
How to Wear Bermuda Shorts
The island’s national uniform is surprisingly flexible. Here are five ways to make them work—and where to buy them.
I didn’t discover my husband’s packing error until we arrived in Bermuda for our five-day babymoon. He had brought an entire suitcase of clothing… and not a single pair of Bermuda shorts.
“They might kick you off the island,” I said, only half-kidding.
“I have no idea how to wear them,” he admitted of the delightfully bright above-the-knee shorts trousers seen on Bermudan men (and women) from about age two to 92.
He shouldn’t have been concerned. The well-tailored Bermuda short was originally created by the British Army during World War II for officers stationed on the warm-weather island. We soon learned, while navigating the country in our tiny electric Twizy, that today’s version can be worn anywhere—and with nearly anything. They’re a ubiquitous part of island life from beach to bar, fine dining to football field.
Any traditional sartorial standards are only rules meant to be broken these days. Bermuda shorts can be pleated or not; worn one to two inches above the knee, or higher; with high socks or without. Here are five styles to try, whether you’re on-island or bringing a bit of Bermuda home:
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