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Shorts are a garment worn by both men and women over their pelvic area and the upper part of the upper legs or more, sometimes extending as far as mid-calf, but not covering the entire length of the leg, either as outer or undergarment. They are called "shorts" because they are a shortened version of trousers (as they are called in British English, or pants in American English) which cover the entire leg.

For men, the fashion has been over the last 20 years for the length to get longer. For women, the fashion is for the length to get shorter.

Sociology

Historically, young boys were the only people who wore shorts. When they got older, they would get their first pair of long trousers. This gave shorts the perception of being only for young boys. So even in hot weather, men would not wear shorts to avoid looking immature. Since about World War II, when many soldiers were in tropical locations, adult men have worn shorts more, but the perception of shorts only being for young boys took several decades to change and to some extent still exists. Today, most young boys have long trousers as soon as they are old enough to tell the difference and they keep wearing shorts into their adult years without significant stigma attached. But in many countries there are few situations in a formal office setting where wearing shorts would be accepted, as they are considered too casual. In many American offices, where there is an official casual dress standard, shorts are specifically forbidden.

Motivation

There are many reasons why people wear shorts, including:

• Simplicity - Comfortable and easy to wear.
• Practicality - Cool, light weight, allow for wide a range of motion.
• Fashionability - May fit with the prevailing mode of expression, see Fashion.
• Uniformity - Set of standard clothing worn by members of an organization, see Uniform.
• Sexiness - Showing more skin can be erotic; reducing coverage to an Erogenous zone brings it into focus.

Styles

There are many styles of shorts:

• Boxer shorts: Mainly used as male underwear. Some years ago, this term also related to a basic style male short.
• Track shorts: Reach only the upper thigh; intended to provide maximum freedom of movement in sports activities. These are often made from Nylon, which has the advantage of being very hardwearing. After Adidas sponsored the 1980 Olympic Games , Adidas nylon track shorts were a fashion item for some years.
• Walking shorts: Long pant length, reaching to the knees. Intended for casual wear in warm weather. Usually has pockets and waist loops for an optional belt.
• Cut-offs: Home-made by cutting the legs off trousers, typically jeans, above the knee. These were particularly popular in the early 1970s. The cut is not finished or hemmed and the fabric is left to fray. They became so popular, they were sold in stores as such. Originally a practical use for trousers with worn-through knees, they are now a type of shorts in their own right. The ultra-short version of jean cut-offs are also known as Daisy Dukes, in reference to Catherine Bach's character of that name from the American television show The Dukes of Hazzard.
• Hotpants: Commonly known as "short shorts," primarily worn by women. These are short, tight shorts, usually made of cotton, nylon, or some other common material. They are meant to emphasize the buttocks and the legs. Hotpants are sometimes worn with dark tights and knee-length boots to create an edgy, sexy look. Hotpants were very popular in the early 1970s, but declined in popularity during the late 1970s. The fashion revived in the 1990s.
• Bun huggers: Short, tight, athletic shorts also known as "racing briefs", commonly made from spandex and/or nylon. These shorts are compulsory for girls and women in some schools and for some adult athletic events such as volleyball. It is claimed that their tight fit and the fact that they barely go down past the "buns" give wearers an unhindered range of motion that is necessary in sports such as volleyball. Bun huggers for men also exist. These resemble boxer briefs.
• Skorts: Have a piece of fabric in front, creating the illusion of being a skirt from the front. The term is a portmanteau of "skirt" and "shorts".
• Scooter Skirts: Much like a "skort" but having and additional piece of fabric in the back so that it looks like a skirt from front and back.
• Zip-off shorts: A pair of long pants that zip off at the knee, allowing the wearer to change from pants to shorts as the weather changes.
• Board shorts: A combination of shorts and a bathing suit, typically worn by men, which have recently gained in popularity. Board shorts are manufactured by such companies as Billabong, Quiksilver, and Old Navy. The shorts are made of a bathing-suit like material, targetting a beach-going demographic. The "board" refers to surfboards and skimboards, although many wakeboarders also wear them. In the 1980's, board shorts were called "jams".
• Three quarter pants: A name used to refer to other types of shorts such as Shants or Shankles.
• Capris: Shorts that reach below the knee.
• Baggies: Loose fitting shorts which reach the knees. These were the standard shorts worn by English football teams before World War II. West Bromwich Albion FC are nicknamed the Baggies because their team used to wear particularly baggy shorts. During the late 1990s this type of shorts had a short revival in popularity among some Premier league teams in England.
• Cycling shorts: Special shorts designed for athletic use, originally in cycling.
• Chino shorts
• Bermuda shorts: Knee-length shorts commonly worn in Bermuda as business attire, or largely any style less than formal or black-tie . The style has also been adopted exclusively as a casual style in other locales.
• Cargo shorts: Typically khaki shorts with cargo pockets. Similar to cargo pants, but around knee-length.
• Boyshorts: Similar to boxer briefs, but for females.
• Jorts: Jean shorts.
• Lederhosen: Traditional German leather shorts.
• Stubbies: Very short, fitted men’s shorts; associated with the 1970s and 1980s.

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• Trousers and shorts