By Cheryl Mattox Berry
The other day, a friend complained that she had to return a pair of shorts she bought for her 15-year-old daughter. She purchased the right size, but the problem was length. The shorts fit like a pair of panties.
I knew exactly what she meant. It seems that shorts have gotten shorter over the years. The hot pants that I wore in college look like capris, compared with today’s styles. I’ve seen some pants so short and tight that I wondered if the poor girl’s circulation was being cut off. My second thought was, “Why did her mother let her out of the house looking like a slut?”
Two possible answers came to mind: Her mother didn’t see her get dressed or her mother doesn’t see anything wrong with the shorts. Enter the fashion police. I’m introducing a new word to fashionistas: modesty. The Urban Dictionary defines modesty as not revealing, covered up. In other words, the public needs to see more fabric and less thigh.
That doesn’t mean you have to wear shorts down to your knees. Shorts that hit mid-thigh are a decent length. Butt cheeks should never hang below your shorts nor should they be exposed when you bend over. Actually, the appropriate length really depends on your height, weight and the fabric. Tall girls and big girls may take a longer length than a girl 5 feet 3 inches tall.
As my friend discovered, you can’t tell how shorts look unless you try them on. You’ll have to look long and hard to find longer shorts and Bermuda shorts because department stores and specialty shops carry mostly short shorts for summer. However, they can be found.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying never wear short shorts. There‘s a time and place for them – at a pool party or the beach. Those are places where you would expect to find girls in skimpy outfits. Walking down the street or through the mall in tiny shorts is not a good look. You invite attention but not always the kind you want. Young men respond to you in the manner you present yourself. Dress like a skank, and they’ll treat you like one.
Some girls claim it’s too hot to wear anything but short shorts. That argument is weak. Two or three additional inches of fabric won’t make you burn up, but the added length will make you look like a respectable young lady.