Shorts in China
 

I'm sort of embarrassed to post this question, but my husband is driving me crazy...so here goes.

We are taking our first trip to China later this month and my husband is stressing over whether he will feel comfortable wearing shorts during the day in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing.
We live in Manhattan and it's perfectly fine to wear shorts here. He is concerned that there are cultural differences that will make his leg-displaying attire offensive or awkward.
We aren't talking about gym shorts or cut-offs (gross) here, but rather J. Crew or Banana Republic shorts.

Please humor me and let me know your thoughts.

Shorts, no problem.

Heck, do like the locals, if it gets too hot...

Pull Up Your Shirt.

Shorts is fine, just know everyone will know you are a foreigner. If you already look like one it doesn't matter.

Few Hong Kong men wear shorts in the city, but nobody cares if you do unless in high-end restaurants.

Thank you all so much!
My husband is very relieved!

^

Some restaurants in hotels in Shanghai / Beijing do require long pants, so during daytime no problem. Flip-flops also fine but I'd prefer closed shoes in China as you never know what you run into (especially in toilets)

Shorts are fine, I would suggest you pack (and use) insect repellent wipes, or the Deep Woods OFF spray pump if you're checking a bag. As sl0001 said, I would suggest closed toe shoes.

Also melanoptysis on the streets from breathing fly ash. Yuk!

You can see a lot chinese girls with shorts, too. It's not just a foreigner thing. But if you want to visit temples you should wear long trousers.

You mean step into?

Depending on his age and where in China he is going he could even get away with a slit in the back of the shorts and no underwear.

The only ones in for a culture shock are you not the Chinese.

LOL.

Too funny. You just made me splurt out my lunch.

I don't think anyone who has never been to China will understand this joke until they see it for themselves. It's practically everywhere in China, even in Beijing. It's what all the cool kids are doing nowadays.

I wonder if some temples might require long pants. They do elsewhere in Asia.

As an adult man, you cannot expect to be taken seriously while wearing shorts in China. For ladies, it should be fine during the warmer months.

How serious do you need to be taken as a tourist? :rolleyes: I never wear shorts but if a tourist wants to wear shorts around in a hot city, what's wrong with that? He can always go back to the hotel to change if they want to go do some fine dining or something.