Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Ghurka Shorts


I can't lay my finger on why but I just like Ghurka shorts. I suppose it's that they are not too refined. I wear shorts for golf and the occasional walk on the beach and I like feeling as though I'll deserve a gin and tonic when I'm finished doing my bit for the Empire.

Given that, I was disappointed when Bill's Khakis told me last year that their supplier wasn't going to make them any longer (which I took as a roundabout way of saying that they weren't going to order them from the supplier any longer). I bought what I could find online, but was resigned to the end.

Fortunately, that problem was pushed further into the future by J. L. Powell's introduction of its pleated Ghurka shorts. I like Powell's version even better than Bill's because they're linen instead of cotton drill. High waisted and self-belted for $139 in wheat or green. You'll need to supply your own gin and tonics.

4 comments:

John said...

Good info, Will, and thanks for doing the leg-work. I like shorts with no belt loops. I just bought a pair of beltless shorts from Paul Stuart which are nice but now I'm not liking the color too much. $195 for shorts and never wore them. (they're kind of an aqua blue with white checks)

Nungesser said...

Will,

Brooks Borthers is offering some pseudo-ghurka shorts. I say speudo because they don't have pleats, but they are part linen.
http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=296&pcount=&Product_Id=1325210&Parent_Id=202&default_color=Doe

I tried some on today and bought a pair. The cut along the leg is not a straight as in the photo at the BB site; they look much better in person than on the screen.

The British WWII Reenactment site What Price Glory is also offering Ghurka shorts, but these are in cotton, not linen:

http://onlinemilitaria.net/shopexd.asp?id=3270&bc=no

chaliapinesque said...

If ghurka shorts are acceptable summer wear, what do you think of breeks/knickerbockers (off the golfing green)?

Mike McGrath said...

Will, thanks for the post. I had a few pair of Ghurka's in the '70s and '80s. They were my favorite shorts of all time. Not too dressy and very functional. I tried to locate some a few years ago without success. Thanks again for the tip!

 
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