I Love SHORTS!

When I was little, pictures show (and my parents confirm) me for entire years wearing only pants, no skirts; or only skirts, no pants. I don't know if we ever figured out this early fashion fickleness, but it doesn't surprise me. In college, finally somewhat secure in my identify, I decided to only purchase red clothing and wear something red every day. It lasted a good year, along with vegetarianism and an eyebrow piercing (not at all the same time).

But these sort of mandates were only possible in the bookend years around adolescence, during which my clothing criteria was "cover up as much as possible and for god's sake, try not to stand out!" So you can imagine how I felt about shorts. On the one hand, every kid I knew wore them. On the other hand, the "hot" style was 1 in. long inseam (oh, the humanity!!) and I did NOT want to be showing off that much leg to the world. The solution? Mom-style denim shorts, rolled up to about 3 inch inseam.

(Mom-style denim shorts are one of those things that, like lipstick, took some time to grow into. When you're young you think, "I look like a clown; this will never work," and then suddenly one day it does. Ageing, friends. It doesn't make sense to me either.)

So when Sarah, my college roommate, declared "I never wear shorts," I saw the first hint of an opportunity--later confirmed by more fashionista friends--to get rid of the damn things altogether, and I never looked back.

But here's the thing: I really love shorts!! If you're at the beach, you can wear men's swimming trunks instead of bikini bottoms and not feel like you're strutting around in underwear for all to see. You can wear them out and sit on the grass INDIAN-STYLE. They're cooler than pants and more user-friendly than skirts. Ahhhh, shorts. I've missed you so much.

Next week: the "bubble skirt," and why it is very very bad.