Jorts are this summer's throwback trend

They say these are divisive times and that couldn’t be more true when it comes to “jorts.” Love them or hate them, jorts — that hybrid jeans-shorts combo that grazes the knee or below — are gaining in popularity this summer even though some consider them unflattering. Naysayers accuse them of conjuring nerdy Dad pants. Others say they’re right out of the '90s skater movement. But for many this season, they are the epitome of chic.

So says Christina Miller, 39, of South Bellmore, who is a Long Island-based wine and spirits salesperson, children’s stylist and popular fashion blogger @yourmostexpensivefriend. “I love them. You can make them really classy with a kitten heel, and if you’re trying to do that with a Daisy Duke [short shorts], you’re going to have a tougher time," she says.

Miller, who owns six pairs, says they’re versatile, too. “I like to go from work to nighttime, and I think for daytime they’re very professional," she says. "They have a similar look to a pencil skirt but are a lot more comfortable to move around in.” Miller adds that she’s spreading the word on jorts’ appeal: “I even convinced my close friend who’s a lawyer to wear them. I think they have a polished pant vibe.”

The birth of jorts

Some believe that jorts emerged decades ago as a DIY project. They, “originally started as denim cutoffs for better airflow,” says Meg Uy, an associate shopping editor at Cosmopolitan who pens the weekly newsletter Let’s Talk Shop. But she says, “They’ve since evolved into a casual yet edgy fashion staple.”

And Afshin Haghani, the owner of women’s boutiques Gallery Couture in Manhasset and Loop in Port Washington, suggests that if you want to try before you buy, to cut off an old baggy pair of jeans and sample the look. Even he, fashion maven that he is, originally had issues in committing to buying jorts for his inventory. “I was like, ‘What is this dowdy looking pair of shorts I’m seeing? How am I styling this and presenting it to my clients?’”

Then, he recalls that he started seeing the style on top designer runways and the trend trickled down to a price point more aligned with his. He bought a small collection for the store and found that, “They have absolutely no hanger appeal. No one has ever picked up these shorts and said let me try them on."

He adds that once he showed how to style them — tucked-in shirts, trouser belts, shorter tops, balanced proportion and the right shoe such as kitten heels, strappy and fisherman sandals — “our clients loved them. If you put these shorts on and wear them properly, you’re immediately part of the cool girl gang,” Haghani declares. He now carries three brands — Frame, Alemais and Veronica Beard — and sold out twice with a new delivery en route.

In fact, luxury, contemporary fashion company Veronica Beard has produced several jorts styles, one of which (hard to believe), is full on glam — a denim number coated in gold foil. A company statement about the trend says the silhouette “strike(s) the perfect balance of comfort and structure. They’ve evolved from their vintage roots into something cleaner, more modern and endlessly wearable. We love how they elevate a casual look while still feeling easy.”

What's in a name?

But here’s the rub. Almost nobody likes to call them jorts. At Veronica Beard, they’re called “longline shorts.” Haghani who dubs them “city shorts,” says the name, “Reminds me of the word ‘jegging’ and immediately takes you into the mindset of dowdy world.”

Rachel Capotosto, 36, of St. James, who runs the online fashion site minnieyorker.com that targets women who want on trend pieces at accessible prices, calls them “trouser shorts.” They’re a staple in her own wardrobe rotation and she says they sell well but is adamant about the name. “I hate the name jorts and refuse to use it. I hate the sound of it, and it has a very negative connotation of a skater boy with greasy hair wearing sneakers. I don’t think that’s what an elevated fashion girl wants to think about.”