I’m a devoted shorts guy.
It’s my custom to pull them out of the closet come the end of March and keep them in the rotation well into October.
If it’s 60 and I’m playing golf, I pull on the shorts. Or going to the supermarket. Or walking around the block. Lounging around the house, most definitely.
Long pants have their place in these months, certainly, but they are so much more official.
So I must admit I took notice when I heard for the first tine this weekend about No Pants Day on the subways around the world.
It’s been around for more 13 years now, and celebrated underground around the whole, wide world.
It made the news. You can google it for many videos and images.
There’s no subway around Syracuse, N.Y., or I may very well have participated by pulling out a pair of my beloved shorts.
I might have worn these.
On the golf course, Oct. 1, 2013, in Syracuse, N.Y.
OK, I might have been laughed out of the train because they are so long.
But I would have been with the shorter shorts and very short short crowd in spirit. No pants at all, though, that’s where I draw my line.
Here’s a shot shared on WordPress by bosguy.com, capturing the declaration in Boston.
The subway in Boston on Jan. 12, 2014.
Photo source here.
Would you have joined No Pants Day if you had a subway to ride Sunday? What would you have worn? How long do you like to keep shorts in your rotation?
Mark Bialczak 
When I first saw the pictures the other day, I wondered how many of those guys had something on under the boxers.
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I did not wonder about that, Cat.
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That is a good thing Mark.
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mark, i think you should have started the movement in syracuse, you look cute in your shorts, and besides – it hit 40 degrees didn’t it? c’mon –
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Aw, shucks, Beth! I still don’t have a subway in Syracuse! But it was quite warm for my walk with Ellie B today. Everybody gets a sight from that tomorrow morning, FYI.
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Today is a perfect day for shorts. I could lounge around indoors in shorts. As a winter runner, even in the lower degree temperatures: shorts.
I’m not ashamed It must be a Malone generation trait, because my brother is more about wearing shorts than I am. I definitely would have joined the crowd on the subway.
Those shorts appear fine, Mark. I don’t think you would have been laughed out of the subway. Shorts are shorts when you can see shins and calves.
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I looked at the google pictures, Chris, and plenty of the participants appeared to believe no pants meant much more shown than shins and calves! Maybe back in the 1970s or ’80s for me …
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My son wears shorts every day of the year. Once he gets home from school the formal uniform is gone and it’s shorts. I think it’s great because you can keep getting taller and the shorts don’t look odd for a couple of years!
As for me – shorts on london underground? I think not!
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I guess I’ve never outgrown that philosophy that shorts equal more freedom, Rachel!
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just checked my emails and on the homepage there was a pic of no -pants people on the london underground.
I’m all for freedom mark.
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I love those pictures and videos. And no, I would not have paraded around in my underwear. Though I love the people that do. 🙂
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I agree with your Colleen, there’s a reason they start the word underwear with “under.” For me, that is. The others can have at it.
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Does it count if I go out in public in my bike shorts? 🙂
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The right bike shorts actually count double, Colleen!
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Hahahahahahahahahaha! 😉
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I guess those people aren’t going to work on the Subway? I used to wear shorts to work when I was a bike officer. That was great!!! I’d wear shorts all year long, if I could. A lifetime playing soccer has left me with decent legs, so I have to flaunt what little I have, right?! sadly, I have to wear pantaloons into the office. When I’m not working though, it’s shorts shorts or maybe jeans. I shoveled snow in my shorts and flip flops a couple of weeks ago in fact. Ok, I’m rambling…later, dude!
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You are a more devoted shorts guy than even I, Don. You remind me of one of my neighbors. In 10 years, I’ve NEVER seen this man wearing long pants. During the last big snow, he was out shoveling his driveway in his basketball shorts. I stopped and asked him if he wanted me to go back home and lend him a pair of pants. And … you wear pantaloons to the office? How do you fit through the doorway? Have a good day in St. Louis proper, Don …
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Good Morning Mark….I am still sitting here just shaking my head at the “no pants” thing. I must be getting old. All I can think is, “What is the world coming to?” ….More tea…
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File it under “If you’ve got it, flaunt it,” Kim.
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I still “got it”, but at my age, it may be illegal to flaunt it, or it should be anyway! 🙂
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I honestly have no idea, Mark, what I would do regarding all your questions about shorts, as I’m responding to your post. However, I am very glad I read your thoughts today.
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And you live in a subway zone, Ann. I wonder how you would have reacted seeing the no pants train in action.
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Again, Mark, I have no idea. But I appreciate He Who Wonders.
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If I had a body like I saw on some of the participants, then heck yeah I would have worn short shorts at least.
I haven’t worn shorts, regardless of length, in forever. My son wears them year round, there’s no rhyme or reason to it.
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There is a reason. He wants to, and I can definitely relate to that, NAPR!
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