The Final Word on Cargo Shorts

The cargo pocket was a sensible idea. It was designed for soldiers who needed somewhere to keep field dressings, maps and rations while their hands were full. It was never designed for a grown man's phone, car keys, vape, sunglasses case and a protein bar, on the way to brunch.

I have long held a view on cargo shorts, and it is not a nuanced one. Whether they are good or bad is not really the question. They are an abomination, and we may move on. The more interesting matter is what they reveal.

Where cargo shorts came from

The cargo pocket is military kit. British soldiers began wearing battledress in 1938, and its trousers carried a large patch pocket on the thigh for a field dressing and a map. When American paratroopers went into the Second World War, their jump trousers copied the idea with deep, bellowed pockets for ammunition and K rations. The photograph at the top of this page, of General Eisenhower talking with men of the 101st Airborne the day before D-Day, shows the design doing exactly the job it was built for.

The trouble began when the pocket left the battlefield. By 1980 cargo shorts were being sold to fishermen and boating types as a way to keep things from falling out of their pockets. By the late 1990s they had become a staple of mainstream American menswear, which is roughly where many men's wardrobes have stayed ever since. In 2016 *The Wall Street Journal* reported on marriages in which wives were quietly throwing their husbands' cargo shorts away. Nobody seems to have needed a study to explain why.

Are cargo shorts out of style?

Yes. Fashion does recycle its ideas, and utility pockets appear on catwalks every few seasons, usually on wide trousers styled by people who are paid to make them look deliberate. That is a different garment from the baggy, knee-length khaki short with six flapping pockets that most men actually own. The era of baggy and cargo shorts is over.

There is one recognized exception. Leonardo DiCaprio has spent years being photographed on holiday in cargo shorts, and it has done nothing to his career. If you are an Oscar-winning film star photographed on a yacht, you may carry on. Everyone else should read the list below.

17 things cargo shorts tell you about the man wearing them

If you see a grown man wearing cargo shorts, here is what you already know about him.

1. He peaked in high school, hence the Abercrombie-inspired nostalgia.
2. He has a terrible credit score, and knows it, because a store card turned him down when he tried to buy a Valentine's Day gift he couldn't afford.
3. He uses the term "dadbod" with pride, despite not having kids.
4. He wears cologne that you can smell five minutes after he's left the room.
5. He considers energy drinks to be an acceptable alternative to coffee.
6. He has strong political opinions, but could not explain a single one of the trade deals he is angry about.
7. He takes gym selfies.
8. He loves to give unsolicited advice despite being the least accomplished of his peer group.
9. He still quotes *Old School*.
10. He forces the handshake-hug with people he barely knows.
11. He thinks "it is what it is" is an articulate way of summarizing things he can't understand.
12. He sends his friends prank videos.
13. He hopes to one day own a Corvette.
14. He loves his flip-flops, especially with cargo shorts.
15. His best story involves a Vegas pool party and ends with a high-five.
16. He'll change lanes five times just to end up two cars ahead of you at the next red light.
17. He hasn't given up on Adam Sandler.

None of these is a crime. Together they describe a man who has stopped paying attention, and that is what the shorts give away. Clothes are a form of communication whether you like it or not. A man who dresses as though he might need to carry a flashlight, a multitool and a spare sandwich through a strip mall is telling everyone he meets that comfort and convenience matter more to him than how he comes across. In a meeting, on a date or at a friend's wedding weekend, that is a poor trade.

What to wear instead of cargo shorts

The first answer is the least popular one: trousers beat shorts, even in hot weather. A pair of lightweight cotton or linen trousers, cut slim and finished with a clean hem, keeps you cooler in the sun than most men expect and works everywhere from a city lunch to a beach bar. The Italians and the French, who know a great deal about dressing for heat, have understood this for generations.

When shorts really are the right call, they should be the opposite of cargo shorts in every respect.

• Plain flat-front chino shorts. Two front pockets, two back pockets, no flaps and nothing on the thigh. Navy, khaki, olive, stone and white cover almost every situation.
• A shorter inseam. The hem should sit above the knee. For most men that means an inseam of five to seven inches; taller men can go a little longer. Anything that reaches the kneecap starts to look like a hand-me-down.
• A trim fit. The leg opening should skim the thigh rather than flare around it. If you can fit a paperback in the leg, it is too wide.
• Proper swim shorts. Tailored swim shorts with a short leg and a clean waistband, of the kind Orlebar Brown and Vilebrequin make, are better than board shorts for anyone over the age of twenty-five.

The best tailored shorts come from the trouser specialists: Incotex in the Veneto, Brunello Cucinelli in Solomeo, and Loro Piana in linen that improves with every crease.

What shoes to wear with shorts

Shorts are only half the problem. The other half is what goes below them. Flip-flops belong within walking distance of a beach, and nowhere else. Bulky running shoes with white athletic socks make even a good pair of shorts look like a gym class.

There are three better choices, and each one works for a different setting.

• Boat shoes, worn without socks, for anything near water. Paul Sperry invented the form in 1935; Tod's, which sews its moccasins by hand in the Marche, makes the most refined version of it.
• Penny loafers, also sockless or with invisible no-show socks, for lunch, dinner or anything with a dress code that says "smart casual." J.M. Weston's 180, made in Limoges, and Edward Green's Piccadilly are the two to know.
• Clean white leather sneakers, plain and minimal, for everything else: Common Projects' Achilles Low, or the white calfskin trainers Brunello Cucinelli makes in Italy. Keep them white.

The rest of the summer outfit

Once the shorts and shoes are right, the rest is simple. Wear a well-fitting polo, a short-sleeved linen or cotton shirt, or a plain T-shirt with no graphics on it. Wear a simple leather or canvas belt if the shorts have loops. Good sunglasses do more for a summer outfit than any amount of logo. And when the sun goes down, a lightweight sweater over the shoulders, or better, on your body, is the move.

The general principle comes from a simple rule: always dress as if you might decide to drop by a nice restaurant or bar. You do not need a blazer for a weekend errand. But if you leave the house in short, clean, tailored shorts, a decent shirt and leather shoes, you are ready for almost anything the afternoon throws at you. In cargo shorts you are ready only for a fishing trip.

The final word

The case against cargo shorts is not really about pockets. It is about what a man chooses to say before he opens his mouth. Short, plain, well-cut shorts and decent shoes say that he has thought about it, even for a moment. Cargo shorts say that he hasn't, and they say a great deal else besides.

For the rest of the rules, read the [125 style tips for men](/a/125-style-tips-for-men), the full guide to [how to dress like a man](/a/how-to-dress-like-a-man) at work, and the list of [40 things a man should never wear](/a/40-things-a-man-should-never-wear).