It was the 70s. The movies were good, the cars were muscle, and the shorts, they were very short. But times change, and while the movies mostly stayed good (though opinions vary) despite a changed entertainment landscape, muscle cars fell from a scene in which gas became ever more expensive.
And as for shorts? Well, in spite of the best efforts of The Royal Teens and their seminal hit- “Short Shorts” – from a generation earlier, short shorts became passe. The causes are several and likely ultimately elusive, but cultural drivers in the worlds of music and sports may have contributed.
But everything that is old is new, and after years of poking fun at them through the Reagan years and beyond, recent social media trends suggest that short shorts for men are returning. So dust yours off and let your legs free! Who knew the reopening of America meant thighs?
Among the biggest stars seen donning short shorts online have been star of “This Is Us”, Milo Ventimiglia, and former wrestler turned action hero Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, each of whose legs, it would have to be admitted, are quite welcome to the gaze of appreciative men and women alike. Their star turns caught the attention of Men’s Health, which in turn did a feature on the trend. And Daniel Levine, director of the Avant-Guide Institute, had this to say on the development:
"Micro shorts have been trending on Twitter for the past few months. It's a celebrity driven trend. Teenie-tiny shorts are a sure way for gym rats to attract attention to their glutes. I guess when the Bitcoin goes up so does the length of shorts."
For many, the surge in attention on short shorts was welcome, with Twitter influencer Astasia Will declaring that a “hot boy summer” was coming. Holiday Sidewinder, readily admitted that short shorts on men tugged on her heartstrings. And countless others registered their approval for the pants that show off what has been verboten for decades.
For many, the surge in attention on short shorts was welcome, with Twitter influencer Astasia Will declaring that a “hot boy summer” was coming. Holiday Sidewinder, readily admitted that short shorts on men tugged on her heartstrings. And countless others registered their approval for the pants that show off what has been verboten for decades.
Whatever your opinion is, while long shorts are going nowhere, it appears that for now short ones are here again. So if you want to throw them on either to wear around the house or to show your legs off on the streets as communities open back up and the weather gets warmer, go for it! You’ll have plenty of backup in the event that you do come across a short shorts philistine.
If you somehow haven’t saved your old short shorts from the last time they were in, not to worry: there are plenty of places rushing to meet the demand. Omnipresent online retailer Amazon has a whole slew of listings, as does old guard outlet Target, and countless others. And when you’re ready to flex your gluts unbound? Short shorts will be there.
