Short shorts are hottest new trend as Paul Mescal and Hollywood heartthrobs alike usher in ‘thigh guy summer’

How short is too short? In the case of men’s summer staples, the thigh’s the limit.

At Gucci’s Spring 2025 menswear show in Italy this week, short shorts dominated the runway, with 41 out of 46 ensembles featuring pants that graze just below the groin.

The catwalk saw pleated shorts in an array of shades — from neutral blacks, browns and grays, to vibrant fuchsia, tangerine and floral patterns — paired with breezy button-downs, long trenches and lightweight blazers.

In attendance sat actor Paul Mescal, donning a pair of white striped minis styled with loafers, mid-calf socks and a blue Oxford, his thigh fashion look begging the question: Are shrinking in-seams back in style?

“I’m a big advocate for men wearing shorter shorts,” the 28-year-old “Gladiator 2” star, now crowned the “king of shorts,” told GQ at Monday’s catwalk.

Mescal has sported thigh-baring shorts on more than one occasion — most notably in his street style in the form of athletic attire — and although he may be the blueprint for the current short-short renaissance, he isn’t the only A-lister donning a pair.

Jeremy Allen White and Donald Glover have also become proponents of the micro trousers, and who could forget actor Milo Ventimiglia’s infamous outing in a pair? Meanwhile, Chris Pine has also adopted the controversial cut-offs into his own wardrobe as of late.

Last fall, the actor wore a pair of white shorts and a mustard hoodie, and recently donned a gray pair with an “I Heart LA” tee at the premiere of “Poolman,” harkening back to the men’s mini short heydays of the ’70s and ’80s.

“It’s called short shorts, isn’t it? It’s supposed to be short,” Pine, 43, told E! News in defense of his fashion.

Breadcrumbs of the impending in-seam shrinkage cropped up years ago when content creators gushed over their preference for men in shorter shorts — a 5-inch in-seam to be exact. 

But this spring, fashion-forward ladies have already adopted pin-baring hot pants in an attempt to revive the retro look, with Sydney Sweeney and Kristin Stewart leading the pack.