# Shorts- stuck in the 70's **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 14, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425 "2009-05-14T16:57:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/1 "2009-05-14T16:57:07Z")
I went yesterday to buy some shorts since the temperature is getting into the 90’s lately. Looking through the men’s section, all the shorts were bermuda style. As I went to make my purchase, I looked at the women’s section and notice they were all high cut. So, why have men’s shorts lengthened and women’s seemed stuck in the 70’s? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/2 "2009-05-14T17:13:05Z")
After a few minutes on Google, I found a [picture](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3538/3431913284_7051c01798.jpg?v=0) that probably explains it. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/3 "2009-05-14T17:34:43Z")
Women have sexy legs, and in general like to show them off. Men’s legs aren’t considered sexy by nearly as large a percentage of women, and furthermore, men have parts that hang down, potentially below the hem of the shortest shorts. Not that this isn’t an explanation I just made up on the spot. I think “fashion” is just a word that means “fickle human whimsy with no rational basis or recognizable pattern whatsoever”. In other words, if you can find a reason, it probably isn’t “fashion”. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/4 "2009-05-14T17:49:57Z")
Allow me to post a [rebuttal.](http://www.innerspaeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/tom-selleck-magnum-pi-c10102247.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/5 "2009-05-14T19:26:35Z")
_That’s_ your rebuttal??!?!?!?!?!? Dude’s disgustingly hairy! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/6 "2009-05-14T19:29:41Z")
Well, I was looking for a picture of him emerging from the waves in his little bitty bathing suit, but I couldn’t find one. What’s wrong with a little hair? Do you want a guy to _shave_? Those are lovely legs. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/7 "2009-05-14T19:39:16Z")
Women’s shorts aren’t stuck in the '70s, they’re BACK in the 70’s, along with long lean t-shirts and orange and green as predominant colors. This is a new thing this year. Last year was all clamdiggers, renamed “capris”, which are below the knee shorts. This year, old lady stores like Coldwater Creek have capris, and Target has short shorts. I hope that men’s shorts follow suit, but seeing how slowly men’s fashion changes, I don’t expect we’ll see male kneecaps until 2011 at the soonest. Sad. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/8 "2009-05-14T20:19:19Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Women’s shorts aren’t stuck in the '70s, they’re BACK in the 70’s, along with long lean t-shirts and orange and green as predominant colors. This is a new thing this year. Last year was all clamdiggers, renamed “capris”, which are below the knee shorts. This year, old lady stores like Coldwater Creek have capris, and Target has short shorts. I hope that men’s shorts follow suit, but seeing how slowly men’s fashion changes, I don’t expect we’ll see male kneecaps until 2011 at the soonest. Sad. I’d settle for seeing male _calves_! I haven’t seen a pair of shorts on a man under 30 that didn’t hit near the ankle in years… ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/9 "2009-05-14T20:32:41Z")
Well men didn’t wear shorts in the 70s. I grew up in the 70s and if you were a man, unless you were at the beach or gym class you didn’t wear shorts. It was odd, 'cause we had quite a bit of tan torsos with white legs in gym class. Look at the NBA for guidelines. Most people forget what a nothing basketball was until the mid 80s it was NO big deal. Then suddenly as a professional sport it took off. I believe men’s shorts get longer because boys and men are MUCH fatter now than in my generation and want to wear shorts but not show off their fat. Notice how as the length of shorts got longer the socks got shorter the other way. Now that shorts are past your knee and sometimes ankle length, sock are barely visable above the top of shoes. Most men, even fat men don’t have grossly fat legs south of their kneecaps. That is the REAL reason why men’s shorts are so long. ---
**Author:** ![AdmiralCrunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@AdmiralCrunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AdmiralCrunch)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/10 "2009-05-14T22:26:46Z")
I suspect it has a lot to do with underwear choices. Briefs stopped being acceptable for young men in the locker room years ago. And once you’ve got some freedom down there, it would be an unsightly shame to be wearing 70s-style short shorts. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/11 "2009-05-14T23:12:27Z")
I’m with **Zsofia**. Who said men’s legs aren’t sexy? I can tell you, Mr. Athena has been biking a lot lately, and wearing shorts, and beautifying the house just by walking around. Men are supposed to be hairy. If I wanted shaved legs, I’d become a lesbian. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/12 "2009-05-14T23:25:22Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I’m with **Zsofia**. Who said men’s legs aren’t sexy? I can tell you, Mr. Athena has been biking a lot lately, and wearing shorts, and beautifying the house just by walking around. > > Men are supposed to be hairy. If I wanted shaved legs, I’d become a lesbian. I went to a women’s college. I can assure you, you’d be soundly disappointed if you hopped over the fence for shaved legs. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/13 "2009-05-15T01:06:07Z")
> [@AdmiralCrunch](#): > > I suspect it has a lot to do with underwear choices. Briefs stopped being acceptable for young men in the locker room years ago. And once you’ve got some freedom down there, it would be an unsightly shame to be wearing 70s-style short shorts. What in God’s name do they wear, then, and what’s “years ago”? Seriously. I was always the only freak in boxers, all through high school and in the military through '96 (after that, I’ve not been in enough public nekkid places to be sure). ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/14 "2009-05-15T01:43:42Z")
I don’t get the long shorts. I just saw a kid yesterday and his shorts were nothing but flood water pants. What’s the point? ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/15 "2009-05-15T01:56:51Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I don’t get the long shorts. I just saw a kid yesterday and his shorts were nothing but flood water pants. What’s the point? I assume it is to make my live miserable. I’m a leg woman. It has been a sad, sad decade or two for me. Thank god I married a beautiful pair of legs that loves walking around in boxer briefs. ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/16 "2009-05-15T02:11:59Z")
> [@AdmiralCrunch](#): > > I suspect it has a lot to do with underwear choices. Briefs stopped being acceptable for young men in the locker room years ago. And once you’ve got some freedom down there, it would be an unsightly shame to be wearing 70s-style short shorts. Except that one or two years when it was fashionable to wear boxers under shorts and have the boxer bottoms show. Horrible fashion. Bob My favorite was the year when it was fashionable to wear skimpy nylon shorts without underwear. Really a cock watchers dream. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/17 "2009-05-15T02:31:24Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > What in God’s name do they wear, then, and what’s “years ago”? Seriously. I was always the only freak in boxers, all through high school and in the military through '96 (after that, I’ve not been in enough public nekkid places to be sure). I don’t know any guys who admit to wearing tighty whities these days, except one, and he can go either way. (We call them his man-panties.) And of course one can always go the free ballin’ route. Yeah, I have a fine pair of legs wandering around here, too. Shucks off his pants the minute he walks in the door, he does. God knows what the neighbors think - we don’t have any shades on the dining room windows, and the living room shades are the kind that just kind of give the illusion of privacy. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/18 "2009-05-15T03:09:47Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Well men didn’t wear shorts in the 70s. I grew up in the 70s… You obviously didn’t grow up in the 70s… [in New Zealand.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSFCvG6curE) (youtube) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/19 "2009-05-15T03:33:32Z")
Shorts were extremely popular among men in Rhodesia all the way up to '79. Even [the military](http://selousscouts.tripod.com/scouting4danger.jpg) wore them proudly. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425/20 "2009-05-15T03:35:19Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I don’t know any guys who admit to wearing tighty whities these days, except one, and he can go either way. (We call them his man-panties.) And of course one can always go the free ballin’ route. This just shows that the male youth of today don’t have anything heavy enough down there to require support. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shorts-stuck-in-the-70s/496425.md?page=2)