In the mid 1960’s, American were beginning to relax and enjoy themselves.

[ad#badfads-336×280]

After the end of World War II, the country had entered the salad years. The economy was booming and everyone seemed to be feeling younger and more lively. As women sought more comfort to accompany their daily routines, they began to wear Bermuda shorts as a complement to their slacks and dresses. Unfortunately, many found that Bermuda shorts, because of their length, tended to emphasize their knees and calves rather than their entire, shapely legs. Additionally, they were not as comfortable as the women would have preferred. These women thus clamored to find shorter shorts and the short shorts craze quickly took off. By 1957, the shorts had become a fixture in movies and even the focus of the smash hit song by the Royal Teens “Short Shorts.”

Unfortunately, not everyone was thrilled with the ascension of short shorts. Numerous communities put into effect ordinances prohibiting the wearing of short that rose higher than the midway point between the hip and the knee, usually punishable by a fine.

As the “fun fifties” moved into the turbulent and defiant 1960’s, women’s clothing got even more provocative and risque. as the miniskirt, and later, hot pants became common pieces of daily apparel. Short shorts, however, retained their prominence, with variations (such as Daisy Dukes) popping up from time to time.