Daily Outfit: Corporate shorts?

The particular Department that I work for attracts a lot of people who are really into the great outdoors. Camping, kayaking, bush-walking and the likes are all popular extracurricular activities and discussed in tea-rooms and kitchenettes throughout our buildings.

What this means, however, is that a lot of people’s love for all things outdoors is reflected in how they dress for work.

There is a lot of Kathmandu polar fleece. A lot. Those weird Teeva sandals feature pretty frequently, as do Thinsulate and Gortex fabrics. However, I think that the most telling invasion of the Corporate work wear, is the presence of shorts.

It is not something I ever thought that I would condone myself, and I think that a large part of that is because most of the shorts you see are of the Gazman, high-waisted dad-short variety. It isn’t a great look, that’s for sure, and I find that generally speaking it really ages a person.

Regardless, I decided to try it out last Friday, using items from my own wardrobe. I wasn’t as horrified as I thought I was going to be. In fact, I find myself thinking that shorts as Corporate wear isn’t as taboo as awful as I previously believed.

I decided to give it another whirl today, with a slightly Preppy outfit:

Navy silk necktie with embroidered Gridiron players – vintage Lands’ End, etsy
Navy tailored cotton Shirt – Euromerican Tailors
Gold-tone tie bar – gift
Black leather belt – re-purposed from wedding ensemble
Patchwork Madras shorts – Polo Ralph Lauren
Black canvas espadrilles – ASOS

What do you think? Does it work? Do I look ridiculous? Too ‘Daggy Dad’? I have this vision that I’d love to actualise of a Seersucker suit but with shorts instead of slacks, and your feedback will advise me in this regard :)