The drug gangs in the USA started to wear big baggy shorts in the 1990's, they were able to hide drugs and weapons in their shorts. The black and later white communities followed suit when they played street basket ball and followed the fashion of the tougher guys.
The "moral majority" jumped onto the bandwagon, they identified shorter shorts with the gay community, and so turned young people against, showing their legs.
Interesting to see how in the WW2 era photos the guys went topless, but covered the navel.
The pre WW2 swimmers covered their chests but exposed their legs, in heavy cotton it must have been hard to swim. No wonder so many schools enforced naked swimming.
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