She Wears Short Shorts: 55 Images from the Golden Age of Hotpants - Flashbak (2024)

By Yeoman Lowbrow on November 10, 2016

Post Views: 113,191

1970s 1980s Fashion Daisy Duke Fashion hot pants hotpants Jaclyn Smith Magazines Pan's People records short-shorts shorts style Wonder Woman

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The official birthday of hotpants is 1970 byMariuccia Mandelli of the Italian fashion label Krizia. However, some also cite Mary Quant, the miniskirt’s originator, as the creator of hotpants in the late 1960s (although they weren’t officially called “hotpants” until later). Whoever deserves credit, it goes without saying, the world owes her a debt of gratitude.

Short shorts had been worn informally since the 1920s, generally for sports activities. It wasn’t until the women’s liberation movement and sexual revolution of the late sixties that they became fashionable. As the seventies wore on, hotpants gradually grew out of favor, but equally high hemmed running shorts and dolphin shorts as well as Daisy Dukes filled the short-shorts void.

Sadly, the 1990s ushered in an era of long baggy shorts – a nasty plague that lastedfor over a decade. That fashion crisis has, thankfully, been eradicated; however, we should still stand vigilant against its dreaded reappearance.

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#1-2 – And so, we’ll start our count here, with a pair of white hotpants – a look that transcends cultural and political boundaries. From a German record album to an American motorcycle mag – they’re bothenhanced by white hotpants on their covers.

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#3 – Jaclyn Smith sporting a pair of denim short-shorts that Catherine Bach would be proud of.

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#4-5 – Naturally, sexploitation cinema and adult magazines were among the biggest purveyors of the short short.

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#6-7 – Then, of course, there is the 1971 James Brown hit, “Hot Pants”, which contains brilliant lyrics such as:

“One-two one-two-three uh! / Hot pants, hey hot pants uh! smokin’ / Hot pants, smokin’ that-hot pants / That’s where its at a-that’s where its at.”

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#8-9 – Once upon a time, the required uniform for flight attendants was either miniskirt or hotpants. Take your pick.

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#10-11

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#12-13 – In 1970, the same year the term “hot pants” was supposedly coined and invented, the Belgian band Salvage releases a song by the same name.

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#14 – What album cover qualifies as thegreatest to feature hotpants? Some may submit Linda Ronstadt or Barbara Streisand, but vote is for The Zebras.

She Wears Short Shorts: 55 Images from the Golden Age of Hotpants - Flashbak (10)#15-16 – I think it’s fair to saygo-go boots and hotpants were a damn good look.

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#17 -18 – Go-go boots with a one-piece variation on the hotpants look.

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#19-20: More white go-go boots. The pic on the right is from an episode of “Jason King”.

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#21-22 – As I mentioned, proper hotpants had gone out of style by the early 1980s, but running shorts/dolphin shorts quickly replaced it, andcould be every bit as revealing.

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#23-24

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#25-26 As these images of Blonde On Blonde and Susan Anton demonstrate, old-school short-shorts could reveal a lot more than just leg. Suffice it to say, ladies were comfortable with their bodies in the 1970s.

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#27-28

Hotpants were such a sensation in 1971, that, not only were there a couple popular songs devoted to the new clothing, but several movies: Dagmar’s Hot Pants, Inc. (1971), Love In Hot Pants (1971), and Hot Pants Holiday (1971). It should also be noted that Hammer’s Dracula AD 1972 was calledVampyren Jager Hotpants in Denmark.

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#29-30 – We could do an entire post just featuring hotpants on record covers and still not have room for them all.

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#31-32

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#33-34 – Couldn’t have a hotpants article and not feature Pan’s People; that would just be wrong.

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#35-36 – Yes, from cheesy 80s girl groups to 1960s British actresses (Elaine Taylor), we’re bringing youa veritable potpourri of short shorts.

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#37-38

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#39-40 – When it came to the best hotpants on TV, there were several contenders: Mary Ann from Gilligan’s Islandand Chrissy Snow from Three’s Company to name a few. However, the undisputed Queen of TV Hotpants is Wonder Woman (Linda Carter).

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#41-42

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#43-45 – Jimmy Patrick brings us another tune devoted to our favorite brand of shorts. It seems mankind was obsessed with hotpants in the early seventies.

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#46-47 – The 1979 movie Burnout offers fast cars and girls in short-shorts – what more could a 70s male want in a movie?

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#48-49

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#50-51 – Olivia Newton-John at right

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#52-53 – (L) Catherine Bach, the lady behind “Daisy Dukes”, and (R) a Yugoslavian girl group that really knew how to wedge into a pair of shiny short shorts.

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#54-55

And so we’ve come to end. Alas, there are so, so many more short-shorts images from yesteryear I’d love to share. But I think hotpant saturation levels have been reached. Until next time!

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From the film Gas Pump Girls (1979)

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FAQs

What are the really short shorts that girls wear called? ›

Hotpants or hot pants are extremely short shorts. The term was first used by Women's Wear Daily in 1970 to describe shorts made in luxury fabrics such as velvet and satin for fashionable wear, rather than their more practical equivalents that had been worn for sports or leisure since the 1930s.

What era was short shorts? ›

The 1920s saw an increase in women wearing shorts, including Bermuda shorts and, later in the '30s, an even more eyebrow raising 'short' short. These items were strictly only for athletic pursuits however, and most women even wore a longer “pyjama” to the beach.

Why do females wear short shorts? ›

Short shorts offer a sense of freedom and confidence to females. By showcasing their legs, women can embrace their body positivity and express their individuality through fashion choices. It's fascinating to see how this style has evolved over time, becoming a staple in many wardrobes.

Why do girls wear shorts under skirts? ›

Shorts for under dresses are a great solution to keep you covered even when a strong gust of wind tries to reveal what's under your dress. While adding a little modesty on a windy day, they also help you feel cooler while you walk around.

What are the small shorts called? ›

What is another word for short shorts?
hot pantslederhosen
booty shortsmicro shorts
tight shorts

What are preppy shorts called? ›

Bermuda shorts, also known as walk shorts or dress shorts, are a particular type of short trousers, worn as semi-casual attire by both men and women. The hem, which can be cuffed or un-cuffed, is around 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the knee. British military commanders Brooke-Popham and Wavell in World War II.

What are daddy shorts? ›

Hoochie daddy shorts, or daddy hoochie shorts, are essentially short-shorts for men. They sit higher up on the thigh than most shorts and usually have between a 3 inches and 5 Inches inseam. These snug fitting shorts have grown massively in popularity, becoming the current trending look.

Why are they called dolphin shorts? ›

History. The name is from Dolfin, the American company that first produced this style of shorts in the 1980s.

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