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We may be in the dead of winter, but spring will be here in the blink of an eye, so it’s a good time to stock up on warm-weather essentials such as Bermuda shorts.

But what’s the story behind these tailored shorts that are so popular for men? Like a lot of clothing, the shorts have military origins. The British army needed a uniform more suited for the tropical weather in their colonies and came up with a solution that included a pair of short trousers that ended above the knee.

In the 1920s, bankers and businessmen in Bermuda adopted the look, and when tourists visited the island from English and the East Coast of the United States, they brought back the trend, wearing tailored “Bermuda” shorts often with high socks just like the British army and Bermuda businessmen did. In the U.S., these shorts were strictly for leisure pursuits, and in the 1950s, some towns and universities actually enacted bans on wearing shorts! By the 1980s, though, taboos around people wearing tailored shorts had all but disappeared.

Nowadays most of us skip high socks (although they still wear them in Bermuda!) in favor of no socks at all (or no-show socks), but Bermuda shorts are still a popular way to stay cool while looking stylish when the weather warms up.

Visit Garmany to see our wide selection by Peter Millar. The popular American sportswear brand was founded in 2001 by Chris Knott and features many cool colors in several fabrics and styles. We also have shorts by Good Man Brand and PT01 and swimsuits by Orlebar Brown, which are basically shorts you can swim in. Our expertly trained staff will help you find the pair that’s perfect for you. It’s the next best thing to visiting Bermuda.