, similar shirt, and a wig of enormous curly brown hair squeezed by a headband.
 

SVP

Semi-Pro
I was in Manhattan this evening, saw a guy walking to a halloween party dressed as the early John McEnroe. He was wearing ultra short and tight tennis shorts, similar shirt, and a wig of enormous curly brown hair squeezed by a headband.
A hideous sight.
 

r2473

G.O.A.T.
I was in Manhattan this evening, saw a guy walking to a halloween party dressed as the early John McEnroe. He was wearing ultra short and tight tennis shorts, similar shirt, and a wig of enormous curly brown hair squeezed by a headband.

......you cannot be serious.

Did this "trick-or-treater" also have Tourette's?
 

kevoT

Semi-Pro
I use shorts that end just above the knee.
If you want to get short shorts, just buy some rugby shorts (from Canterbury or Kukri (I recommend Canterbury)). I used to play rugby (stopped after the summer due to injuries that laid me off every season for 1-2 months) so I am fairly sure you can get shorts with pockets in them.
 
Top