A load of pants

[Torchwatch]

In Britain pants are underwear whether briefs or square cuts, but boxer shorts (boxers) are the same the world over.
In Europe, American style boxer shorts started arriving in the late 80's, until then they had been considered a joke. Amateur soccer players would turn up in exciting short shiny nylon shorts with a couple of inches of frumpy cotton hanging from the leg holes; shorts got longer to cover the boxers and longer still. Leisure swimmers started wearing white shorts with black swim suits underneath, then the shorts got longer and thicker and the swim suits were dropped.
Since then each spring we have hoped for the return of swim suits as mainstream pool and beachwear, but each autumn we have been disappointed.
Something has been changing though, the boxer shorts have become tighter, evolving into square cut pants, and some young guys are even choosing to wear briefs. These new pants are in bright colours and patterns, boasting logos and legends. They are meant to be seen, not hidden having come through an era of low cut jeans.
The guys wearing the new pants are also choosing drainpipe jeans and trousers again. Maybe they won't be happy putting on long baggy shorts in the summer and will want something shorter and neater for the hot weather. Maybe they will strip off on the beach and show their designer pants, but if they go in the water the cotton fabric will go all soggy. If you don't want soggy pants it's time to return to swim suits, but will the shops have the colours, designs and legends the new crowd will demand?

[JamesSwim]

Perhaps shops that cater to the young fashion conscious can tell you what will be popular next year. See what is carried by H&M, Zara or Top Shop/TopMen in UK this spring.

Also, the tastemakers have sway -- they just previewed the Spring/Summer 2012 clothing? You can find those shows Youtube.

Or you can just blame the economy -- good economy means shorter hemlines for women and shorter men's trunks. Bad economy goes other way.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/may/28/short-trunks-economic-recovery-david-beckham

[California Dolphin]

Perhaps shops that cater to the young fashion conscious can tell you what will be popular next year. See what is carried by H&M, Zara or Top Shop/TopMen in UK this spring.

Also, the tastemakers have sway -- they just previewed the Spring/Summer 2012 clothing? You can find those shows Youtube.

Or you can just blame the economy -- good economy means shorter hemlines for women and shorter men's trunks. Bad economy goes other way.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/may/28/short-trunks-economic-recovery-david-beckham
It's a no brainer.

If guys are depressed about men's longer, baggier swim suits, the economy will be more likely to be depressed also. :mad:

However if guys are happier about men's (and women's) shorter, snugly fitting swim suits, the economy will be more likely to be cheerily improving!!! :D

Happy New Year!!!

CD

[Byron]

What a lot of confused twaddle these discussions produce.

I hope we are not to take The Guardian article seriously - it was written in May 2010 and at the end of 2011 it may be interesting to hear just which of these "expert" predictions have come to pass.

As for sport can anyone explain the short shorts of the England World Cup Team (soccer) of 1966 against their longer ones of 2011 ?

Has anyone compared Cassius Clay in the ring in his heyday with the boxers' shorts of today, worn almost down to their ankles ?

The only consistency seems to be with the rugby players - shorts worn short and tight for years.

As for women's fashion their dresses changed in Wartime stringencies so that there were short sleeves and higher hemlines, for obvious reasons. There remains a contradiction however in that men continued wearing baggy trousers with pleated waists and turn-ups at the legs.

[Byron]

What a lot of confused twaddle these discussions produce.

I hope we are not to take The Guardian article seriously - it was written in May 2010 and at the end of 2011 it may be interesting to hear just which of these "expert" predictions have come to pass.

As for sport can anyone explain the short shorts of the England World Cup Team (soccer) of 1966 against their longer ones of 2011 ?

Has anyone compared Cassius Clay in the ring in his heyday with the boxers' shorts of today, worn almost down to their ankles ?

The only consistency seems to be with the rugby players - shorts worn short and tight for years.

As for women's fashion their dresses changed in Wartime stringencies so that there were short sleeves and higher hemlines, for obvious reasons. There remains a contradiction however in that men continued wearing baggy trousers with pleated waists and turn-ups at the legs.