Can we talk about hot pants

gatco

gatco

VFG Member
I have a few very cool hot pant sets and was doing some searching. I guess I have a different view of what constitutes hot pants versus just shorts.

When I wore them, (boy did I have great legs back then) the inseam was virtually non existent, maybe 2 inches. I see the online world calls almost any shorter shorts hot pants.

So what do you feel actually qualifies a pair as "Hot Pants"
 
My mom wore hot pants a little later than most people because we're from a smaller town and because her knit "suit" was awesome on her. Plus, she was too broke to get clothes that were more of-the-moment.

I think sometimes, like in the case of my mom, it's as much the length of the shorts as an attitude. Imagine a boucle celadon henley belted tunic that hits just below the hip bone and then matching knit shorts that just stick out a bit from the top. She wore them with open toed sandals, I think. (gah!) And a big late 60s teased 'do. In my memory, they weren't all that short, but they were definitely hot pants.

What I love are those maxi tunic-type dresses with the big slits or cutaway waists that are worn with hot pants. You needed to have great legs, but you could still get away with hot pants should you happen to have a little too much junk in the trunk.
 
In Fifty Years of Fashion: New Look to Now author Valerie Steele says:

"Hot pants are extremely short shorts that were designed to be worn as dressy clothing for women." and "Unlike ordinary shorts, hot pants were usually made from formal fabrics such as velvet, satin, or leather."
 
How 'bout this?

Cleaned%20up%20not%20resized.jpg


Almost hated selling it (really like cash, tho') ;)

Diana
 
I hate to admit this but I was there, too! I had corduroy hot pants in the early '70's that I wore with a long sleeve striped fitted sweater under a maxi-coat so I'm not sure I totally agree with Valerie Steele on the dressy fabric part. I remember wearing pantyhose under them and they were short- much shorter than Diana's. If I still had them they would be considered "shorts." They had a fitted waist with belt loops and cuffs.

Linn
 
The shorts are a bit shorter (and awfully high-waisted, too) than they look on T.C. -- she's so darn skinny that I had trouble keeping them in the right place to photograph it. Even pinned.

(I'd sit on her and force feed her, but ... well, you know ... can't get her to open her mouth. Maybe I should take a lesson?)

Diana
 
One of my favorite pair were orange corduroy, I wore them with a very snug striped turtleneck sweater and knee high leather boots.

Gosh I loved those shorts, they had a back zipper and they made my tummy look so flat...well it was flat but still. Mine had no more that a 2 inch inseam.

The sets I have are all knit but I think I am going to have to pull out the mannequin to show them well.

This one is similar to what you mentioned Holly.

beltedhotpants1.jpg
 
Yep, hot pants were short short-shorts! In fact, if I recall, they just barely covered the butt cheeks--but, still, were more modest than what you see celebrities tramping around in.... They covered the curve of your hip and the bottom of your butt, but not much else. I'd say a 2" to 3" midseam, whereas short-shorts, at least mine, were maybe just above mid thigh, like about a 4" or 5" inseam. My faves were belted hip huggers in a white twill.

I, too, disagree with them being more formal than short-shorts. You did see them in satin and velvet, but they had them in more casual looks, too.
 
OMG.

I got "scolded" in my senior HS year for wearing hot pants to a theatre reading that we were being critiqued on.

We went to W VA U for a theatre weekend. I "performed" a dialog as Maggie. Can't remember which one, though. After all it was 1970 - 71.

But the hotpants were part of a suit. Maxi length vest & hot pantes were a striped knit & I wore a solid color knit top of some sort under it. My Mom made the entire ensemble. Wish I still had it.

Maggie the cat is alive. I'm alive... :D
 
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