Has anyone made the class picnic shorts for a boy?

I want to make some shorts for an 18 month old boy. My friend likes to put her boy in short shorts because she likes his "chubby thighs"! Stubbies http://www.stubbies.co.nz/about-us/ were very popular in New Zealand and Australia in the 70's and I'd like to recreate something similar for my friend. So, has anyone put a boy in this pattern or are they just too girlie? I realize I would have to change the faux fly stitching to the other side.