Jorts. With just one word, I can throw the fashion world into chaos. From middle-aged moms to indie sleaze teens, I’ve seen an uptick in this controversial fashion choice all around campus. It makes me wonder, why are they trending now?
Jorts, also known as jean shorts, became an iconic staple in pop culture dating all the way back to the 1980s. It was popularized by the famous television show, The Dukes of Hazzard. For many uncultured teens such as myself, that title may seem unfamiliar; however, the cleanly cropped and high waisted jean shorts of this era were sported by the character Daisy Duke, whom this article of clothing was promptly nicknamed after.
For me, that name rings familiar from Katy Perry’s quintessential song California Gurls. In Perry’s words, “those girls are unforgettable, undeniable and dressed in daisy dukes with bikinis on top.”
Jorts have gone through so many phases in pop culture, from the frayed grunge and baggy rap looks of the 90’s, to the tight micro looks of the 2000’s, to the studded and colorful trends of the 2010’s. Now, there’s a mix of all different types of jorts trending at once.
It may surprise you, but under certain conditions, I fully support those wearing jorts. Fitted jean shorts are a fashion faux pas in my opinion, unless we’re talking y2k micro shorts with some edgy styling. Without that, it can feel uninspired.
On baggy jorts, this might be a pretty controversial take, I love them as long as they’re lengthy enough and styled well. A lot of people in alternative spaces have been rocking those baggy jorts lately and what can I say, you might catch me wearing baggy jorts soon.
The main factor that influences my opinion on jorts is the individual thought that goes behind styling them. It’s one thing to buy the average high waisted, well fitted jean shorts from the mall. They are in fact a classic staple, but it never intrigues me to see more. When personal style influences jean short selection, the end result can leave a much more cohesive and creative impression.
You don’t just have to lean into the Ke$ha inspired super low rise, micro jean shorts to get a pass from me. The 90’s hugely oversized classic jean short looks so good paired with other oversized elements, or with alternative subculture influence. If you aren’t going for the micro look, please make sure your jorts go past your knees. I don’t think I could withstand seeing another pair of knee length fitted jorts.
The current resurgence of jorts likely correlates with the rise in 2010’s fashion coming back into our trend cycles. Lately, fashion of the 2010’s has gotten popular again, as well as the urge for that wild party scene. The fun music and fashion of that time has often been discussed to correlate with times of economic recession. I don’t think it’s too far-fetched to propose that our current economy could be contributing to these trends.
On the topic of trends, I feel like I would be remiss not to mention the effects of fast fashion. I know, you’ve probably heard this discussion plenty of times, but it’s important to acknowledge the impact that rapid trend cycles have on our environment.
While trends can be great to allow individuals to discover what they enjoy, we can all work to be more mindful and demure about what we consume. If jorts are your thing, feel free to indulge! If they aren’t, I guess you’re not the only one. Trends come and go, so if you aren’t a jorts fan, I’m sure we’ll all look back in a few years and question these interesting fashion choices.
At the end of the day, I’m not here to hate on any “jorts connoisseurs.” I won’t necessarily hate on jorts haters either, I mean… they have a point. But I will say fashion is all about expression and fun at its core. As long as that’s your motivation, I think experimenting with jorts can turn out well! I am a fan of some jorts looks and I think there can be a style that clicks with anyone. It’s truly about what makes you happy, jorts or not.
