The Case Against Office Shorts

Mr. Coggins is the author of “Men and Style” and writes The Contender newsletter.

The long, hot summer can drive men to strange places. The stifling weather tests our collective powers of reason, like air-conditioners taxing the power grid. The latest idea, which would mortify Oscar Wilde, George Plimpton or your grandfather, is for men to wear shorts into the office. Yes, dress codes are frowned upon by the casual generations, but do you really want to see your boss’s knees?

Summer in the city is intense. You wake on a Monday morning and stare at a diabolical heat index that’s just........

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