Shorts Explained

Shorts are a garment worn over the pelvic area, circling the waist and splitting to cover the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to the knees but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they are a shortened version of trousers, which cover the entire leg, but not the foot. Shorts are typically worn in warm weather or in an environment where comfort and airflow are more important than the protection of the legs. There are a variety of shorts, ranging from knee-length short trousers that can in some situations be worn as formal clothes to beachwear and athletic shorts. Some types of shorts are typically worn by women, such as culottes, which are a divided skirt resembling a pair of loose-cut shorts.

Terminological differences

The British English term, short trousers, is used, only for shorts that are a short version of ordinary trousers (i.e., pants or slacks in American English). For example: tailored shorts, often lined, as typically worn as part of a school uniform for boys up to their early teens,[1] [2] [3] and by servicemen and policemen in tropical climates. Shorts, used unqualified in British English, refers to sports shorts, athletic shorts, or casual shorts; the last nowadays commonplace in warm weather in the UK. Shorts are also known as "half pants" in India.

The dated American English term, short pants, is probably the nearest equivalent in the US, where they might now be called dress shorts, a term that has not gained much currency in Britain.

A somewhat similar garment worn by men in Australia is called stubbies.

The term, boxer shorts, is an American coinage for a particular kind of men's underwear, and is now also common in Britain. However, boxer shorts are often referred to merely as boxers in the US. Moreover, whereas the American English usage of the word pants refers to outerwear (i.e., trousers in British English), the usage of pants in British English refers to the garment worn under one's trousers, such as boxers; such a garment, however, is referred to as underpants in American English (note the qualification of the word pants by the word under). Alongside the termboxer shorts, undershorts or simply shorts were synonyms for underpants during the time of this coinage; while jockey shorts was a synonym for men's briefs.

Sociology

Europe and America

In much of Europe and the Americas during the 19th and early 20th centuries, shorts were worn as outerwear only by young boys until they reached a certain height or maturity. When boys got older, typically around puberty, they would receive their first pair of long trousers. This produced the perception that shorts were only for young boys. Because of this, men would not wear shorts to avoid looking immature, even when the weather was hot. Women tended not to wear shorts in most cultures, due to social mores: they were expected to wear dresses, or skirts and blouses.

In the 1890s, knee pants (an early type of short pants) became the standard wear for American boys. Many urban school portraits from the 1890s show all but the oldest boys wearing knee pants.[4] North American boys normally wore knee pants with short stockings.[5] This began to change after the 1900s when North American boys began wearing knickerbockers during the winter, while short pants became more popular in Europe. In the 1930s, shorts started to be worn for casual comfort (e.g. outdoor and athletic activities) by both men and women. However, it was still taboo to wear shorts outside of certain activities.

Since about the time of World War II, when many soldiers served in tropical locations, adult men have worn shorts more often, especially in summer weather, but the perception of shorts as being only for young boys took several decades to change, and to some extent still exists in certain circles. Shorts would soon become more popular by the late 1960s as a result of the countercultural movement that defined the decade, and men and women started wearing jean shorts and other variants as the 1970s dawned.[6] It would become more common for men to wear shorts as casual wear in summer, but much less so in cooler seasons.

Asia

Shorts are not traditional clothing in some Asian countries. International trade and fashion trends have helped bring shorts to the East. They were first treated as taboo in countries like China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam because they conflicted with old traditions that women have to cover their body private parts and worries about sexual harassment.

As time goes by, shorts are slowly accepted by people, especially young people.

Now in Asia, wearing shorts is considered young, active, and energetic. They are a symbol of freedom from old rules and have helped promote gender equality.

Worldwide

Adults are also commonly seen wearing shorts, but wearing shorts is less common among women in traditional eastern countries than in the West although that varies widely by region. Women more often wear shorts in large cosmopolitan cities. In some countries, adult women can be seen wearing loose-fitting shorts that end at or just below the knee, as these are seen as sufficiently modest.[7]

In many countries, there are still many settings in which wearing shorts would not be acceptable, as they are considered too casual. Notable exceptions in which men may wear short trousers to the office or at formal gatherings are South Africa, Bermuda, Australia and New Zealand . Since the 1990s, casual office dress has grown to include formal shorts in some British and American businesses but by no means universally.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Short trousers . https://web.archive.org/web/20130728083212/http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/short-trousers . dead . 28 July 2013 . Oxford Dictionary.
  2. Web site: Short trousers for boys . BBC . Radio 4 Making History . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231122060831/https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/making_history/makhist10_prog3c.shtml . Nov 22, 2023 .
  3. Web site: People past and present - Mr George Sinclair, Assistant Secretary Of The democratic Club - Murton (murt0052) . Durham County Council Archives . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140409003826/http://ppparchive.durham.gov.uk/photos/picviewer.asp?previous=1550&submit.x=37&submit.y=48 . Apr 9, 2014 .
  4. Web site: U.S. School Clothes: Individual Schools--The 1890s . Historical Boys' Clothing . October 24, 2022 . March 26, 2007 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230130185121/https://histclo.com/schun/country/us/is/chron/19/us-isc1890.html . Jan 30, 2023 .
  5. Web site: Jan 12, 2020 . January 27, 2007 . United States Boys' Garments: Pants--Knee Pants . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20201126145151/https://www.histclo.com/country/us/gar/pants/knee/us-pantk.html . Nov 26, 2020 . Historical Boys' Clothing.
  6. https://www.vogue.com/article/history-of-jorts#:~:text=The%20counterculture%20movement%20in%20the,as%20to%20ban%20them%20outright.
  7. Web site: Weeks . Linton . April 7, 2015 . When Wearing Shorts Was Taboo . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230926035523/https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-history-dept/2015/04/07/397804245/when-wearing-shorts-was-taboo . Sep 26, 2023 . NPR History Dept..
  8. Book: Davies, Hunter. Boots, Balls and Haircuts: An Illustrated History of Football from Then to Now . Chapter 3. Equipment: Bring on the Balls . 51.
  9. Web site: English FA Cup Finalists 1990–1999 . HistoricalFootballKits.co.uk. 15 January 2008.
  10. Web site: Why are we called The Baggies? . BOING . 11 November 2007.
  11. Book: McOwan, Gavin . The Essential History of West Bromwich Albion . Headline . 2002 . 38–40 . 0-7553-1146-9 .
  12. Book: Purcell . Carl . Purcell . Ann . Zenfell . Martha Ellen . Bermuda: Volume 217 of the Insight Guides. 1991. Apa Publications . 190.
  13. Web site: Forbes . Keith Archibald . Bermuda Shorts . Bermuda Online . 20 December 2015.
  14. Book: Green . Nancy L. . Ready-to-wear and ready-to-work : a century of industry and immigrants in Paris and New York . 1997 . Duke University Press . Durham . 9780822318743 . 105–135 . Bermuda Shorts in Comparative Perspective . https://archive.org/details/readytowearready01gree/page/105 .
  15. Book: Clemente. Deirdre. Dress casual : how college students redefined American style. 2014. UNC Press Books. 9781469614076. 116–121. https://books.google.com/books?id=TpjlAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA116. In the Gym.
  16. Book: Maurer . Tracy Nelson . Surfing . registration . 2003 . Rourke Pub. . Vero Beach, Fla.. 9781589522800 . 21.
  17. Book: Schmidt . Christine . The swimsuit : fashion from poolside to catwalk . 2012 . Berg . London . 9780857851253. 159–160.
  18. Book: Moran . Malie . Pohlmann . Attila . Reilly . Andrew . Honolulu street style . 2014 . Intellect . Bristol . 9781783203079 . 61–62 .
  19. Book: Everist . Richard . The complete guide to the Great Ocean Road : walks, beaches, heritage, ecology, towns and sustainable tourism through southwest Victoria . 2009 . Best Shot! . Torquay, Vic. . 9780975602348 . 99 .
  20. Web site: Staff writer. The best boardshorts for surfers in the world . SurferToday.com . www.surfertoday.com . 8 April 2016.
  21. Book: Kroessler. Jeffrey A. . The greater New York sports chronology . 2010 . Columbia University Press . New York . 9780231518277 . 100 .
  22. Book: Riess . Steven A. . Sports in America from Colonial Times to the Twenty-First Century: An Encyclopedia . 2015 . Routledge . 9781317459477 . 257 .
  23. Book: Werlin . Katy . Blanco F. . José . Hunt-Hurst . Patricia Kay . Lee . Heather Vaughan . 3 . Doering . Mary . Clothing and Fashion: American Fashion from Head to Toe . 2015 . ABC-CLIO . 9781610693103 . 199 . https://books.google.com/books?id=hDkVCwAAQBAJ&pg=RA3-PA199 . Men's Dress and Fashion 1946-1960.
  24. Book: Blanco F. . José . Hunt-Hurst . Patricia Kay . Lee . Heather Vaughan . 3 . Doering . Mary . Clothing and Fashion: American Fashion from Head to Toe . 2015 . ABC-CLIO . 9781610693103 . 199 . https://books.google.com/books?id=hDkVCwAAQBAJ&pg=RA3-PA199 . Underwear, 1980-Present.
  25. Book: Cole . Shaun . The Story of Men's Underwear . 2012 . Parkstone International. New York. 9781780428826. 118.
  26. Book: Stalder . Erika . Fashion 101 a crash course in clothing . 2008 . Zest Books . San Francisco, CA . 9780547946931 . 110 .
  27. Book: Apsan . Rebecca . Stark . Sarah . Lessons in lingerie finding your perfect shade of seduction . 2012 . Workman Publishing . New York . 9780761175018 . 87.
  28. Gerweck. Jim. Going Any Length: The Long & Short of Running Shorts. Running Times. May 2007. 46–48.
  29. Book: Oppliger . Patrice A. . Girls Gone Skank: The Sexualization of Girls in American Culture . 2008 . McFarland . 9780786486502 . 183 .
  30. Web site: Bun Huggers: To Wear or Not to Wear . Women's Sports Foundation . 2006. Cited in Oppliger.
  31. Paulson. F. M.. Boating: What's New on the Waterfront. Field & Stream. March 1980. 90.
  32. Hong, Nicole Nice Cargo Shorts! You’re Sleeping on the Sofa Wall Street Journal. 3 August 2016
  33. Book: Gunn . Tim . Calhoun . Ada . Tim Gunn's fashion bible : the fascinating history of everything in your closet. 2012. Gallery Books. New York . 9781451643862 . 96 . registration .
  34. Book: Yarwood . Doreen . Doreen Yarwood . Illustrated encyclopedia of world costume . 2011 . Dover Publications, Inc. . Mineola, N.Y. . 9780486433806 . 376 .
  35. Book: Koureas . Gabriel . Carden-Coyne . Ana . Gender and Conflict Since 1914: Historical and Interdisciplinary Perspectives . 2012 . Palgrave Macmillan . 9781137030276 . 145 . https://books.google.com/books?id=2vccBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA145 . Militarization, Sexuality, and Red Cross Donut Dollies in the Vietnam War.
  36. Book: Regan. C.. Paul. Roshan. Denim: Manufacture, Finishing and Applications . 2015 . Elsevier . 9780857098498 . 203–204 . https://books.google.com/books?id=qZCuAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA203 . Role of denim and jeans in the fashion industry.
  37. News: Aiglon. Kelly. The long and short of cutoff jeans. 23 December 2015. The Chicago Tribune. Tribune Publishing. 5 July 2007.
  38. Web site: How to Buy Bib Shorts . Cross . Kim . . 24 July 2013 . 28 December 2015.
  39. Goodman . Susan . Active Wear. New York Magazine. 24 April 1989 . 113–115 . 8 January 2016.
  40. Book: Gunn . Tim . Calhoun . Ada . Tim Gunn's fashion bible : the fascinating history of everything in your closet . 2012 . Gallery Books . New York . 9781451643862 . 209 . 1st Gallery Books hardcover. registration .
  41. Book: Armijo . Vic . The complete idiot's guide to cycling. 1999. Alpha Books. New York, N.Y. . 9781101198728 . 1st.
  42. News: Catherine Bach Defends the Dukes . Beaver County Times . UPI . Beaver, PA . 18 December 2015 . 11 October 1981.
  43. Book: Lefler . Anna . The chicktionary from A-line to Z-snap, the words every woman should know . 2011 . Adams Media . Avon, Mass. . 9781440531231 . 106 .
  44. News: Kovanis . Georgea . On Style: Jorts: Tacky, or trendy or both? . 1 January 2016. Detroit Free Press. 27 May 2015.
  45. Web site: Price. Leslie. Oxford English Dictionary Adds Flatforms, Jorts, Double Denim.. 28 August 2013 . Racked.com . Vox Media. 1 January 2016.
  46. Book: Mansour . David . From Abba to Zoom a pop culture encyclopedia of the late 20th century . 2005 . Andrews McMeel Pub. . Kansas City, MO . 9780740793073 . 126 .
  47. News: Negley . Erin. Which 'Wet Hot American Summer' outfit is made in Pennsylvania Dutch country? . 1 January 2016 . Lancaster Online . . 8 September 2015.
  48. News: McGinnis . Sara . Richard Simmons' new life as Dickie Jukebox. 2 January 2016. SheKnows.com. 27 April 2012.
  49. News: Finkel. David. At Hooters, Men are Men and the Women are Girls. Anbody got a problem with that?. 2 January 2016. The Washington Post. 2 October 2012.
  50. Book: Cumming . Valerie . Cunnington . C.W. . Cunnington . P.E.. The dictionary of fashion history . 2010 . Berg . Oxford . 9781847887382 .
  51. Book: Steele . Valerie . Valerie Steele. Fifty years of fashion : new look to now . 2000 . Yale University Press . New Haven . 9780300087383 . 87 . English .
  52. Book: Lambert . Eleanor . Eleanor Lambert . World of fashion: people, places, resources . 1976 . R.R. Bowker Co.. New York. 9780835206273. 53, 132 .
  53. Book: Werlin . Katy . Blanco F. . José . Hunt-Hurst . Patricia Kay . Lee . Heather Vaughan . 3 . Doering . Mary . Clothing and Fashion: American Fashion from Head to Toe . 2015 . ABC-CLIO . 9781610693103 . 160 . https://books.google.com/books?id=hDkVCwAAQBAJ&pg=RA3-PA160 . Hot Pants.
  54. Book: Hamer . Louise . Blum . Stella . Clark . Rowena. Fabulous Fashion 1907-67: Exhibition from the Costume Institute, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 1 January 1981. International Cultural Corporation of Australia.
  55. Book: Russell . I. Willis . Porter . Mary Gray. Algeo . John. Algeo . Adele S.. Fifty Years Among the New Words: A Dictionary of Neologisms 1941-1991 . 1993 . Cambridge University Press . 9780521449717 . 167–8 . https://books.google.com/books?id=3x-umCIwEYQC&pg=PA167 . Among The New Words.
  56. Book: Geczy . Adam. Lynch. Annette. D. Strauss. Mitchell . Ethnic Dress in the United States: A Cultural Encyclopedia . 2014 . Rowman & Littlefield . 9780759121508 . 185–6 . https://books.google.com/books?id=tiEvBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA185 . Lederhosen.
  57. Book: Spilling . Michael . Fishpool . Sean. Long distance running for beginners . 2012 . Rosen Pub. . New York . 978-1448848140 . 16. registration .
  58. Book: Hayhurst. Chris. Ultra marathon running. 2002. Rosen Pub. Group . New York, NY . 9780823935574 . 34 . 1st. registration.
  59. Book: Barrios. Dagny Scott. Runner's world complete guide to trail running . 2003 . Rodale. Emmaus, PA. . 1579547206 . 31 .
  60. Web site: Wagner . Christopher . School Shorts:England . Historical Boy's Clothing . 9 January 2016.
  61. Book: Shrimpton. Jayne. Tracing your ancestors through family photographs : a complete guide for family and local historians. 2014. Pen & Sword Family History . Barnsley . 9781781592809 . 88 .
  62. Book: Lansdell. Avril. Everyday fashions of the twentieth century. 1999. Shire. Princes Risborough. 0747804281. 57–58.
  63. Book: Davidson . Alexander . Blazers, badges and boaters : a pictorial history of school uniform . 1990 . Scope Books . Horndean, Hants . 9780906619254 . 166–167.
  64. Book: Davidson . Alexander . Blazers, badges and boaters : a pictorial history of school uniform . 1990 . Scope Books . Horndean, Hants . 9780906619254 . 126.
  65. Book: Walford . Geoffrey . British Private Schools: Research on Policy and Practice . 2004 . Routledge . 9781135783259 . 128 .
  66. Book: Weigold. Marilyn E.. Yonkers in the Twentieth Century . SUNY Press . Yonkers Historical Society . 978-1438453941 . 96–99 . https://books.google.com/books?id=A_MeBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA96 . She Wears Short Shorts!. 30 October 2014.
  67. Book: Reinisch . June Machover . Stirratt . Betsy . Johnson . Catherine . Feminine persuasion : art and essays on sexuality . 2003 . Indiana University Press . Bloomington . 0253215897 . 16 . https://books.google.com/books?id=WqqMs0iXVSYC&pg=PA16. Ideal Images and Kinsey's Women.
  68. Book: Werlin . Katy . Blanco F. . José . Hunt-Hurst . Patricia Kay . Lee . Heather Vaughan . 3 . Doering . Mary . Clothing and Fashion: American Fashion from Head to Toe . 2015 . ABC-CLIO . 9781610693103 . 316 . https://books.google.com/books?id=hDkVCwAAQBAJ&pg=RA3-PA316 . Women's Dress and Fashion 1946-1960.
  69. Book: Lefler . Anna . The chicktionary from A-line to Z-snap, the words every woman should know . 2011 . Adams Media . Avon, Mass. . 9781440531231 . 179 .
  70. Staff writer . Snappy Skort, New for Sport . LIFE . 10 June 1957 . 71–76 .
  71. Woodward . Bob . Short Cuts: How to dress as cool as Gurkha in hot weather . Backpacker . May 1985 . 37–39 .
  72. Book: Beck . Barry . Beck . Cathy . Fly-fishing the flats . 1999 . Stackpole Books . Mechanicsburg, Pa. . 0811706265 . 91 . 1st.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Shorts".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.