Mayor Walsh says cargo shorts are ‘the most comfortable things ever’

Mayor Martin Walsh defended his choice to wear khaki-colored shorts, with two large pockets stitched to the sides, during Sunday’s “Open Newbury Street” event. Keith Bedford/Globe Staff/Globe Staff

Mayor Martin J. Walsh is proud of his cargo shorts — national stories about the apparel’s downfall be damned.

On Monday, Walsh defended his choice to wear khaki-colored bottoms, with two large pockets stitched to the sides, during Sunday’s “Open Newbury Street” event after facing good-natured criticism on social media.

“I love my cargo shorts,” the mayor wrote on Twitter, trying to drum up support from other cargo shorts enthusiasts. “They are the most comfortable things ever.”

The tweet included a picture of the mayor standing confidently on chic Newbury Street in his cargo shorts, staring off into the distance with pride, and the hashtag #CargoGate.

Newbury Street was closed to cars for the daylong, pedestrian-friendly event, which was hosted by the mayor’s office. A few commenters on social media had highlighted the mayor’s outfit after he was spotted strolling through the busy Back Bay neighborhood wearing the shorts, a blue polo shirt, and Red Sox hat.

“If we’re going to live in a society, we have to honor some basic principles. Starting with, ‘no cargo shorts,’ ” one commenter posted Sunday.

Cargo shorts have come under fire this month. On Aug. 1, The Wall Street Journal ran a story about the roomy shorts causing rifts in people’s relationships. The report claimed that sales of the shorts have dipped in the last year for the first time in a decade.

But none of that seems to matter to Boston’s mayor — or those who work for him. “Preach, boss!” said Daniel Koh, Walsh’s chief of staff.

Responses to Walsh’s tweet about his love for his shorts varied. Some stood by his side, agreeing there’s nothing wrong with the shorts. Others asked him, on behalf of “Women Everywhere,” to forgo the fashion faux pas. “If you can’t imagine George Clooney, Cary Grant, or Don Draper wearing it, please don’t put it on,” one woman said.

Another camp was indifferent, as long as Walsh hosts more events like Sunday’s. “More open streets and you can wear whatever you want,” one person tweeted to Walsh.