Cargo shorts probably seem like a great idea if you’re someone who uses tools or carries a lot of stuff on a regular basis.

But guys, let’s face it, these days we don’t have much more to carry around than the big three: phone, wallet, keys. Why, then, have men gotten away with wearing cargo shorts for so long?

This is the topic of a recent Wall Street Journal Article that has touched off an internet-wide conversation on the utility (and fashion status) of cargo shorts. If you’ve never seen a pair, they’re those baggy, khaki shorts with big pockets cut into the sides. Trouble is, not everyone is as big a fan of the extra pocket space, and this is even evident in the recent decline in cargo shorts sales. Though their popularity traces back to the 90s and early 00s when Abercrombie & Fitch showed pictures in its catalogs of shirtless men in cargo shorts, they’ve since become more of a fashion eyesore than a useful clothing option as slimmer men’s shorts with an average number of pockets became more popular in the 2010s.

Today on AirTalk, we’ll chat with a law professor/fashionista about why people are still wearing cargo shorts and how they became popular in the first place.

Guest:

Susan Scafidi, Founder & Academic Director of the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law School