By Kate Waterhouse
At beaches this summer, 22s are out and 17s are in.
When it comes to men's swimwear, hemlines are moving decidedly north, according to Mambo's head menswear designer, Ben Noble. The surf label is one of many embracing the above-knee boardshort or boardie.
"There is a strong '60s feel with a slimmer, tighter silhouette." Deb Foreman, David Jones
''This year, boardies are even shorter. We are going away from the long, below-the-knee look,'' Mr Noble said. ''Now men are looking for the 17-inch, where a traditional surf boardie used to be 22-inch.''
Boardshorts also work as streetwear, said Myer's general manager of merchandise, Adam Stapleton.
''We are seeing more fashionable, tailored boardshorts. They are slightly shorter and more fitted than the traditional boardshorts and they come in more colourful designs and patterns. It's definitely the European influence.''
And women's fashion is having an impact on tastes. The retro bikinis that are all the rage for women have influenced the shorter boardshort, according to Deb Foreman, the general manager for menswear at David Jones.
''The preppy look is really in, in all aspects of men's fashion, and we are definitely seeing it cross into men's swimwear,'' Ms Foreman said. ''There is a strong '60s feel with a slimmer, tighter silhouette and shorter than usual.''
Trunks have become so versatile that using budgies or undies as boardshort undergarments is no longer necessary.
''A lot of the swimwear now has a mesh liner so you are not in risk of dropping out,'' she said.
Like women, men are becoming more likely to have several styles of swimwear, depending on the occasion - breakfast, beach or afternoon drink.
''Boardshorts are multipurpose now,'' Mr Noble said.
''That is why the quick-dry styles are so popular. Men want to be able to wear their boardshorts from anything to surfing, to barbecues and to festivals.''
Although the shorter boardshort is in, there is a limit to how high hemlines will go. ''Mid-thigh is about as short as they come,'' a David Jones spokesman, David Bush, said, ''and most men wouldn't go much shorter than that''.
While there will always be a couple of racks of budgie smugglers available, Mr Bush thinks they should be ''saved for the training pool''.
Phil Ward of surfing brand Oakley agrees: ''Horses for courses and [Tony] Abbott clearly loves his, but they aren't what we are about.''
As the hemlines rise, so too is ''manscaping''. As men feel the pressure to look their best at the beach, hair removal is also increasing in popularity.