Shorts as scruff are ok in the garden or for manual labor......hunks on sites ???
But for 'out' wear the old style safari suit and long socks takes some beating in my opinion, That said, the really old kd pre 1970 was terrible to wash and even worse to wear apparently; and if you had the luck to aquire a chinese ahma, getting them NOT to starch the uniforms was an achievment savoured !

I like wearing shorts around the house and garden in this weather but I wouldn't inflict the sight on anyone else by going out in them! I do think tailored ones look great on slim people. Yesterday I saw a "lady of a certain age" (who was not exactly a feather) wearing dark tights and a denim micro-skirt (with tatty hem) that was not a pretty sight!

Edit: And why is it that your legs never go brown?

With legs like mine, shorts are most definitely not for me. Even on my trip in April to Mexico on a fishing boat in the middle of the ocean, I still wore long trousers. I rarely, if ever, wear a skirt, but if I do it is almost to the ankles. I blame my mother, my legs are like hers and unfortunately, so are my daughter's. Although she is small and slim, she has horrible legs (I can say that, being her mother). Even in the house and garden I would not be seen dead in shorts.

: o))

I have an old pair of shorts which I wear specifically when either painting around the house or when in the garden as it does not matter if when painting I wipe my hands down them or in the garden if they get muddy. I just sling them in the washer and they come up clean again.

I have just a we bit of a tummy, not a gross fat gut, Fat blokes who tuck their t shirt into their shorts look awfulI. I wear my t shirt over my shorts, doing so hides that slightly naughty tummy. I'm quite chuffed with my legs, firm but not muscley, not to much hair. They are mostly white, perhaps it's the birthmarks. PS that's not grey hair on my forehead, but another white birth mark.
Unc' Mo

I'm with Cynann 100% here. I really love to see people wear what they enjoy wearing, and feel sad for those who appear to be lurking uncomfortably in what they hope is 'suitable'. The old boy she described is a terrific example of that - he was happy in his own skin and clothes.

Like CeeCee I inherited my ma's legs, but I'm grateful they are excellent ones. Personally I don't like clothes much and gravitate towards climates where they aren't really necessary (I do wear them though, so as not to frighten the horses, or Saga Cruisers). But not much in the privacy of my own home and surroundings. I do try to be respectful of those around me, and what I wear in the village and what I'd wear at St Trop are very different.

As well as the legs I also inherited my mothers skin, which amazingly becomes several sizes too large in middle age. The body is still pretty much the same shape though, so if the moods takes me I can tuck it all into tight jeans and still get the wolf whistles.

Back to the topic though - the OP mentioned a business suit with shorts in Oz, and I have seen plenty in the City, in the days when a daily tube commute was part of my existence. Pretty cool they looked too.

I was out in skin tight lycra shorts and a lycra top this morning for a couple of hours.

I was riding a bicycle though.

I have to say,and can blow my own trumpet for a change, that I do have good legs, and they go brown very quickly. Must be living on a boat for years.

Dominic John - I don't know what I WOULD look like as a) I never cook for a BBQ b) I don't have a passport so don't go abroad & c) I don't care how good or bad I look in shorts as if it is hot enough to wear them for shopping I wear them more for comfort than anything. Use to cut a dash in the early 70's wearing a pair of bright red hot pants with bib front. My darling Mum bought them for me as my late OH said I shouldn't buy them so I did just to be awkward. Mind you he liked me in the ones I bought. My son wears combat styled shorts when he is gardening or out in general.

Chris

Have to agree with Chris1 here - what is it with the leggings???? They must be so uncomfortable and yet, even in Cyprus, we have girls wearing them.

I'm a bit biased regarding shorts as Himself has to wear them half the year round as part of his uniform, good old KD! Most people seem to look alright in them though and of course, Himself looks wonderful in his - lol!

We do see some rather, erm, interesting sights over here in the summer months however. I'm a great believer in wear what you like and to hell with people's opinions - but I do feel that a bit of concern for the mental welfare of small children and animals would be appropriate. For example, if you have a beer belly the size of the Channel Islands, it is NOT clever to sling on a pair of short shorts and arrange the belly to hang nonchalantly over the top of the waistband, especially if the overhang then pulls your shorts down so that you get a "builder's bum" effect at the back. Team that up with Argyle socks pulled up to mid calf, Jesus sandals, a tattoo of a naked vampire seductress, and a can of John Smiths gripped firmly in one hand - need I say more...................