Originally, shorts were only found in workwear settings, out of pure necessity to keep cool. On the island of Bermuda in the 1910s, British workers cropped their long pants to battle the heat, coining the term Bermuda shorts — which entails a professional straight cut ending just above the knee.
For casual wear, these cropped hemlines were only welcomed as recently as the ‘60s, when showing thighs began to lose its risqué reputation. Denim shorts also gained notoriety among countercultures, who saw jeans cut into shorts as an act of defiance to traditional norms.
In the inevitable transition between subculture to mainstream, a defining catalyst came in the '80s. Ultra-short shorts were a wardrobe staple of Daisy Duke, protagonist of hit TV show The Dukes of Hazzard, driving what was once scandalous into popular taste. Any lingering taboo about the garment's promiscuity was rejected and in the following years, jean shorts were widely adopted in the form-fitting, short inseam silhouette that remains the archetype today.
1 July 2025
Denim
Your Guide to Jorts
When it comes to warm days, jorts, also known as denim shorts, are an eternal favorite. But it wasn't always like this. As loose silhouettes take center stage, we revisit the subversive origins of this summer piece and how to make it your own.
A Short Story
Widening The Seams
Throughout the ‘90s, denim shorts underwent baggier fits, pioneered by the hip-hop community and anti-establishment attitudes. To many, the oversized fit was blasphemous to good taste, but that's exactly why they came to be. With supersized wide legs, hemlines below the knee, and low waists, this loud silhouette spoke to individuals seeking distance from convention. Returning to the rebellious roots of denim shorts and reinventing them.
What Are Jorts?
As the cycle goes, the loose silhouette has entered the mainstream, under the name 'jorts.' While the term technically refers to any kind of jean shorts, in the current zeitgeist it typically describes the long and wide style. Fueled by a wave of nostalgia for the '90s/Y2K and a broader shift towards comfort, the piece is now a staple of the modern-day wardrobe. Echoing the past, jorts are often completed with a slouchy tee for a laid-back look or a tighter top for contrast.
Custom Made
In homage to the reinventive origins of denim shorts, we now turn to how to cut your own jeans into shorts or distress your favorite pair.
When constructing shorts from jeans, acquire some measuring tape, scissors, and fabric marker. On the inseam of the jeans, mark a spot an inch longer than your desired length of shorts. The extra bit is recommended because it's easier to trim rather than to lengthen if adjustment is necessary. Plus, the back always rides up higher than expected. Use a tape measure to ensure symmetry on both legs. Then, cut straight across. Cuff the hem and sew it in place or leave the raw edge. And welcome your new pair of denim shorts.
For a unique edge, distress or fray your denim shorts. Cut parallel horizontal slits in the denim. The wider the distance between these slits, the wider the distressed patch. Go at it with some sandpaper until loose threads start revealing themselves. Then start pulling out blue threads between the slits until only white remains.
When constructing shorts from jeans, acquire some measuring tape, scissors, and fabric marker. On the inseam of the jeans, mark a spot an inch longer than your desired length of shorts. The extra bit is recommended because it's easier to trim rather than to lengthen if adjustment is necessary. Plus, the back always rides up higher than expected. Use a tape measure to ensure symmetry on both legs. Then, cut straight across. Cuff the hem and sew it in place or leave the raw edge. And welcome your new pair of denim shorts.
For a unique edge, distress or fray your denim shorts. Cut parallel horizontal slits in the denim. The wider the distance between these slits, the wider the distressed patch. Go at it with some sandpaper until loose threads start revealing themselves. Then start pulling out blue threads between the slits until only white remains.
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