Readers, I erred.
I wore my new madras shorts yesterday -- part of my upcoming Mood summer separates photo shoot -- and I felt very self-conscious about the length. I might as well have been wearing this Thom Browne ensemble...
I always knew my patchwork madras shorts were a bit on the short side, but I thought I'd get used to them; I didn't.
So today, with not even enough patchwork madras fabric left (after making my madras shirt) for a chihuahua coat, I got to work on lengthening my shorts a few inches. I was fortunate that, since my fabric is already patchwork, I could add bits and pieces I stitched together without it looking too obvious. In fact, I'd say it's barely noticeable at all, unless you're looking for it.
From the inside, you can see where the seam is.
But from the outside? (The madras was already broken up by the patch pockets.)
I am MUCH more comfortable in the pants at this length. It look a bit of time, but I'm glad I did it.
In closing, while we've all shortened garments, have you ever had to lengthen one by adding additional fabric or trim? Was it obvious or did you camouflage it in some way -- with fringe perhaps?
Embroidered trim?
Lace?
Other?
Have a great day, everybody!
Posts
I'm with you on this one Peter. I think the longer length is much more appealing. Once a person gets to be over 5 feet tall, regardless of sex, I don't want to see that much leg. Period.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pair of legs though ;)
DeleteThe longer length looks great!
ReplyDeleteI lengthened pants in high school with the braided edging--the kind that was so popular in the 70s. No one wanted to be seen in flood pants.
You do have really nice legs! I agree -- the longer length is much better. A minimum of a 5" inseam for men. I remeber the really short sports shorts from the 70's. The idea of seeing big Jim and the twins is enough to want me to wash my minds eye out. Really cringe worthy --debatable if the guy is drop-dead gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI think I have recovered from reading this post.....just enough to pull myself together to reply....toooooo funny !! short shorts are called undies and should be kept as such ! Even if said guy is drop dead gorgeous they're not a good look !
DeleteGood save!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Alaskapsych - Good save!
ReplyDeleteI don't know Bob Benson looked pretty spectacular in his short shorts on Mad Men a couple of weeks ago.
ReplyDeletehttps://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/3786071931/46c4c6686003366db2dfd4ad13f58887.jpeg
That was my first thought, too! I kinda love little shorts on guys. :)
DeletePeter -
ReplyDeleteYou are truly the resourceful one! Yes....the last thing you need, is to look like that Thom Brown model. I laughed out loud at those examples especially the last one!! It was absolutely hideous! LOL!!
Hi Peter
ReplyDeleteTo err is human but it feels divine. The shorter length looked fine and the new length looks great too. I'm glad you were able to make the garment you are happy with - very resourceful! Take heart - your legs and shorts are more aesthetically pleasing than those of Thom Browne's lath thin model.
Hugs
G
I like the longer length. Very fashionable. And kudos for lengthening them so cleverly.
ReplyDeleteSorry to say I have little experience at lengthening. At slightly under 5 ft. I spend a lot of my sewing time shortening. I can usually buy less fabric because I shorten the pattern right off the bat...when I make clothing which isn't often. I thought some of you might like to see a completely hand sewn wardrobe. Stop by my blog at
ReplyDeletehttp://csturgeo.blogspot.com/
Peter, Cathy will be jealous!
What a wardrobe!
DeleteHilarious! Good job fixing the length without it showing. Sadly, In the past I have added fringe, fabric and you-name-it to lengthen garments but I made a full confession and promised not to do it again.
ReplyDeleteThank you for clarifying my question in the last post about your serger thread. It makes sense.
I'm going to be different and say I liked the shorter length because you have the legs to rock that shit!
ReplyDeleteMe, too! Lovely legs.
DeleteDitto! But I do understand if you are not comfy.
DeleteWhatever makes you feel more comfortable; but, really, you've got the legs to wear the shorter shorts.
DeleteThat's what I like about you, Peter, you weren't happy with the finished product but were honest about it. :-) Rock on!
ReplyDeleteYou totally have the legs to wear them shorter and I think they look great - but I know that hideous feeling of wearing something you have an endless desire to tug down while in public and actually moving around and not just posing in the mirror! Great workaround with the extra bit at the bottom and yay for feeling less self-conscious!
ReplyDeleteWhile you can wear the shorter length, I always think of "madras shorts" as the longer length. Excellent job of lengthening! Plus, they aren't fun to wear if you always feel funny in them.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I prefer the shorter length on you. Great legs need to be seen!
ReplyDeleteFirst, you have fabulous pins! Second, my dad had a pair of OP shorts in the early 80's. They were pink corduroy and were indeed that short so, you were bang on with the pattern. I like the new length better, much more modern.
ReplyDeleteI don t mind the shorter length on you but I find
ReplyDeletethat after you altered them they look more balance if that makes sense but non the less they look fabulous on you, by the way I never had a problem with making something to short I usually make them too long[but garments from stores are usually to short for me to wear :(]!
Watch out Bob Benson!
ReplyDeletehttp://img2.timeinc.net/instyle/images/2013/WRN/052813-mad-men-11-400.jpg
Bob Benson was the first thing I thought of when I saw these shorts! I really like them.
DeleteAll about when and where. For me, the short version would have been fine at a beach party. But really a choice of what feels comfortable. It isn't like they were short enough to shock anyone or get you arrested.
ReplyDeleteI lengthened some jeans for my daughter when she was young because I didn't want to keep on buying new ones as she got taller. The cost of the embroidered denim ribbon I used was about the same (or more than) another pair of jeans and while I harvested the ribbon after she outgrew those jeans, I've never used it since.
ReplyDeleteAs a standard these days, when I'm making a dress whose skirt ends at or just above the knee, I always add 6" (15cm) to the length before I cut it out. That seems to put them at just the right length for me to wear and look ok.
BTW, in answer to your post header: have you ever seen the short shorts worn by Aussie Rules Footballers?
You´ve got better legs than most of my sister-friends. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteMine are better though! :-P
Like the new lenght, is more gentleman-like.
I have never successfully lengthened any of my clothes.
ReplyDeleteHahahahha for the last few images! I make skirts longer by adding paneled ruffles from scraps - and when i want it shorter i can easily remove them!
ReplyDeleteUgh, I'm in the middle of the Madeleine Bloomers from Colette and the crotch depth is too short for comfortable wear! besides opening the crotch seam another 1/8-1/4 of an inch I have no idea what to do, since the waistband, which took awhile, is already done.
ReplyDeleteIt might be time for some color blocking. ;) Add a band above the bloomer but below the waistline -- that's all I can think of.
DeleteIf you look at the picture of those bloomers on the Colette website, they are made to be worn at least two inches below the waistline. You might try adding onto either the front or back crotch edge (whichever feels the shortest) which would in effect, lengthen the crotch.
DeleteI like the madras shorts in both lengths, the shorter because you have great legs; the longer because they're more traditional.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think you are one of the few who should be wearing that short length. Some guys I've seen in them, well--no.
ReplyDeleteYou should see me in my Candie's mules! ;)
DeleteThe mine reels!
DeleteI wear mine with vintage Spring-o-lator mules.
While you have the legs to wear the shorter length, it can't remove thoughts of Richard Simmons from my mind. Sorry to say, his loud hyper TV persona (regardless of what he's like in real life) sort of ruined men wearing shorter shorts for me.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add - you did a nice save on your shorts. As far as my lengthening things - unless it has enough hem to let out (which is rare any more), I don't. In my mind, most add-ons are suitable for little girls clothing only, if that. In the examples you've shown, the embroidered trim is the only one I'd consider.
ReplyDeleteI think you look cute in the shorter shorts. But you should feel comfortable in what you are wearing of course :)
ReplyDeleteHaving been gifted with tall children, I've lengthened things more times than I care to count. You name the method, I've done it!
ReplyDeleteyou looked great with the original length but if you're not comfortable, the longer look is great, too. i'd love to see a couple of chihuahua coats in madras...
ReplyDeleteLengthening your shorts was a good call, although I do believe you could have pulled off the original length if you had one of those stylish bathing caps like the Tom Browne model... ;-)
ReplyDeleteI actually did lengthen a RTW skirt slightly with crochet lace trim once, because the skirt fabric shrunk and its lining did not. I dyed the crochet lace in a coffee bath to get the color match I needed. All in all, a fairly easy and satisfying fix!
LAst time I lengthened anything was in the
ReplyDelete70's when i sewed that two inch wide braid that usually had big daisies or an indian weave onto the bottom of my bell bottoms so that they would be sure to drag the ground.
I've taken out the sleeves and hems of a suit coat that I found at a thrift store. Typically for me, being over 6 ft tall, I tend to but things like t-shirts and other easily manipulated tops a size larger than I need (my circumference says medium, but my length screams large)then I take the sides of the garment in. I have done this with a number of t-shirts from target with great success. I intend to do the same with a pair of white canvas pants that I bought when I was heavier and they mainly just need the legs to be narrowed throughout.
ReplyDeleteMy rule with short shorts is that they should hit at or very near the top of the knee when standing because we all know that even at that length they're going to be halfway up your thigh whenever you sit down.
I just want to be the first to say or ask. . .How ZESTY do you want your shorts?
ReplyDeleteNot very.
DeleteI definitely think they look more adult the new length. I've never had to lengthen anything, thankfully, because I'm 5 foot 3.
ReplyDeleteYou have the legs for the short shorts, maybe a pair of swim trunks instead?
ReplyDeleteYou have great legs so you could go either way.
ReplyDeleteThat is what I like about sewing. If something doesn't suit you, you can change it!! I have been doing a bit of that this year on some of my sewn garments. I have removed sleeves, lowered necklines, more than I can remember.
ReplyDeleteLonger *is* better!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, those fringe cutoff are CRAZY!
ReplyDeleteAnd while I prefer the longer length, you absolutely can pull off the short look.
as a teenager I used to make my flaired jeans longer with second hand retro flower ribbons, because jeans long enough to my taste and height didn't exist. I liked the look, but I am happy they invented my size now...
ReplyDeleteI like the short length on you.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteWell,Peter, at least you aren't wearing the hideous long white socks the guy in the pic is wearing with shorts( I always wear ankle socks ) but it is this mentality that has Easterners, I guess, viewing actual shorts as an anomaly. Whatever.
Now, the shorts of the guy in the pic are perfectly fine. They are not so tight as to show his anatomy. The rest of the ensemble is so bizarre the shorts look odd though.Also, dress shorts with suits look weird in the first place. You look fine in the original shorts in your pic. You have nice muscled legs. Perhaps someone with spindly legs should wear the longer version.
I am appalled that the garment industry and the pattern makers offer only the longer styles. There is absolutely no choice (outside of big cities I guess) in the hinterland at walmart or any outdoor store of choosing trim fitting shorter shorts for men. I have been modifying shorts I find in thrift stores by cutting the legs to 3-4 in. down from the inseam and making a cuff usually resulting in a 3 in leg which is perfect for a Proper Short as I call them. I also have to take in the huge leg width about 5 in. to have it fit my narrower long legs. Also, I am choosing only high rise styles as the resulting short looks more normal. For a while I was buying women's shorts because they are shorter but most had the low rise look and I realized that was not so good looking. I'm not fat at all but it made me look like I had a pot belly as the shirt bagged out a little.