Shorts, widely considered outside of the United States to be ridiculous and unwearable, are a popular choice for American men in all sorts of social situations. But should you really be putting on shorts for that night out at dinner or business meeting or day at the museum?

Here, to help you answer that question, is a handy flowchart guide, assembled by foreign policy analyst, former Center for New American Security fellow, and full-time amateur fashion polizei Andrew Exum:

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(Andrew Exum)

Exum tweeted the chart, explaining, "Hey, Men of America, I've been in airports all day and just made this for you." I would suggest pinning it to the wall in your closet and/or keeping a copy folded up in your wallet for easy access.