Hotpants

From Encyc

Hotpants are shorts that are very tight and very brief, with no legs. They are intended to draw attention to the bottom and the thighs.

They can be made of a variety of materials. A stretchy material allows them to be extremely tight. Many people like the effect of a shiny or satin material. They may have rear pockets, but ideally they should be too tight to put much in the pockets.

An effective technique is to wear them with knee-length boots, preferably stiletto boots, and possibly dark tights.

History[edit]

Hot pants is a 1920s phrase originally meaning strong sexual desire; it thus came to mean "a sexually eager woman". The shorts became popular in the 1970s as a development of the miniskirt, and were given the name "hotpants" by Womens Wear Daily. The fashion has waxed and waned, but has remained popular among prostitutes and cheerleaders.

References[edit]

  • Jonathon Green, Dictionary of Slang (Cassell, 1998)
  • Brewer's Dictionary of Modern Phrase and Fable, 2nd ed. (2006)

See also[edit]