Short Shorts On The Way Back!!!

[Torchwatch]

The drug gangs in the USA started to wear big baggy shorts in the 1990's, they were able to hide drugs and weapons in their shorts. The black and later white communities followed suit when they played street basket ball and followed the fashion of the tougher guys.
The "moral majority" jumped onto the bandwagon, they identified shorter shorts with the gay community, and so turned young people against, showing their legs.
Interesting to see how in the WW2 era photos the guys went topless, but covered the navel.
The pre WW2 swimmers covered their chests but exposed their legs, in heavy cotton it must have been hard to swim. No wonder so many schools enforced naked swimming.

[Byron]

Heavy cotton might well be suitable in training as a drag suit today but I can still remember the horrors of oversized speedos in scratchy soggy wool !

[California Dolphin]

I know for a fact that the long and baggy look that guys all over the place are now wearing originated as the uniform for prison inmates and was initiated by the California Dept. Of Corrections some time in the early 80s.

Then Rappers and basketball players adopted the look.

[shaulis]

I remember that the long versus short shorts in the NBA actually made the national news. The coaches at the time were definitely against longer/baggier shorts saying they would make their players look like gang members. It wasn't much later until the college basketball players wore longer shorts as well.

[Lap Counter]

The short shorts of vintage NBA uniforms were so short they showed the player's jockstrap every time he made a jump shot or went up for a rebound. Perhaps that motivated players to want longer shorts?

[Torchwatch]

Wow, back in the 1950's-60's they were wearing bumper boots for basketball. I had a pair in the 1970's. They are a black canvas plimsolls with white rubber fittings including star embossed ankle caps. I haven't seen or thought of them in years.

[Byron]

Re. post #83 cut-offs done previously but cannot see posts now in the archives.
However, with pockets remaining here (but always for the girls these days):
http://www4.images.coolspotters.com/...ts-gallery.jpg

[California Dolphin]

These are not pre 90s men's shorts, but it does indicate there is a definite trend to a shorter style!!!

http://www.marcjacobs.com/marc-by-ma...ready-to-wear/

CD

[California Dolphin]

Here's an update on the subject:

http://blog.sfgate.com/chronstyle/20...horts/#13664-2

CD