,
Prince Philip,
Princess Anne, and Bermuda shorts-clad
Prince Charles in 1957. and
Wavell in World War II The invention of Bermuda shorts is attributed to native Bermudian and tea shop owner Nathaniel Coxon, who in 1914 hemmed the uniform pants of his employees, allowing for more comfort in summer heat. The
British Army, stationed in Bermuda during
World War I, adopted the shorts for wear in tropical and desert climates. Bermuda shorts became a popular
sportswear item in the 1920s and 1930s for their association with leisure and tropical vacations. Their name was likely codified in the
United States by The Bermuda Shop, a
New York City sportswear retailer. According to Jack Lightbourn, former Executive Vice President of the Bank of Bermuda, the general managers of the two banks in Bermuda,
The Bank of Bermuda Ltd and
The Bank of N.T. Butterfield and Sons Ltd were concerned that their male employees would not have suitable clothing to wear due to clothing shortages related to
World War II. They arranged for a local tailor 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 as well as the pairing of long socks with Bermuda shorts. 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.
Vogue first used the term "Bermuda shorts" in 1948. The rise in the popularity of the shorts coincides with the broader rise in the acceptability of shorts as daily wear. A piece from that year in
The New Yorker mentions that although sales figures for the shorts at retailers such as
Brooks Brothers were increasing, certain hotels and clubs still would not allow them. Bermuda shorts experienced renewed popularity in the
1970s due to increased interest in
the fashion of the 1950s. They reappeared on the runways for several years starting in the early 1990s. ==Uses==