[besson3c]

I don't know if this is a fad, just a weird thing that happens around here, or what, but for the last few winters we've seen college aged boys walking around outside on cold winter days (below the freezing point) with shorts on.

What's up with that? Do people in your area do this? Is it indeed some sort of trend?

[reader50]

Was this in front of the sorority houses?

[besson3c]

Nope, this is a college town but I see these guys all over town.

Girls also under dress and make up for this with carrying blankies around with them, but it's a little less blatant than shorts in the snow.

If this is a fashion/being sexy sort of thing I know that putting yourself in discomfort is nothing new, but it's hard to see what is cool and appealing about this.

[Salty]

Sounds like spring in Canada... not unusual to see someone walk around in a shirt with no jacket in -10 C weather.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Salty 

Sounds like spring in Canada... not unusual to see someone walk around in a shirt with no jacket in -10 C weather.

What age group?

[iMOTOR]

I once wore a long sleeve t-shirt, board shorts, and flip flops to get Chinese take out from a restaurant in Omaha. It was about 39ºF and slightly raining. Just too lazy to put on appropriate clothing.

Yeah, got some stares from the local folk.

[ghporter]

I've seen medical school students doing something similar-shorts and sandals (usually flip-flops) in what is extremely cold weather for here (under 40ºF). I am not sure where this sort of thing came from. On the other hand, when I was under 20 I would ski in jeans and a parka...my legs didn't seem to be uncomfortably cold when I did this.

What is more curious to me is the preponderance of girls who wear flip-flops and often shorts but who also wear anything from long-sleeved hoodies to heavy winter coats at the same time. Sometimes around here you can see this in very mild temperatures, just somewhat under 70ºF, but when it's much colder you still see it... By "girls" I'm speaking of young women under 24 or so who act like they're still in high school.

[residentEvil]

i wear shorts all year round; 'cept for work and dress up occasions. obviously i dress as needed if i'm out shoveling snow or filling up the truck with gas or taking a long trip, etc.

but the rest of the time, like going out to eat, grocery shopping, going to the movies, whatever...shorts.

i'm talking Michigan weather here folks. it's not odd to me and i'm not the only one i see doing it. i am NOT college age either.

[Dork.]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

I don't know if this is a fad, just a weird thing that happens around here, or what, but for the last few winters we've seen college aged boys walking around outside on cold winter days (below the freezing point) with shorts on.

Did you shout at them to get off your lawn from your front porch? Maybe get a little fist shakin' action in there, too?

[osiris]

I've seen this sort of behavior at Cornell U. It's negative 300 degrees outside and the kids are running around in shorts. Then when spring comes and things warm up, they wear wool hats and gloves. By the time summer rolls around, they're all dressed in arctic parkas. I don't understand the world anymore.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

I don't know if this is a fad, just a weird thing that happens around here, or what, but for the last few winters we've seen college aged boys walking around outside on cold winter days (below the freezing point) with shorts on.

What's up with that? Do people in your area do this? Is it indeed some sort of trend?

I saw it plenty in school, it was typically awkward guys doing it to get attention. Hmmm... an awkward nerd being an attention whore? Sounds familiar.

edit: The thread title should have been "Part #3263 of besson's 'I don't get it' threads."

[alligator]

It comes down to laziness and people not taking any pride in the way they dress. If they cared about how they presented themselves to the world, maybe the quality of our lives would improve a little.

[The Final Dakar]

This thread comes off with all the grace and subtlety of the fictional parents from 90s Apple Jacks commercials, who would frequently inquire, " Why do you kids eat Apple Jacks" as if the answer ****ing matters.

[osiris]

I prefer Samuel Jackson as a teen in that old Coco Puffs commercial: "I'm ****ing cuckoo for ****ing Coco Puffs, mother****er!"

[SpaceMonkey]

Kids and their newfangled knickerbockers.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

This thread comes off with all the grace and subtlety of the fictional parents from 90s Apple Jacks commercials, who would frequently inquire, " Why do you kids eat Apple Jacks" as if the answer ****ing matters.

BUT THEY DON'T TASTE LIKE APPLES! allcaps

Mom and Dad are such dorks! They just don't get us!

[Gankdawg]

I wear shorts year round but I do wear a couple layers up top. As long as I keep my core warm, I'm fine.

[subego]

I did this in college, in a Chicago winter no less.

The recipe is: home to garage to parking garage to indoors.

[OAW]

This is definitely not a new phenomenon. I can recall seeing this way back in my college days. There were those on campus for whom the following rule seemed to apply ....

If the sun is shining .... wear shorts. Temperature is totally irrelevant.

I found it to be rather strange then as I do now. But if they like it ... I love it.

OAW

[FireWire]

I see this from time to time in downtown Montréal, but I assumed those people were using the "Underground city" and thus didn't need to dress for winter.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Dork. 

Did you shout at them to get off your lawn from your front porch? Maybe get a little fist shakin' action in there, too?

I yelled at them for inflating health care costs by them getting hypothermia because they think they are cool.


Actually, no I didn't.

[reader50]

It's safe to say they *are* cool. More so than most people.

[imitchellg5]

I see that all the time here, but people of all ages do it. There will be snow on the ground and folks will be wearing sandals.

[besson3c]

[Captain Obvious]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

I don't know if this is a fad, just a weird thing that happens around here, or what, but for the last few winters we've seen college aged boys walking around outside on cold winter days (below the freezing point) with shorts on.

What's up with that? Do people in your area do this? Is it indeed some sort of trend?

How old are you again? You seem to make a lot of observations that make me think you are some sort of hermit.

This "trend" isn't really a trend. Its common practice and as far as I can tell a long standing one. High school kids do it a lot too going to and from athletic practices or games. Post collegiate people also do it when running errands within walking distance from their homes. Its mostly related to coming from a non formal or non professional location and heading to a likewise casual destination such as class, 7-11, or the gym.

Yeah, I think it's funny that it would be a trend. I wore shorts when I was in college twenty years ago.

Shorts are comfortable, so people wear them, it's that simple.

[Eug]

I do that all the time when I go the climbing gym in the dead of winter, even if it's below 0C (or < 32F). I can't be bothered to take a change of clothes, and I'm only outside for minutes at most (since I drive there).

[besson3c]

I can't help thinking that the gym thing doesn't account for all of these instances I've seen, particularly those that are nowhere close to a gym.

[Brien]

I wear shorts in the winter. Sue me.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by besson3c 

I can't help thinking that the gym thing doesn't account for all of these instances I've seen, particularly those that are nowhere close to a gym.

I already gave you the reason.

[imitchellg5]

He already ignored the reason.

[besson3c]

Actually, Laminar's attention whore theory makes the most sense, but he was kind of a dick about it, so maybe I don't want to give him the credit, mkay?

Take that.

[imitchellg5]

I can understand that.