Short pants: The long and the short of it
The summer of 1936 saw a heat wave so dangerous at least five thousand people died. It also saw the popularization of a cooler fashion alternative: shorts. Correspondent Mo Rocca looks at the long history of short pants; how at one time, in Yonkers, N.Y., the wearing of shorts was illegal; and how hot pants and Daisy Dukes became high fashion.
The scorching summer of 1936 brought with it an unprecedented heat wave that claimed at least 5,000 lives across the United States. Major cities such as New York City, Baltimore, Columbus, Ohio, and Lexington, Kentucky, experienced temperatures soaring over 100°F, setting records that remain unbroken to this day. Air conditioning, a luxury in most homes at the time, was insufficient to combat the oppressive heat, leading many individuals to seek solace in movie theaters or outdoors during the sweltering days.
The relentless heat not only posed health risks but also influenced fashion trends. In a peculiar turn of events, some adults donned short pants during the summer, a sight that was eyebrow-raising but not outright illegal. However, in Yonkers, New York, where Mayor Mike Spano currently serves, shorts were once a punishable offense.
In 1935, Alderman William Slater led the city council to ban shorts on city streets, with violators facing a $150 fine and a 30-day jail sentence. The enforcement of this law saw ten police officers assigned to the anti-shorts patrol, a move Spano deemed irresponsible. Two reporters, testing the law by wearing shorts, were arrested and fined $10 each.
However, their conviction was later overturned in a lengthy court battle, leading to the repeal of the law.
The modesty ordinance in Yonkers was short-lived, lasting only until 1937. According to Erin Black, an associate arts professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, showing legs during certain eras was considered scandalous. Men's fashion during the Elizabethan Era featured "pumpkin hose" or "pumpkin breeches," stuffed with sawdust and horse hair to maintain their shape.
In England, shorts were primarily worn by young boys until the late 1800s. The onset of World War I saw British soldiers stationed in Bermuda cutting their own pants off at the knee, giving birth to Bermuda shorts—a response to the relentless heat. For women, the popularity of pinup girls like Betty Grable, coupled with the influence of World War II, eventually led to the adoption of shorter shorts by the 1950s.
Recent trends include shorts worn by Mayor Spano, who once faced legal consequences for his fashion choices, and Ohio writer Geoff Williams, who has fond memories of the 1936 heat wave. This narrative underscores the resilience of fashion in adapting to extreme climates and the significant cultural shifts it reflects over time.
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