Shorts by Any Other Name Still Get Short Shrift in the Office
Liz Claiborne calls them walking shorts. At Talbots, they’re referred to as Bermuda trouser shorts. Lynne Henry, head buyer at Ultimo, prefers the term “city shorts.”
Knee-length tailored shorts are the hot new silhouette for summer fashion, but these hybrid bottoms are encountering some unexpected pushback in the workplace. No matter what you call them, they are still shorts, and that violates the last bastion of the dress code in many offices.
“You can’t wear shorts to work,” harrumphed Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD FashionWorld. “They can wear camisoles. They can wear bra tops. But shorts are the place where the human resources department draws the line. If you let people wear Bermuda shorts to work, what’s to stop them from wearing hot pants?”
In the fashion industry, it’s a constant tug of war between designers looking to launch the next new look and a public that may not be ready to embrace the daring. When it comes to office apparel, it’s a particularly tricky issue because most companies prefer their workers to dress conservatively -- software and surfwear companies not included.
Marissa Goldenberg was ahead of the fashion curve last summer when she donned a pair of long shorts she had bought in Israel for Casual Day at the downtown offices of the national brokerage firm where she works. She paired them with a shirt, jacket and black pumps for what she considered a dressy look.
Her co-workers informed her she had committed a fashion faux pas. “I was told by several people it was really inappropriate. One of the HR managers said she wouldn’t recommend wearing them again,” Goldenberg said. This summer, her shorts will stay in the closet on workdays, but she does think the standard is a little unfair. “People are allowed to wear khakis. Mine were even nicer.”
Such resistance isn’t likely to halt the march of the long shorts, fashion experts say. Summer looks that can be worn by women of various ages have been few and far between in recent years as fashion has gotten skimpier and skimpier. Long shorts are, by definition, a more conservative fashion statement than short shorts, miniskirts or low-rise pants. And you don’t have to worry about something showing when sitting down or crossing your legs.
“In retailers’ minds, they are the great hope for capri replacements. People have been praying for this for several years,” says David Wolfe, creative director of the Doneger Group, a fashion consulting firm in New York. “I think they will be very, very successful. They’re practical. Last summer was all about skirts. Women are anxious to find a new pant silhouette to wear.”
