Men..... in shorts!
Jul 13th 2011, 8:34 am
#61
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Tauranga, Bay of Plenty
Posts: 117
Re: Men..... in shorts!
I wasn’t going to write this, but what the hell… I know some of you will say its me with the problem, but hell I don’t care anymore. 
Grown men in shorts… in mid winter! Well it just isn’t right is it!
There I was minding my own business walking round New World looking for those clever baskets, and there he stood, right in front of me. He looked like a cross between Desperate Dan and Terry Scott (anyone under 45 won’t get that). All that was missing was a catapult sticking out of his back pocket. But wait, the best part was, he had on white socks and sandals (I absolutely and categorically refuse to call them Jandals… I don’t do “Gummies” either… I mean come on, that sounds like something you would get from an OAP hooker!
)…. I digress.
I wear “shorts” when my “boys” are threatening to poach themselves, and not a moment sooner!
What really cracks me up though is when I see someone without any footwear … in the supermarket… in winter! Seen it during our first winter here back in 2007, saw this woman get out of her car, followed by a teenager in a tee shirt, shorts and nothing else. There was ice on the ground!!!!!!! Thought I was seeing things. My wife had on twenty five layers of clothing, four pairs of socks, electrically heated underwear and she still had icicles hanging off her nose! Since then we have both seen this strange phenomenon a good few times. Are these people just really really tough or just thick?
Anyway, back to the men in shorts… in winter. I was thinking of getting up a petition of sorts, "DOWN WITH MENS SHORTS"… or something like that. Would like to hear what y’all think on this topic. Or does anyone have any more stories of clothing “faux pas” they would like to share?
Grown men in shorts… in mid winter! Well it just isn’t right is it!
There I was minding my own business walking round New World looking for those clever baskets, and there he stood, right in front of me. He looked like a cross between Desperate Dan and Terry Scott (anyone under 45 won’t get that). All that was missing was a catapult sticking out of his back pocket. But wait, the best part was, he had on white socks and sandals (I absolutely and categorically refuse to call them Jandals… I don’t do “Gummies” either… I mean come on, that sounds like something you would get from an OAP hooker!
)…. I digress. I wear “shorts” when my “boys” are threatening to poach themselves, and not a moment sooner!
What really cracks me up though is when I see someone without any footwear … in the supermarket… in winter! Seen it during our first winter here back in 2007, saw this woman get out of her car, followed by a teenager in a tee shirt, shorts and nothing else. There was ice on the ground!!!!!!! Thought I was seeing things. My wife had on twenty five layers of clothing, four pairs of socks, electrically heated underwear and she still had icicles hanging off her nose! Since then we have both seen this strange phenomenon a good few times. Are these people just really really tough or just thick?
Anyway, back to the men in shorts… in winter. I was thinking of getting up a petition of sorts, "DOWN WITH MENS SHORTS"… or something like that. Would like to hear what y’all think on this topic. Or does anyone have any more stories of clothing “faux pas” they would like to share?
http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...ilies/rofl.gif
There is a very good reason for the shorts!
You will have noticed that, certainly in the upper North Island, the winter weather is a lot warmer than in the UK but it still rains a lot. Being outside in long trousers and getting them wet is unpleasent especially if you then have to sit in them all day while they dry out. Shorts mean that it is your legs that get wet and skin can be dried very quickly!
Most of the drivers will carry a towel with them in the truck to dry their legs. I am not sure that shorts are really sartorially elegant but they are certaily very practical.
Incidentally - in UK I wore a dark blue suit ans white shirt to work every day for nearly 30 years!
Jul 13th 2011, 9:01 am
#62
you dewty owld maan!
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: is practically perfect in every way
Posts: 5,565
Re: Men..... in shorts!
.....You will have noticed that, certainly in the upper North Island, the winter weather is a lot warmer than in the UK but it still rains a lot. Being outside in long trousers and getting them wet is unpleasent especially if you then have to sit in them all day while they dry out. Shorts mean that it is your legs that get wet and skin can be dried very quickly!...
What I just don't get is the "tea-cosy" hat, you know the bucket hat made out of day-glo flannelette or summat. Now that makes no sense at all.
I also find it odd that lots of sports coaches wear those short gum boots, can't be very mobile on the footy field wearing those....
Jul 13th 2011, 7:05 pm
#63
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Pakaraka
Posts: 3,264
Re: Men..... in shorts!
Jul 13th 2011, 7:46 pm
#65
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 334
Re: Men..... in shorts!
Ahhh ~ I quite regularly muck out the ponies in my PJ's but no one can see me (I think). Would not under any circumstances go to supermarket in them!!! Sounds like NZ is very laid back with their dress code. 
Jul 13th 2011, 9:00 pm
#66
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2002
Location: Christchurch NZ
Posts: 179
Re: Men..... in shorts!
Jul 13th 2011, 10:04 pm
#67
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2002
Location: Christchurch NZ
Posts: 179
Re: Men..... in shorts!
And what is it with “Sherpa hats”…. Okay, they can look cute on a eighteen year old blonde Scandinavian girl… but last year our bricklayers labourer turned up wearing one, with the side tassels hanging down about a foot n’ a half…. He looked like a very muscular and butch version of “Heidi”…..
I remember when I was a kid, it was hard to make us “kids” wear hats or hoods of any description as we were conscious of being seen as woosies…. Now “hoodies” are cool, to the point where some shops ban kids from wearing them (that’s a turnaround huh?), and woolly hats that make guys look like a gender challenged Shirley Temple (Alpine Heidi)…. I mean how do these things happen?
Scooters… there's another good example. Grown men (and women) “scooting” along on kids scooters…
When I was about FOUR it was the done thing to pass the scooter down to “little brother” when you graduated up to a small bicycle, with stabilisers. It was almost like a right of passage thing… you had taken a large stride, you had started to “grow up”. Self affirmation was also a part of the process as you then had to “tease” your younger sibling for being such a baby… on his baby scooter (which you had ridden up till two days ago).
But there it was, there was no going back now… scooters were for babies… bikes were for “older” boys and girls.
…and now? you see them everywhere… teenagers, young adults, adults who want to be seen as cool…. Scooting along without so much a care in the world… absolutely oblivious to the fact that the slightly “older” ones amongst us view them with…, well, lets just say that some of us just have to smile and shake our heads!
Sh*t I’m getting old!
I remember when I was a kid, it was hard to make us “kids” wear hats or hoods of any description as we were conscious of being seen as woosies…. Now “hoodies” are cool, to the point where some shops ban kids from wearing them (that’s a turnaround huh?), and woolly hats that make guys look like a gender challenged Shirley Temple (Alpine Heidi)…. I mean how do these things happen?
Scooters… there's another good example. Grown men (and women) “scooting” along on kids scooters…
When I was about FOUR it was the done thing to pass the scooter down to “little brother” when you graduated up to a small bicycle, with stabilisers. It was almost like a right of passage thing… you had taken a large stride, you had started to “grow up”. Self affirmation was also a part of the process as you then had to “tease” your younger sibling for being such a baby… on his baby scooter (which you had ridden up till two days ago).
But there it was, there was no going back now… scooters were for babies… bikes were for “older” boys and girls.
…and now? you see them everywhere… teenagers, young adults, adults who want to be seen as cool…. Scooting along without so much a care in the world… absolutely oblivious to the fact that the slightly “older” ones amongst us view them with…, well, lets just say that some of us just have to smile and shake our heads!
Sh*t I’m getting old!
Jul 14th 2011, 2:26 am
#68
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,820
Re: Men..... in shorts!
Has the 'socks and jandals' thing been brought up yet?
Socks AND jandals...
Socks AND jandals...
Jul 14th 2011, 1:14 pm
#69
you dewty owld maan!
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: is practically perfect in every way
Posts: 5,565
Re: Men..... in shorts!
how about shorts and rigger boots or shorts and ankle boots with gaiters - choice
Jul 14th 2011, 6:40 pm
#70
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 334
Re: Men..... in shorts!
No Kevin ~ once the aroma of the stable has gotten into your clothes the only place for them is the laundry basket!!! Although daughter would do so if not kept in check but then she "just loves the smell of ponies" 
Jul 14th 2011, 7:17 pm
#71
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 696
Re: Men..... in shorts!
Do you think Countdown et al will follow?
I have to say I have seen some shockers walking down Streatham High Road....one lady in a Christmas nightie in the middle of the day and it wasn't even Christmas time
, one lady with one whole boob sticking out of her top (might of been other issues there though to be fair) and I could go on all day about the summer attire of English men....football shorts, shiny icky football shirts, trainers with socks on, pot bellies, white legs, white tummies...did I mention no tan 
....and the good old string vest! Give me a pair of stubbies anyday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
My dad is a good old Southern man and he wears shorts all year round, tee shirt in summer and fleece in winter!
Not sure I have ever seen him wear a coat....EVER!!!
Jul 14th 2011, 8:42 pm
#72
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2002
Location: Christchurch NZ
Posts: 179
Re: Men..... in shorts!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8484116.stm
Do you think Countdown et al will follow?
I have to say I have seen some shockers walking down Streatham High Road....one lady in a Christmas nightie in the middle of the day and it wasn't even Christmas time, one lady with one whole boob sticking out of her top (might of been other issues there though to be fair) and I could go on all day about the summer attire of English men....football shorts, shiny icky football shirts, trainers with socks on, pot bellies, white legs, white tummies...did I mention no tan ....and the good old string vest! Give me a pair of stubbies anyday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My dad is a good old Southern man and he wears shorts all year round, tee shirt in summer and fleece in winter! Not sure I have ever seen him wear a coat....EVER!!!
Do you think Countdown et al will follow?
I have to say I have seen some shockers walking down Streatham High Road....one lady in a Christmas nightie in the middle of the day and it wasn't even Christmas time
, one lady with one whole boob sticking out of her top (might of been other issues there though to be fair) and I could go on all day about the summer attire of English men....football shorts, shiny icky football shirts, trainers with socks on, pot bellies, white legs, white tummies...did I mention no tan ....and the good old string vest! Give me a pair of stubbies anyday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My dad is a good old Southern man and he wears shorts all year round, tee shirt in summer and fleece in winter!
Not sure I have ever seen him wear a coat....EVER!!!Well that sums it up for me…. anyone remember Harry Enfield and his character dueo Wayne and Waynetta Slob…. I bed Waynetta used to often pop into Kwiksave for her “fags” in her PJ’s.
Last edited by Kevin; Jul 14th 2011 at 8:45 pm.
Jul 15th 2011, 6:06 am
#73
We're HERE!!!
Joined: Jul 2009
Location: New Zealand!
Posts: 877
Re: Men..... in shorts!
And what is it with “Sherpa hats”…. Okay, they can look cute on a eighteen year old blonde Scandinavian girl… but last year our bricklayers labourer turned up wearing one, with the side tassels hanging down about a foot n’ a half…. He looked like a very muscular and butch version of “Heidi”…..
I remember when I was a kid, it was hard to make us “kids” wear hats or hoods of any description as we were conscious of being seen as woosies…. Now “hoodies” are cool, to the point where some shops ban kids from wearing them (that’s a turnaround huh?), and woolly hats that make guys look like a gender challenged Shirley Temple (Alpine Heidi)…. I mean how do these things happen?
Scooters… there's another good example. Grown men (and women) “scooting” along on kids scooters…
When I was about FOUR it was the done thing to pass the scooter down to “little brother” when you graduated up to a small bicycle, with stabilisers. It was almost like a right of passage thing… you had taken a large stride, you had started to “grow up”. Self affirmation was also a part of the process as you then had to “tease” your younger sibling for being such a baby… on his baby scooter (which you had ridden up till two days ago).
But there it was, there was no going back now… scooters were for babies… bikes were for “older” boys and girls.
…and now? you see them everywhere… teenagers, young adults, adults who want to be seen as cool…. Scooting along without so much a care in the world… absolutely oblivious to the fact that the slightly “older” ones amongst us view them with…, well, lets just say that some of us just have to smile and shake our heads!
Sh*t I’m getting old!
I remember when I was a kid, it was hard to make us “kids” wear hats or hoods of any description as we were conscious of being seen as woosies…. Now “hoodies” are cool, to the point where some shops ban kids from wearing them (that’s a turnaround huh?), and woolly hats that make guys look like a gender challenged Shirley Temple (Alpine Heidi)…. I mean how do these things happen?
Scooters… there's another good example. Grown men (and women) “scooting” along on kids scooters…
When I was about FOUR it was the done thing to pass the scooter down to “little brother” when you graduated up to a small bicycle, with stabilisers. It was almost like a right of passage thing… you had taken a large stride, you had started to “grow up”. Self affirmation was also a part of the process as you then had to “tease” your younger sibling for being such a baby… on his baby scooter (which you had ridden up till two days ago).
But there it was, there was no going back now… scooters were for babies… bikes were for “older” boys and girls.
…and now? you see them everywhere… teenagers, young adults, adults who want to be seen as cool…. Scooting along without so much a care in the world… absolutely oblivious to the fact that the slightly “older” ones amongst us view them with…, well, lets just say that some of us just have to smile and shake our heads!
Sh*t I’m getting old!
are you serious? Adults on scooters? the kind you push along with your leg??
Jul 15th 2011, 8:18 am
#74
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2002
Location: Christchurch NZ
Posts: 179
Jul 15th 2011, 8:29 am
#75
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,208
Re: Men..... in shorts!
Adults arrive at my kids school on an array of scooters, skateboards, rip sticks, rollerblades etc - and no not all of them have ridden them there for the kids ...
I'm quite jealous, I'd love to be able to skateboard. I did threaten to turn up on rollerblades to which my 12 year old son said "and you'll be blading home again ... alone."
I don't mind the shorts and jandals all year round (obviously drawing the line at socks) but then we live very beachy so it kind of fits in here.
I'm quite jealous, I'd love to be able to skateboard. I did threaten to turn up on rollerblades to which my 12 year old son said "and you'll be blading home again ... alone."
I don't mind the shorts and jandals all year round (obviously drawing the line at socks) but then we live very beachy so it kind of fits in here.