Shorty Swing My Way: ’70s Surf Culture is BACK

Web Exclusives

Written by Mike Gonsalves | Tuesday, 10 April 2012

Tags: shorties, board shorts, style, fashion, web exclusives, april 2012, summer trends, swell.com, wesc, robinson les bains, orlebar brown, ennis board short

Boys boys boys, summer is almost here! After a brief hibernation, gyms everywhere from the Castro to Chelsea are buzzing with testosterone again preparing for that annual parade of abs and cocktails that is P-Town, Mykonos, Palm Springs or wherever your Gaycation plans may take you this year. Oh the joys of being young and pretty.

Whatever your adventure, one thing is sure to be true: You need to be looking cute and you mustn't dare be caught in the same pair of Aussie Bums as the boys across the pool! How mortifying, right? In this day and age we are lucky enough to have a plethora of different brands gearing themselves our way (see Pistol Pete, Aussie Bum, Andrew Christian, etc.) which, while fantastic, they tend to lend themselves toward that challenging question: How does one stand out when we’re all wearing the same thing? This season I challenge you to step it up and onto the surfboard.

While briefs and boy cuts are still a good look for those with the bodies to pull it off (and yes, you need the body to pull it off), the trend this season is all about fun and colorful “Shorties!” These not-so-short shorts stem the classic Board Short, but brought just a few inches further up the thigh (look for 15” outseams) and cut trim to give your “assets” their proper illumination. Look for lesser known brands like Robinson Les Bains or true surf brands like the Ryde or even Volcom. The idea is to give a little ’60s/’70s surf vibe while keeping things sexy and short without getting obscene.

Because I love you, my deat Instincters, I have gone ahead and done some inspiration shopping. Below are some of my favorite looks I’ve seen so far this season with links on where to buy. So get to shopping boys—surf’s up before you know it!