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This article is about the article of clothing. For the office pet featured in labor activism, see Jorts (cat).
Women's shin-length hemmed jorts
Men's knee-length cut-off jorts

Jean shorts or jorts are shorts made out of denim. Cutoffs are the most common kind of jorts, made by cutting jeans. Store-bought jorts also exist. The word "jorts" sometimes refers specifically to oversized denim shorts popularly worn by men. The word is often used humorously, and the style has been associated with uncool or "dad" fashion.

Jean shorts were invented during the counterculture of the 1960s. In following decades, they were associated with countercultures such as punk, hip hop, and skateboarding. Very short cutoffs, known as Daisy Dukes (after a character from the series The Dukes of Hazzard), were popular in the 1970s. Baggy jorts were introduced in the 1980s. In the 1990s and 2000s, various styles of jorts were popular, and baggy shorts were often worn by hip hop musicians. Long jorts became a trend in the early 2020s, before which Daisy Dukes had been more fashionable. Celebrities and luxury brands became associated with jorts, which people wore for both comfort and ironic value.

Etymology

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The word "jorts", a portmanteau of "jean shorts", was first attested in the 1990s.[1] It was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2013[2] and to Merriam-Webster in 2023.[3] The word may refer to denim shorts in general or to an oversized style popular in the 2020s.[4] The use of the word "cutoffs", referring to jeans or other pants that have been cut, is attested by 1967.[5]

The word "jorts" is often used to humorously or derisively refer to unfashionable denim shorts worn by men, while the words "cutoffs" and "Daisy Dukes" refer to more popular women's styles.[1] According to The Washington Post's André Wheeler, the funny sound of the word contributes to the humorous reputation of jorts.[4]

History

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Men wearing jorts in 1991

Jeans were popularized in the 19th century, but shorts were seen as immodest. During the counterculture of the 1960s, when shorts became popular, people began cutting jeans to shorten them. Jean shorts continued to be associated with counterculture in the 1970s, when they were worn by punk artists such as Debbie Harry and Patti Smith.[6] In following decades, jean shorts were popular among countercultures such as hip hop, skaters, and rave culture.[4]

The character Daisy Duke, played by Catherine Bach in The Dukes of Hazzard, wore very short cutoffs. The style became known in the 1970s as Daisy Dukes, a term used into the 2020s.[6] Very short denim shorts were the dominant style for both men and women of the 1970s.[7] In the 1980s, long jorts with high waists and light washes were popular. Tennis player Andre Agassi wore short, acid-washed Nike jean shorts at the 1988 US Open, an atypical choice of fabric for the sport.[6][8] Oversized, baggy jorts entered the market in the 1980s, becoming associated with skateboarding and surf culture.[4]

Various jorts styles were popular in the 1990s. New York hip hop artists of the 1990s, such as Ol' Dirty Bastard and Killah Priest, popularized baggy jorts. Short jorts were popular in the 1990s among designers such as Azzedine Alaïa. They were worn by 1990s celebrities such as Cindy Crawford, Mariah Carey, Halle Berry, and Britney Spears. The older style of cut-off jeans was associated with punk and grunge musicians like Courtney Love.[6]

John Cena wrestling in jorts

Jorts of varying lengths became trends in the 2000s.[6] Rappers such as Nelly and Lil Jon wore loose, ankle-length jorts,[9] and Chingy wore extremely long orange jorts to the BET Awards 2005.[4] Wrestler John Cena became known for baggy jorts, which he wore as part of his early hip hop persona and continued to wear through his career.[9] The 2010s saw fashions including colorful and studded jorts.[6] A 2016 article in The Washington Post found that, based on Google Trends data, jorts were more popular in the Midwestern United States than cargo shorts, which were popular in the Southeast and Northwest.[10][11]

By the early 2020s, Daisy Dukes were the most popular style of denim shorts, but long jorts began to gain popularity.[12] Long jorts were seen as uncool and associated with the outfits of "dads", but became popular among young men who wore them ironically in the summer of 2021.[7] Models such as Kendall Jenner and Gigi and Bella Hadid brought long jorts into fashion.[6][13] Long jorts became a major trend in 2023,[13] and were labelled by Vogue as a summer trend of 2024.[4] The style of Bermuda-length, wide-legged, narrow-waisted jorts gained popularity on social media.[4][13] Celebrities such as Charli XCX, Justin and Hailey Bieber, and Dua Lipa wore them.[6][4] Brands such as Givenchy, Marine Serre, Valentino, Diesel, and Louis Vuitton released luxury versions.[9][4] The trend was widely associated with the slacker subculture, while some wearers associated them with Y2K fashion or androgynous fashion. The Washington Post's André Wheeler associated it with Charli XCX's "Brat summer" trend.[4] The trend was polarizing; some internet users viewed long jorts as their comfortable and versatile summer clothing, while others negatively associated the length with "dad" fashion.[14]

Styles and popularity

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People at a pride event wearing various styles of jorts

Most jorts are DIY and are made by cutting existing jeans. Store-bought jorts may be hemmed or may be frayed to resemble handmade jorts.[7] Many jorts are sold through secondhand vendors.[4] Jorts are available in various colors and inseam lengths, and they may have visible pockets.[15][9] Technical jorts, such as those made by Ripton & Co, are designed for outdoor protection.[16]

Jorts are often disparaged due to being unusually short[15] or being too long to fit the wearer's body shape,[4] and for being an outdated style from the 1990s or 2000s.[17][9] Popular culture often humorously references men's jorts, such as a Bud Light commercial in the Real Men of Genius series;[15] a sketch on The Tonight Show in which Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, and Nick Jonas sing about jorts;[4] and the phrase "Gators wear jean shorts", coined in 1997 to insult the Florida Gators and their fans.[18]

Jorts are associated with queer fashion.[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Jorts". Dictionary.com. May 29, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  2. ^ Ogunnaike, Nikki (August 28, 2013). "Fashiony Words That Have Been Added to Oxford Dictionary: Flatform, Jorts, Double Denim, and Others!". Glamour. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  3. ^ Weisholtz, Drew (October 5, 2023). "Rizz, jorts, mid and thirst trap — Merriam-Webster's latest definitions are Gen Z approved". Today. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Wheeler, André (August 13, 2024). "Jorts are no joke in this summer of slacker style". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  5. ^ Harper, Douglas. "cut-off". Etymonline. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Jackson, Hannah (July 4, 2024). "A Short History of Jorts". Vogue. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Gallagher, Jacob (June 28, 2021). "Jean Shorts—A Dad Style Staple—Are Suddenly in Fashion". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  8. ^ Corsillo, Liza (September 1, 2016). "Andre Agassi Competed at the U.S. Open in Tiny Jean Shorts". GQ. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e Schilling, Dave (August 14, 2023). "You're allowed to make mistakes. You are allowed to make jorts". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  10. ^ Ingraham, Christopher (August 5, 2016). "Map: Real American men don't wear cargo shorts". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  11. ^ Woolf, Jake (August 5, 2016). "America Is Fiercely Divided on the Cargo Shorts v. Jean Shorts Debate". GQ. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  12. ^ Escalante, Ana (July 19, 2022). "A Jorts Renaissance Is Upon Us". Glamour. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c Freund, Tatjana (August 6, 2024). "Jorts Are Back—Shop the 14 Best Pairs to Rock This Summer". Elle. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  14. ^ LeSavage, Halie (July 26, 2024). "The Jorts Trend Revival Isn't Up for Debate". Marie Claire. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c Hayes, Stephanie (June 28, 2013). "Effectively Hide Your Thunder". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  16. ^ So, Adreinne (July 31, 2022). "All I've Worn This Summer Are Technical Jorts". Wired. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  17. ^ "Call the fashion cops: 'Jorts-wearing bandit' hits St. Louis". Associated Press. August 16, 2017. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  18. ^ "Jorts Appeal". Orlando Sentinel. November 28, 2008. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  19. ^ Compo, Mel (June 1, 2023). "How to Look Effortlessly Queer (Without Just Slapping on a Rainbow)". Vice. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
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