There we all were putting extra effort into leg day – squatting, crunching, pressing – in anticipation of a ‘thigh-guy summer’ (that is, a summer of wearing teeny tiny shorts that skim the quads and show them off to the world) when Robert Pattinson went and wore below-the-knee cargo shorts.
The British actor and star of The Batman was spotted out and about in New York yesterday with girlfriend Suki Waterhouse wearing a normcore long sleeve black shirt, brown baseball cap, Adidas Gazelles (a favourite of his, might we add) and cream cargo shorts with sleek, streamlined pockets. What’s he storing in them? Who knows, but R Patz makes a serious case for them.
Now, we know what you’re thinking - aren’t cargo shorts a crime against fashion? Not anymore. These new cargo shorts are a key component of the utilitarian, outdoorsy look being presented by brands such as Loewe, NN07 and 1017 ALYX 9SM this season.
In all cases, what’s gone are those crazy calf-grazing obscenities favoured by tour-guides and middle-aged golfers and something which are slimmer and sincerely stylish. Some are made of tech fabrics with barely visible pockets that can still stash everything you need to go about the day without a bag. Some borrow from the world of outdoors apparel instead of leaning on military inspiration, with multitudes of pockets on the thighs and even a self-belt to complete the vibe. Others are cut from luxy fabrics with the same side pockets you remember from back in the day, but trimmed down and gussied up so they feel much cooler.
All of them, though, are eminently wearable. And as we head into the height of summer in earnest (it’s set to be a scorching weekend) the only thing left to do then is pick a pair or two.
