Who
wears short shorts? Nary a soul (except Hooters waitresses). Who wears
Bermuda shorts? The most successful men in Dallas. It’s time to drop
your drawers, gentlemen, and slip into something more comfortable in
the 100-degree heat. This summer’s coolest trend allows executives to
bid adieu to the sweaty, sticky legs of yesteryear. Distinguished yet
dapper Dallas businessmen are snapping them up like hot stocks! But
this is not a business casual or a Six Flags/Lake Lewisville look. The
area’s sharpest CEOs and trust funders alike are donning Bermuda shorts
with formal ties, jackets, and dress shoes for an elegant,
sophisticated effect. And Bermuda-shorted gams are popping up all
around town at power lunches in the Crescent, in Fortune 500
boardrooms, and on private jets parked at the Addison Airport. As they
say about the less chic mullet: the effect is all business on top and
good times down below.
>> This isn’t the time for a bolo. Bermudas call for a conservative tie with
an island motif and a Windsor knot ($130/Hermès, Highland Park
Village). Some might suggest that a madras or light-colored linen coat
will suffice, but to do it right, go with a blue blazer.
Al’s is a lightweight virgin wool ($795/Ralph Lauren, Highland Park
Village). No prints and/or obnoxious colors. This is no time to
resurrect Jams. It’s a classic conservative look. So choose classic,
conservative colors. Bermudas should fall 1 to 3
inches above the knee and should be loose. One shouldn’t be able to go
directly from work to JR’s and win any sort of contest. Al went with a fine cotton, but linen works just as well ($49/Ralph Lauren, Highland Park Village). Don’t confuse socks with
hose. The former are for tennis and hand puppets. The later go with
Bermudas ($16/Ralph Lauren, Highland Park Village). The most
appropriate shoes are loafers with tassels. Stay away from boat moccasins ($495/Ralph Lauren, Highland Park Village).
Bold Name, Nice Legs!
Al Biernat, the eponymous,
ever-gracious proprietor of Alan Peppard’s favorite restaurant, is a
man who knows how to dress himself. When the bold-faced names come to
Al Biernat’s, he’s always there to greet them, lunch or dinner, with a
handshake, a kiss on the cheek (for the ladies), and a well-tailored
suit. Always a suit. His staff has never seen him wear anything else.
Rumor has it that Biernat once took a family vacation to the Grand
Canyon and wore nothing but suits. Each one a Brioni. In a muted color.
But when we got him into a pair of Bermudas, it was all he could do to
contain himself.
Photo: Nicole Nelson
