Hot Pants were technically defined as a brief and usually tight-fitting shorts for women and girls, first popularized in the early 1970s. But Hot Pants were more than a trend. They were a sign of changing times.
Hot Pants were introduced to the fashion scene by Mary Quant, born February 1934. A fashion designer and British fashion icon, she became an instrumental figure in the 1960s London-based Mod and youth fashion movements. She was one of the designers who took credit for the miniskirt and Hot Pants, symbols of the social movements brought on by the 70s. Women felt that although the inseam was short, it was still an inseam and Hot Pants gave them more coverage than a miniskirt. By promoting these and other fun fashions she encouraged young people to dress to please themselves and to treat fashion as a game.
Hot Pants came in many styles, from conservative short to short-short. The rage of the fashion runways and top models, such as Twiggy, Hot Pants took the world by storm. At first they were hard to accept as clothing to be worn in the work place until Southwest Airlines adopted the style for their stewardesses in 1970. The Hot Pants fad, rage and craze dominated fashionable society. Hot Pants and miniskirts were also a gage on how good or bad the economy was doing. The old maxim was when women's hemlines rose, so did the economy. When they went down, it was a sign of difficult times were coming. Be that true or not today, fashion is still an indicator of cultural musings.
When I modeled, I did my fair share of print work
posing in hot pants. From inside the studio to outdoors, it was the fashion. Great when the weather was
pleasant, especially in Chicago, but not very warm in the frigid winters. But
the boots helped and where an integral part of “the look.”
The last time I wore my hot pink suede hot pants was in 1982 at an Art
Gallery I owned and operated in St. Petersburg, Fl.
Any job in the art world
was a perfect environment to wear outrageous fashions. I feel a spirit is
lacking in the style world today and that’s why vintage fashion is popular. Not
only for young people but all ages, both men and women, who desire to have
clothing that is trendy and better still, made in the USA. So next time you
peruse a vintage clothing shop, see if you can find a pair of hot pants. And of
course, a pair of white vinyl boots to go with them!
Next Post:
Vintage Clothes – Men’s Leisure Suite
1 comment:
I am amazed that you still own your hot pants! Young people today don't realize what an important part of a young woman's wardrobe these were! You were considered instantly cool if you wore hot pants. Looking back I'm not sure that it was the most elegant timeless trend, but it is so fun to reminisce about these wild fashion statements.
I am amazed that no one else is commenting on this fresh and fun blog. Hello out there, I am talking to you. Let's get the dialogue started. What crazy trends do you remember from your youth, or even last year? I'd love to learn if these trends were popular around the world or only in the US. Talk to me.
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