Bermuda shorts
Encyclopedia
Trousers
Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately...
, now widely worn as semi-casual attire by both men and women. The hem
Hem
To hem a piece of cloth is to sew a cut edge in such a way as to prevent unraveling of the fabric.There are many different styles of hems of varying complexities. The most common hem...
can be cuff
Cuff
A cuff is an extra layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment covering the arms. In US usage the word may also refer to the end of the leg of a pair of trousers...
ed or un-cuffed, around one inch above the knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
.
They are so-named because of their popularity in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, a British Overseas Territory, where they are considered appropriate business attire for men when made of suit-like material and worn with knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
-length sock
Sock
A sock is an item of clothing worn on the feet. The foot is among the heaviest producers of sweat in the body, as it is able to produce over of perspiration per day. Socks help to absorb this sweat and draw it to areas where air can evaporate the perspiration. In cold environments, socks decrease...
s, a dress shirt
Dress shirt
A shirt, or dress shirt in American English, is a garment with a collar, a full-length opening at the front from the collar to the hem, and sleeves with cuffs. Shirts are predominantly used by men, since women usually wear blouses...
, tie
Necktie
A necktie is a long piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes around the neck or shoulders, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat. Variants include the ascot tie, bow tie, bolo tie, and the clip-on tie. The modern necktie, ascot, and bow tie are descended from the cravat. Neck...
, and blazer
Blazer
A blazer is a type of jacket. The term blazer occasionally is synonymous with boating jacket and sports jacket, two different garments. A blazer resembles a suit coat cut more casually — sometimes with flap-less patch pockets and metal buttons. A blazer's cloth is usually durable , because it is an...
. In addition, many businesses in the West that have a business casual policy similarly allow this kind of clothing in appropriate weather. They are available in a variety of colours, including many pastel shades as well as darker shades.
True Bermuda shorts are not to be confused with "clam diggers
Three quarter pants
Three quarter pants, pedal pushers, shants, shpants, clam diggers, flood pants, jams, highwaters or culottes are commonly used expressions to mean pants that are longer than shorts but are not as long as trousers...
" or "capri pants
Capri pants
Capri pants are mid-calf pants worn in warm weather. Variants end below the knee and calf...
" extending below the knee. Cargo shorts
Shorts
Shorts are a bifurcated garment worn by both men and women over their pelvic area, circling the waist, and covering the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to or even below the knee, but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they are a shortened...
may be a similar length, but are typically baggy or less "tailored" than Bermuda shorts.
History
Bermuda shorts originated with the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
for wear in tropical and desert climates, and they are still worn by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. During the 2nd World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, there was a shortage of clothing in Bermuda. According to Jack Lightbourn, former Executive Vice President of the Bank of Bermuda Ltd., The General Managers of the two Banks in Bermuda, The Bank of Bermuda Ltd and The Bank of N.T. Butterfield and Sons Ltd
Butterfield Bank
Butterfield, officially The Bank of N. T. Butterfield & Son Limited, is a bank founded and based in Bermuda. In addition to Bermuda, it operates in the Bahamas, Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, providing private banking, wealth management and trust fund...
were concerned that their male employees would not have suitable clothing to wear. They arranged for a tailor in Bermuda to make two pairs of shorts, modeled on the shorts of the British military, for each of their male employees. The shorts were made from a very itchy grey flannel material and each employee was supplied with two pairs of heavy grey wool long socks to wear with the shorts. This was the beginning of Bermuda shorts as business attire in Bermuda. In the post war period local merchants such as Trimingham Bros. and H.A. & E. Smiths improved the design of the shorts and used bright coloured materials as the shorts became more popular.
See also
- Khaki drillKhaki drillKhaki drill or KD was the term for a type of fabric and the British military uniforms made from them. Khaki Drill was worn as a combat uniform from 1900 to 1949 but is a variant, still referred to a Khaki Drill or KD's is worn by the UK Armed Forces, in non combatatant warm weather countries where...
- Shorts
- MadrasMadras (cloth)Madras is a lightweight cotton fabric with typically patterned texture and plaid design, used primarily for summer clothing—pants, shorts, dresses and jackets. The fabric takes its name from the former English name of the city of Chennai, India...
Shorts or Pants - Knee socks
- The Official Preppy Handbook
- British EmpireBritish EmpireThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
- Parachute pantsParachute pantsParachute pants are a style of trousers characterised by the use of nylon, especially ripstop nylon. In the original loose-fitting, extraneously zippered style of the late 70s/early 80s, "parachute" referred to the pants' synthetic nylon material. In the later 80s, "parachute" may have referred to...
External links
- Bermuda shorts — from "Bermuda Online" by the Royal GazetteThe Royal GazetteThe Royal Gazette, founded in 1828, is the only daily newspaper in the island nation of Bermuda. It is published Mondays through Saturdays; there is no Sunday edition....
.