Who Wears Shorter Shorts?

I love when women's trends are supposedly based off of men's fashion. This look always appears around fall -- something about crunching leaves under your feet or slightly chilled weather must somehow elicit the idea of women wearing baggy trousers during the day and tailored men's tuxedos at night.

Perhaps this look is a case of high fashion houses creating avant garde looks that become watered down by the time they reach real America. A bow tie with a button-down shirt and wide-legged pants just becomes trousers and a long sleeved button down once it arrives in Tulsa.

I don't know if trend analysts will shove this look down our throats this fall or not. The absolute last thing I want to think about when the heat index hits over 105 degrees is what construction tweed will be shaped and draped this fall.

But the problem is that I went shoe shopping last weekend and saw high-heeled oxford shoes. Yes, they've returned again and they're sold more places than ever. I instinctively knew that I'd soon be opening magazine spreads that would feature menswear for women. You could make sheets for a king-sized bed if you deconstructed a pair of pleated, wide-legged pants. Gross. They are always in bland colors and blah shapes.

It seems designers have taken ladies' menswear from an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Maybe I'm just exaggerating. Maybe it really is just the shoes. But if it's not the end of this trend, the trend itself should be reevaluated. Women should borrow from the men's guidebook to fashion, but not with literal interpretations. Inspiration from men can be a consistent school of fashion thought -- not a passing ridiculous trend. Erase androgyny and embrace astonishing.

Astonishing might not be the right word. I may have only used it because phonetically, it sounded good in that sentence. Men don't really want to look astonishing. I'm continually going back and forth into understanding the male psyche when it comes to clothing. I would estimate that most dudes just want to wear something that is simple and comfortable. And -- to make a non-feministic generalization -- women are rarely simple and frequently uncomfortable when it comes to fashion.

During leisure or while at work, men are under the consistent approach that comfort is king. While there are instances where women are genuinely comfy, it's not as often as the opposite sex. Granted, in our circumstances it's partially the clothing industry's fault. So many clothes constructed for women are binding. Stores and designers don't make things for men that are uncomfortable because they know men won't buy it. They know women will, so they make these items. But it's all about business, so if we quit buying the uncomfortable commodities, they'll eventually stop making them.

Take It Like A Man

Men dress for themselves and no one else. They don't care if it's in fashion or if every other dude in the room is wearing the exact same thing. Women should take the same approach. You hear women say all the time that they do dress for themselves, but it's all baloney. Women wouldn't be trying so damn hard if there wasn't some sort of means to the end. In this case, the end is the acceptance of those around them or one uppance. These thoughts never cross a man's mind when putting on a shirt and some pants.

With that same school of thought, getting dressed should never be a chore. At the least it should just be something you do with no discernable thought, like brushing your teeth. But really it should be so much more. It can be fun. And guys know that. Guys, at least a certain type, take real relish in finding something outlandish and wearing it. They own the look and no matter how outside of the box or unstylish it may be, it's refreshing to see not only variety but someone who is truly content with himself to go beyond trends and just wear something because he likes it.

Having fun and wearing something just for the hell of it projects a certain kind of confidence that girls rarely get to experience. Not to say that girls don't have confidence; they do, but in a totally different way. Girls feel confident in their second skin. That's where the confusion steps in. Guys are sexy in whatever they wear because they are confident and girls only achieve that confidence if they feel they are wearing something sexy. Guys will wear something ugly, ironic or outright bizarre.

Take my best friend for example. He and some buddies partake in what they call "Short Shorts Saturday." Concerned that his bold, fun look will be copied, he was quite adamant that I not reveal the details of the outfit, but the name sort of gives it away, right? This isn't an outfit worn ironically to brunch either -- this is a flat out Saturday night at the bar look. The point is that he has a total blast wearing this outfit and in turn, so does everyone around him. And that's what girls need to do. Letting loose and not being concerned about what other people think, what other people are wearing and how you fit in with it all automatically makes getting dressed so much more fun. Taking it a step further and really throwing caution to the wind with something quirky or outlandish isn't for all girls just like it isn't for all guys. But most guys will try anything once so if we're following their lead, this should be one of things tried.

Women literally dressing like men is a trend that won't last, but approaching dressing like a man will always be in style.