See if you can catch this trend in my stories. First, from Offline.

“Shorts!” Martha blurted, “I don’t wear shorts! I have legs like tree trunks, and I don’t wear shorts!”

And Amiga.

I stood there wearing shorts and a t-shirt. A man I didn’t know, who had just commented on my bare legs, asked me to come into his bedroom. But this man was obviously Peter, the person who wanted me to program for him. And he was giving me my first opportunity to work with a new computer. What do I do? What should I say?

And The Remainders.

I hated wearing shorts, partly because I had been traumatized by those embarrassingly short shorts I wore in PE at El Toro High School in the eighties and partly because I felt uncomfortable about my legs and everything else about me. Somehow, I felt more comfortable in front of Rachel.

And my current work, Christina’s Portrait.

I forced myself to get out of the car and go through the familiar rituals of shutting the garage door, entering the house through the service porch, and going to the bedroom to change into my t-shirt and shorts. Even though I had an air conditioner installed eight years ago, changing into shorts had become a ritual.

So, here’s the long story about shorts and how a character’s outfit reveals their personality and affects the story.

People have been wearing shorts in warmer climates, for sports, or as part of a uniform since the 19th century. But shorts have become an acceptable part of men’s and women’s everyday clothing since the 1960s. This is especially true in Southern California, with its warm climate and casual lifestyle. People wear shorts everywhere, including schools, restaurants, workplaces, and even church.

Shorts identifies a character as living in a certain time and place, the same way a toga or bustle would. My stories take place in California in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, so shorts would be a natural part of my characters’ clothing.

Clothing also reveals the characters’ personalities. If you’re self-conscious about your body (like Martha in Offline) or worried about people staring at you (like Laura in Amiga), you would feel uncomfortable wearing shorts. I also felt very self-conscious about my body as a child. I refused to wear shorts, even on 100+F summer days in the San Fernando Valley. I only wore them when required for gym class or Boy Scouts. It wasn’t until I was an adult and had my first serious relationship with the woman who became my wife that I felt comfortable wearing shorts. That experience was reflected in Oliver’s attitudes about shorts in The Remainders.

For my character in Christina’s Portrait, shorts have a different meaning. In my post about writing about the past, I described how she had to turn her cheap jeans into cutoffs when the knees wore out. Wearing shorts became a habit, even when she didn’t have to wear them anymore.

Clothes can also play a role in the story’s plot and themes.

It’s terrible we still haven’t gotten past the horrible perceptions of people (especially women) who choose to wear casual and comfortable outfits. “What was she wearing?” is an unacceptable response to someone who suffers harassment or assault. No one deserves to be ogled, shamed, or attacked because of what they wear. Even without the shaming, shorts can make people feel exposed and vulnerable. We typically wear shorts when we’re feeling comfortable, having fun with family and friends, exercising, or relaxing after a hard day at work. Putting on a pair of shorts means you’re letting down your guard. And that’s when bad things can happen.

Here’s a foreshadowing of such a scene from Amiga.

Something caught my attention. I grabbed something white with faded navy blue stripes. It was my old Reseda High School gym shorts.

“I should have thrown this away.” I stared at the brown streaks of dried blood on the front.

Mom rubbed my shoulder. “Some things can’t be thrown away.”

I make sure characters never deserve what happens to them because of what they wore. The ones who try to harm them get all the blame for acting reprehensibly and get what they deserve. The message I want to get across is people should have the freedom to wear what they want without fear. This ties into my larger themes of acceptance, equality, and respect for one another.

As you write your stories, think about the role clothing plays in depicting the setting and time period, the significance to the character, and how they can influence events in your plot. Consider how clothing and other elements of your story contribute to your plot and themes. Everything you put into your story should add to it and convey the messages you want to get across to your readers. Even a pair of shorts.