The "corporate shorts" trend is still slow to take off in the legal and finance industries, but professionals who insist on wearing them to work can wear linen or cotton shorts that come down to mid-thigh, fashion experts say.
The corporate advisory and banking and infrastructure teams at law firm Gilbert + Tobin will be encouraged to take a break from the corporate wardrobe to don shorts to work on Friday as a fundraising initiative for beyondblue, a non-profit organisation that works with sufferers of depression and anxiety.
Gilbert + Tobin banking and infrastructure partner John Schembri, who drove the initiative, said while dress code at law firms had become more casual over the years, it was still considered inappropriate to wear shorts to work.
"We're in a pretty relaxed dress environment but the whole shorts thing is a little bit different, so we're having a corporate shorts day to raise money for mental health. Dress code in law firms has relaxed a lot, but not that much," Mr Schembri said.
However over the years it has become more common for lawyers not to wear ties to work, even for client meetings, he said.
"Law firms are traditional in the sense that people still wear suits. People don't care about ties any more. If you don't wear a tie people don't form a conclusion one way or another. You can quite easily go to a client meeting without one."
Mental health issues pervasive
Mr Schembri said the law firm decided to fundraise for beyondblue not only because of concerns about mental health in the legal industry but because most people regardless of their profession have been touched by mental health issues.
The one-day fundraising event comes as professional services firms are relaxing their dress code.
PwC scrapped its dress code last year in a bid to "unlock the creativity and diversity of our people", while Deloitte ditched its dress code about eight years ago.
The "short suits" trend is catching on slowly, with overseas retailers such as Topman and ASOS offering tailored shorts with matching blazers for men.
Some women are also jumping on the trend. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop last September donned short suits to a meeting with UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, which were paired with a matching blazer and a pair of red heels.
But Matt Jensen, founder and chief executive of Australian menswear brand M.J. Bale, said wearing shorts to work was not yet a trend in the corporate world but it may be acceptable in certain industries such as technology, media or advertising.
Not short of gravitas
"To be honest, I can't really see it catching on in the legal or finance worlds, where the guys need to dress more conservatively to convey a sense of gravitas, nor those in client-facing roles, such as sales where they need to have a look that conveys confidence and trustability," he said.
"I think the traditionally solemn work environments, such as the legal and finance industries, still require a relatively classical look."
Mr Jensen said those men who chose to wear shorts to work should follow a few ground rules to "convey an aura of trustability and respect".
"The shorts have to be tailored and preferably in a linen or cotton fibre. Weekend board shorts are too casual. That's a big no-no. The length should be no shorter than mid-thigh at the very least," he said.
"The shorts shouldn't have holes in them, either, and definitely no slogans. Think classical."
