I really like the look of short shorts on young gals with gorgeous gams. I’ve seen inseam lengths of three to seven inches work beautifully on teens and lasses in their twenties and thirties. The vibe is cool, alluring and totally adorable for both beach and urban settings.

I’ve also seen plenty of women in their forties, fifties and sixties sport short shorts when they’re at the poolside, BBQ’s, children’s parties and picnics, or in city centers, restaurants, parks and shopping malls. It’s possible for women over the age of 40 to have a killer pair of flawlessly toned legs and look hot in short shorts, but is it appropriate in non-recreational situations?

Short shorts make practical sporting sense on the beach, or when you’re hiking, boating, power walking, cycling, camping or playing tennis. But in any other context, I say stick to something longer. There is a difference between looking “young” and looking “youthful”. Make no mistake, these are society’s norms at play here, but I think you’re more likely to get the respect you deserve if you dress in a more ageless way.

Kendall Farr puts it well in her new book: “Style Evolution: How to Create Ageless Personal Style in Your 40s and Beyond” (emphasis mine):

“And while youthful infuses a look with an ageless and timeless charm, verve and a dose of nerve, young is where most middle-aged women run off the rails. And let’s be frank ladies, our culture assesses women – especially mid-life women – by a brutal set of standards every day. While “mutton-dressed-as- lamb” is commonly lobbed at the women faking it in a blouse dress from Forever 21, when was the last time you heard of a 50-ish man dressed in cargo shorts and a wallet chain from Abercrombie described as “beef-jerky –dressed-as- a calf”? Exactly”.

Do you think we’re too harsh or prudish in suggesting a little more leg coverage as one gets older?

Short shorts (like the two pictures on the left), are best left to those who have youth on their side. Opt for an inseam length that finishes around the knee if you’ve still got a great set of legs (like the two examples on the right). Up to three inches above the knee can also work. Shorts at this length look ageless, sophisticated and always appropriate.