Another question no one asked

[elizilla]

How come every pair of shorts made for women, has a bulky decorative waistband and a drawstring? For example:

1. I'm looking for a stretchy pair of shorts that I can wear under my motorcycle leathers, or at the gym. But nowadays, women's stretch shorts are made ONLY with a goofy yoke and drawstring arrangement inspired by yoga pants. I don't want the lumps and bumps of this yoke and drawstring at any time. They don't do this yoga thing to the men, but the men's stretchy shorts always have a jockey style fly, which adds lumps and gaps of its own.

2. I'm looking for a pair of shorts with pockets, that I can wear for non-gym and non-motorcycling occasions. There should be a zipper in front, topped by a button or a snap, and pockets of useful size. Well, this year someone decided that shorts like this need a drawstring, too. And the waists are strangely big, perhaps to give them an excuse for the drawstring? The drawstring in a lot of them isn't even installed right - if you tighten it (to keep the shorts from falling down) then it interferes with the button at the waistband, and makes a funny pouch at the front of the shorts.

Any of these shorts would be easier and cheaper to construct, if they didn't have these stupid extra features. Who thought this bulky-waist-and-drawstring thing was a good idea? Was it not stupid enough, to make every waistband low enough to show off the wearer's ass-crack?

Comments

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

You make some very good points here. Hope you find some good shorts. Maybe second hand stores would have the pre-yoga-derangement kind?

[greyhat.livejournal.com]

Take a pair of short leggings and add patch pockets with stretch fabric? Use leggings that are just a touch too big, and then cut a short V in the front and add a snap or button for the waist? Find pants that do what you want and cut them off? I figure you've already checked out the old-fashioned shops like Eddie Bauer and Land's End.

[elizilla]

I'm not actually shorts-shopping right now. My post yesterday about the toilets made me think it would be fun to rant about foolish designs in other things. And shorts are the most recent clothing item I shopped for. I bought a few pairs I could alter, and wore what I already owned, this summer, and now the shorts season is mostly over. I should now be shopping for boots, since this is the season when there's still some choice. Or maybe not, because I don't actually need any - I have a lot of boots already. :)

[greyhat.livejournal.com]

You do have a number of most excellent boots. I think I want a pair of boots with a mid-heel. The ones I have are either high heels (impractical for outdoors) or flat/1" heel, which are useful but not as versatile in terms of style.