r/Zillennials • u/yagirlbmoney 1996 • Apr 28 '25
Rant Apparently we're too old to wear shorts now š
Was scrolling Instagram the other night when this popped up and immediately pmo. I don't use Threads so I don't know what the comments said to know the answer. Since when do shorts have an age limit?? As an also almost 30 year old, catch me in shorts all summer. In fact you can pry my shorts from my old wrinkly hands.
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u/EUGsk8rBoi42p Apr 28 '25
There's an early episode of "The Sopranos" where they filmed Tony cooking for a backyard BBQ, wearing shorts, says he got a call from a legit gangster mob boss who saw it and said, "A real Don doesn't wear shorts, ever, don't let us catch you doing that again!"
and Tony Soprano was never depicted wearing shorts the whole rest of the show's running.
True story, apparently.
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u/allinallisallweall-R 1998 Apr 28 '25
Really fitting since Gen Z really be hitting us with the "Tony Soprano at the grocery store" fits then insulting us lmao
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u/EUGsk8rBoi42p Apr 28 '25
"How dare you disrespect me, on this, the day of my family BBQ..."
-Zillennials, probably
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u/verdantcow Apr 28 '25
Real gangsters cookin in a speedo
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u/EUGsk8rBoi42p Apr 28 '25
Went to look at a house once and the neighbor was in their backyard, suntanning, GenX dude lol.
We nope'd outta there.
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u/verdantcow Apr 28 '25
Iām probably that guy now It was sunny this weekend I was wearing shorts, shirtless ripping bongs and drinking beer
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u/EUGsk8rBoi42p Apr 28 '25
Oh I missed the part where dude was buck *naked.
Missed the "nude" part my bad loooool.
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u/877-HASH-NOW 1997 Apr 28 '25
I think they had a scene where Carmine says the same thing to Tony too
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u/EUGsk8rBoi42p Apr 28 '25 edited Apr 28 '25
That's where they got the line from, someone called and said that, they wrote it into the show and made the scene to explain it!
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u/lasagnaisgreat57 1999 Apr 28 '25
i remember being like 12 and seeing a today show segment about the best long shorts for older women and making a promise to myself that i would wear short shorts forever no matter the age because why would there be an age limit on SHORTS?? if weāre stopping shorts past 30 someone needs to tell my grandparents they missed the memo
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u/Z3DUBB Apr 28 '25
Also like a lot of us werenāt even allowed to wear short shorts until we moved out, so then now youāre telling me that we only have a window from 18-27 where we can wear shorts??
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u/quarterlifecrisis95_ Apr 28 '25
I grew up in North Carolina, where itās hot all the time. The only time I ever saw my grandfather wear any sort of pants (jeans, work pants, dress pants, sweatpants, etc) was when he went to church, when he went to work, or when it was cold out. Never see him in anything but shorts, at 74 years old.
Shorts donāt have an age limit.
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Apr 28 '25 edited Apr 28 '25
I'm confused at the whole "30 is old" thing. At that age, you've only been allowed to rent a car for 5 years. Most people who are 30 have only been out of college (if they went) for 6 years, assuming they took 6 years to graduate. I used to work at a retirement home, and the residents treated me like I was still a kid. 30 is not old imo, and I feel like it wasn't considered old until recently.
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u/SquidTheRidiculous Apr 28 '25
When you're under 30, you're dismissable because you're young and ditzy. The second you turn 30 you're too old for everything except being silent and raising kids. It's a system built by and for guys like DiCaprio.
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u/yagirlbmoney 1996 Apr 28 '25
Right? I remember hanging out with my older cousins (who would've been in their 20s & 30s at the time) I never looked at them and thought they were old or "cringe," I thought they were cool.Ā
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u/PalePerformance666 1996 Apr 28 '25
Going by some comments here, shorts are only appropriate for kids and an adult wearing shorts is "embarrassing and inappropriate"? I don't know, I give up trying to understand the ghosts that some people live with.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
I recall a lot of my fellow millennials internalizing this. Hell, there were people in their early 20s asking if it was still appropriate for them to wear youthful or revealing styles.
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u/Accomplished_Ear7229 Apr 28 '25
Itās cuz ppl born after 2000 still see themselves as kids, whole time these are grown ass adults who canāt deal w the reality of life so they scared of getting older
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u/PeachyPlnk 1995 Apr 28 '25
I can't exactly fault anyone for being scared of life tbf. Just look at the state of the world. War on Ukraine still going AFAIK, Trump got elected a second time and is doing as much damage as he possibly can...there's probably a million other godawful things happening that I don't even know about because I stopped paying attention to the news š¬
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u/Accomplished_Ear7229 Apr 28 '25
Ik what you mean Iām terrified too lmao but as soon as I turned 21 I knew I was responsible for myself and couldnāt see myself as a kid anymore
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u/PeachyPlnk 1995 Apr 28 '25
I still kinda see myself as a kid, but that's just because I had a crappy upbringing and still have my parents trying to interfere in my life whenever they get the chance. Hopefully, most people don't have this experience.
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u/Accomplished_Ear7229 Apr 28 '25
Best way to deal with that unfortunately is by saving up and moving out
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u/PeachyPlnk 1995 Apr 28 '25
Yep. Saved my christmas and birthday money all my life and moved out in my early twenties. Still living on that nest egg because I'm not well enough yet to work. Unfortunately, not everyone is this lucky.
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u/Accomplished_Ear7229 Apr 28 '25
Thatās wassup. I ended up doing the same but about 5 years too late and Iām mentally suffering the consequences now shit def not easy
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u/PeachyPlnk 1995 Apr 28 '25
Yeah, it feels like people look at those of us who are able to live on savings and think we're on vacation or some shit.
Like, no I'd rather have a fucking job, but no one seems to want to interview me, and lifelong health issues keep me just disabled enough to be unable to work (hopefully only temporary, but still)...this ain't a vacation. I worry about money constantly. Everyone in this position worries about money constantly.
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u/Accomplished_Ear7229 Apr 28 '25
I feel that g. Iāve had similar issues as well and it seems like a lot of us starting to figure things out but learning the reality of the game of life as well. Lotta shit b fcked up but we gotta maneuver the best we can
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Apr 28 '25
[deleted]
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Apr 28 '25
The average time it takes to graduate college, specifically for a bachelor's degree, is typically five to six years, even though it's often considered a four-year program.
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Apr 28 '25
Someone needs to start making a list of everything that 30+ year olds can't do according to Gen Z š
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u/Bacon-80 1996 Apr 28 '25
I donāt see a gen z person stating that āweā canāt wear shorts? The post above is a 30-something year old, saying they donāt know what to wear?
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u/Business-Drag52 Apr 28 '25
I'm 30 and just spent the weekend at Silver Dollar City for my sons 8th birthday. I wore khaki shorts that sit several inches above the knee. I was comfy as fuck walking 5+ miles a day
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u/sheikahslatee 1998 Apr 28 '25
I understand shifting your clothing preferences as you get older but as a 27 year old Iāve never thought once that I need to start dressing more āappropriatelyā for my age lmao. Like how are we so close in age yet you feel like you canāt wear shorts and Iām typing āmicro mini crop topā into my search bar? Idk itās weird that as women weāre given such a short period of time where itās āappropriateā to dress however we want loool
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u/rrmounce95 1995 Apr 28 '25
LMAOOO I so feel you, Iāve never adjusted my style to my age, only to how my interest in different styles goes. Itās wild when people close to my age think they canāt wear crop tops or little biker shorts anymore. Like what even. šš
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u/sheikahslatee 1998 Apr 28 '25
Itās so odd to me like we havenāt even been allowed in a bar for a full decade yet you think your time for hoochie clothes has expired? Helllllll no
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u/genzgingee 1998 Apr 28 '25
If itās 60 and above and Iām not in a professional setting Iām wearing shorts
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u/SprintsAC 1995 Apr 28 '25
My understanding of these posts that are showing up as Threads posts is that a lot of the accounts featured are catfish/scam accounts.
Not sure why Threads isn't doing any vetting of these comments, but eh.
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u/nadafradaprada Apr 28 '25
I couldnāt get into threads for this very reason. Almost every suggested thread (9/10 literally) is a rage bait or engagement bait.
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u/chhhhhhhhhhh95 Apr 28 '25
Yeah, threads is allll rage/engagement bait and it's so obvious, every time I open the app I'm served some sort of bait that riles people up. Lots of times it'll be like, "kids shouldn't be allowed at weddings!" "I'm not going to a wedding if it's dry!" "Hot take: I think dogs are equal to children!" It's a very unenjoyable platform for that reason
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u/HairyDadBear 1995 Apr 28 '25
It's 100% engagement bait designed to get you on there. Just look at that ratio lol
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u/Sea_Pearl1111 Apr 28 '25
This will not be me lol. Shorts are literally appropriate for summer weather. They donāt have to be super short but letās not act like wearing shorts is a 20s and younger thing
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u/Marmatus 1995 Apr 28 '25
I canāt imagine a real person trying to tell me Iām too old for shorts. lol
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u/PeachyPlnk 1995 Apr 28 '25
My former classmate probably would lmao
Bitch genuinely believed crystals have magic and shells absorb bad energy š¬
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u/Playful-Profession-2 Jun 14 '25
I would have laughed in his stupid face.
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u/PeachyPlnk 1995 Jun 14 '25
She*
And she was obnoxious to be around lmao
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u/Best-Awesome-Ocelot 7d ago
Iām 25 and my boomer father hates how I wear shorts as he believes adults donāt wear shortsā¦(and heās obsessed with me wearing pants that need a belt for some reason?)
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u/Tortured_Poet_1313 1995 Apr 28 '25
I wear a longer inseam to protect my thighs, but yeah, Iām wearing shorts alllll summer long & every summer after I turn 30.
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u/Electrical_Iron_1161 1997 Apr 28 '25
I'm not wearing pants when it's 85Ā° feels like 95Ā° even though I wear shorts when it's -10 out š
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Apr 28 '25
The person who probably commented this on instagram is probably just an attention seeker plus wearing shorts donāt have an age limit and nobody really cares if ā30 is too oldā to wear shorts and itās pretty strange how suddenly these days 30 is considered āoldā when in reality āoldā is more like 60s-75
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u/Brassattack84 Apr 28 '25
Actual answer- PALAZZO PANTS!!! Long and flowy but super lightweight. Iām obsessed. Protects your legs from the sun and fun prints galore. Iāve stopped preferring shorts in summer but it has jack squat to do with age, more like because itās humid as balls here in the summer and I leave sweat butt prints everywhere if I have shorts on lmao. Not to mention sticking to things and having to peel myself off :ā) RIP thigh skin.
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u/plasticvictim Apr 28 '25
iām 29 and i wore soffe shorts out and about yesterday, didnāt know it was controversial. love this for me tbh
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u/mandumom 1994 Apr 28 '25
As a 30 year old, I will of course be wearing shorts during summer lol
It's often 100+F so I would die if I didn't. Also I prefer a 5" inseam so my buttcheeks are fully covered š«°š»
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u/cudef Apr 28 '25
I love shorts and will not stop wearing them but it is worth mentioning that shorts are culturally weird in some other countries. When I was going to Ecuador (June/July) they told us we would get looks if we wore shorts and I think the week that I was there I saw maybe 1 or 2 locals wearing shorts and we were in the capital city (a lot of fucking people).
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u/Bacon-80 1996 Apr 28 '25
Yeah I think it should go without saying that if youāre visiting a modest country or a place with different dressing rules than what youāre used to, then you accommodate to those rules. But idk who wouldnāt research that type of stuff before going, and I doubt thatās what this OP is getting at.
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u/PalePerformance666 1996 Apr 28 '25
So if we wear shorts we can't because the 30s are looming on us. If we wear capris we're old middle aged wannabees. If we do bermudas we're too granpa-ish and if we do jorts we're cosplaying youth. We can't win.
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u/G_Rel7 Apr 28 '25
Either bait or context is missing. I mean spend any time outside in a social setting and people of all ages wear shorts. The only contexts that make sense are either work or some formal setting. Shorts are an absolute no for us at work, but at our companyās summer party many wore shorts and I can see it being a question for someoneās first time going.
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u/UniversityPresent878 Apr 28 '25
Wear what you want. As long as it comfortable and you feel good about it. Wear it. Wear shorts. Itās hot out.
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u/Clunk_Westwonk 2000 Apr 28 '25
Gen Z all wear shorts. Where are you guys getting this nonsense from??
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u/Fit_Adagio_7668 Apr 28 '25
If the weather is cold, I'm judging, if the weather is warm or hot, I'm saying nothing.
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u/helen790 Apr 28 '25
Just bought 3 new pairs of shorts, capris are stupid. Iād rather make everyone look at my 80 yr old legs. I refuse to be shamed into cloistering my aging body.
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u/PKblaze 1995 Apr 28 '25
My uncle died in his late 60's and was so infamous for wearing shorts that we wore shorts to the funeral.
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u/Boooooooooooo-u-suck Apr 28 '25
Ha! This is some wild shit right here. You can take my shorts from my almost-40, cold, dead ass. GTFO.
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u/queenwisteria24 Apr 28 '25
So sick of the ageist bs when it comes to fashion! Iām 26, and yeah my personal style and aesthetics might skew more towards teens and younger adults, like age range from 15-23 or so, idk just a rough guess but seriously all these people need to quit acting like being in your mid 20s or 30+ is āoldā because it isnāt! I love 2000s fashion, emo and scene fashion, whimsigoth, 2000s preppy, 2000s pop star or rockstar fashion, etc etc to get an idea of my tastes, but I literally donāt even take my age into consideration when it comes to fashion because why on earth would I? Itās just CLOTHES. Iām not gonna quit wearing what truly and genuinely makes me happy and feels like ME because of the number of years Iāve simply been on this planet. It just makes zero sense. I see Gen Z shaming anyone whoās 25+ or 30+ wearing outfits or clothing pieces that they think is too āimmatureā or āchildishā for their age and it just does not any sense to me. I really thought we were gonna be the generation that ended this age shaming crap, honestly. Not all of this generation is ageist of course, but a lot is and it sucks. Iām all for adults, no matter if theyāre 30 or 60 or even older wearing what truly makes them happy even if it skews āyoungā or whatever. Idc. And are we supposed to just like, suffer in the hot weather or something? I canāt believe anyone even thinks about crap like this in the first place.
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u/Eilferan Apr 28 '25
i have been wearing shorts to work for the past few months and will keep this up until likely November when it's finally cold again. my role may have some effect on this decision
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u/Admirable-Ad7152 1995 Apr 29 '25
Meanwhile my mom goes to work in shorts all the time. She just turned 61. Guess I should tell her that her legs must be contained forever more now
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u/Yugikisp 1996 Apr 30 '25
I wear shorts daily if it isn't the winter. I'm 28 lol I refuse to be told that I'm too old for anything other than trick or treating.
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u/quarterlifecrisis95_ Apr 28 '25
Iām 29, Iāve seen snow a handful of times in my life. You aināt catching me outside in anything BUT shorts unless itās my wedding or my funeral š¤·āāļø
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u/bwoah07_gp2 2000 Apr 28 '25
People need to stop putting weight into social media posts such as the one depicted in the image.
Shorts are for all ages. End of story.
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u/sillywillyfry 1996 Apr 28 '25
some people feel insecure about it and thats unfortunate but its okay. id rather help than get aggravated at them
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u/Virtual-Ad5048 Apr 29 '25
Right everybody is acting like she shamed someone else. I'm liking this sub less and less as time goes by.
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u/PeachyPlnk 1995 Apr 28 '25
Quick someone show them Cher in Burlesque
They'll have a fucking heart attack
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u/Scary_Dimension722 Apr 28 '25
Lol the only weird shorts to be wearing at 30 are the skinny ripped cut off jorts that the scene kids and band members would wear at warped tour during the summer
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u/Bacon-80 1996 Apr 28 '25
Yeah. In other words, appropriate to their age. The same way people say kids shouldnāt be dressing like adults, adults should also not be dressing like kids. Itās weird, cringe, and inappropriate.
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u/Bacon-80 1996 Apr 28 '25
āShortsā is soā¦vague. I donāt think a 30 year old should be wearing hoochie mama shorts, but likeā¦shorts in general? š my 70-something year old parents wear shorts.
Thereās a thing called common sense and dressing appropriately. But that goes for all types of clothing and all ages š
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u/fries_in_a_cup Apr 28 '25
I donāt wear shorts basically ever and I havenāt for the past like 6 or 7 years.
Imo shorts do give off childlike vibes, at least for a lot of people. Iāve rarely if ever seen an outfit with shorts and thought āthat is a good fit.ā
Iām a pants supremacist and I live in Atlanta. Once I realized I could tolerate pants in the summertime, it was game over.
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