Small Stakes, Big Opinions: Jorts

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Small Stakes, Big Opinions: Jorts

Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Episode Air Date: August 4, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of All Of It with Alison Stewart dives into the surprisingly divisive subject of "jorts"—denim shorts that have taken over New York City’s summer fashion scene. Host Alison Stewart is joined by WNYC Gothamist reporter Sonia Rao, author of the viral piece “Attack of the Jorts: Giant Denim Shorts Have Taken Over New York City,” to talk all things jorts: the cultural resurgence, why they've become so popular, their fashion history, and listeners’ strong feelings—pro and con.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. What Are Jorts? (02:17–03:11)

• The conversation starts by clarifying what "jorts" means in today’s context.

  “Some people use the word jorts to talk about any length. When I'm saying it here, I'm referring to, as you say, the back baggy ones, the long ones that almost look like capris… they're just enormous, enormous denim pants.” – Sonia Rao (02:22)

• They emphasize that the ‘J’ in jorts stands for denim. (02:45)

2. Jorts in the Fashion Ecosystem (03:11–04:44)

• Rao explains why she wrote about jorts, noting their explosion across neighborhoods like Bushwick and SoHo among all age groups, though it skews younger.
• Listeners immediately chime in, some wearing jorts as they listen.
• Historical context: Baggy jorts had a heyday in the late ’90s and early 2000s, reflecting fashion’s cyclical nature.

3. Utility and Comfort—Why People Love Jorts (04:44–05:18)

• Jorts’ practicality is celebrated for large pockets and ease of wearing without a bag, especially during summer concerts or city outings.

  “I don't want a bag on my shoulder getting all sweaty in the summer. You know, I'm just going to stick everything in my pockets. And, you know, the longer the shorts, the bigger the pockets.” – Sonia Rao (04:56)

4. Jorts vs. Cutoffs: What’s the Difference? (05:18–06:09)

• Listeners debate whether jorts are just jean cutoffs or something specific. Rao finds the newsroom split: some say any jean shorts, others insist “jorts” are the baggiest, longer variety, distinct from frayed or shorter cutoffs.

5. Listener Call-Ins: Strong Opinions and Memorable Quips (06:44–07:19)

• Nicole from City Island:

  “We don't call them jorts. We just prefer to call them birth control… You could just really separate the men from the jorts. If you were wearing jorts, you had no shot.” (06:44) – Sparks laughter and goes viral as a memorable moment.

6. The Case for Jorts: Comfort, Throwback Style, and Pandemic Casual (07:27–08:20)

• Rao summarizes “pro-jorts” points: They are comfortable, practical, easy to style, and part of a larger fashion movement toward baggier silhouettes, especially since the pandemic.

7. Jorts, Identity, and Community Roots (08:20–09:20)

• Rao points out how trends often emerge first in queer and Black communities:

  “You can look at fashion and look at gay people and in [stylist Ian Bradley’s] particular case, gay men, and say that's what's coming next for, quote unquote, the mainstream.” (08:31)

• Short-shorts moved to baggier fits in queer circles first, then into mainstream fashion.

8. Styling Jorts & Celebrities as Fashion Barometers (09:26–11:02)

• Listeners text about loving jorts for their leg coverage and versatility with blazers for work.
• Rao confirms supermodels like Gigi and Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski (mispronounced as "M. Ratowski" on air) are now wearing jorts, hinting at their high-fashion approval.
• In terms of less-fashionable icons, names like Kevin Smith and Adam Sandler come up—eliciting some disagreement over what makes a “fashion icon.”

9. Gender-Neutral Appeal (11:16–12:02)

• Jorts’ unisex quality aligns with current gender-neutral fashion trends.

  “I appreciate the flexibility that’s being introduced increasingly to fashion.” – Sonia Rao (11:21)

10. Multigenerational Trend Adoption and TikTok Effect (12:09–14:16)

• Vicki from Westchester calls about her 18-year-old daughter wearing jorts after seeing them on TikTok. Her 60-year-old sister also joined in.
• Alison Stewart confesses to almost buying a designer pair, acknowledging generational hesitance.
• Rao comments on fashion’s cyclical, never-throw-anything-away nature:

  “…if you're talking generations, though, what were Gen Xers wearing in the late 90s, early 2000s?” (13:36)

11. Vintage, Thrift, and Gen Z (14:54–15:37)

• Nicole in Westchester bought thrifted “jorts” years ago, feeling dorky but now realizing she was ahead of the trend.
• Rao highlights how thrifting and finding authentic vintage Levi’s is key for Gen Z, giving jorts “cool” status.

12. Jorts as Functional Fashion, Especially for Women (15:38–16:38)

• Quoting Bustle, Rao reiterates,

  “…wearing baggy shorts that actually feature functional pockets is an absolute dream.” (15:38)

• They discuss how longer, baggier shorts shield women from harassment and function as a pragmatic feminist fashion choice.

13. Jorts, Bermuda Shorts, and Fashion Semantics (16:38–17:06)

• Rao distinguishes jorts from Bermuda shorts by cut and fit: jorts are generally baggier and can hit at or below the knee, while Bermudas are tighter and more mid-thigh.

14. Fashion Fervor: Why Do Jorts Matter So Much? (17:06–17:43)

• Stewart asks if Rao was surprised by people’s passionate responses to her piece.

  “People really get up in arms about their denim… People have strong opinions about denim and I think that's not going away.” – Sonia Rao (17:12)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• “We don’t call them jorts. We just prefer to call them birth control.” – Caller Nicole (06:44)
• “Comfort and kind of a throwback style are the two main key points.” – Sonia Rao (08:16)
• “I appreciate the flexibility that’s being introduced increasingly to fashion.” – Sonia Rao (11:21)
• “Gen Z loves to thrift. They do, right?… That makes it cool to find these in the wild rather than go on Google and search jorts and buy them new.” – Sonia Rao (15:01)
• “People really get up in arms about their denim… Maybe it’s just, you know, the everyman fabric.” – Sonia Rao (17:12)

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Important Timestamps

• What Are Jorts? – 02:22
• Why Jorts, Why Now? – 03:15–04:44
• Listener “Birth Control” call – 06:44
• Jorts vs. Cutoffs – 05:29
• Queer & Black Community Influences – 08:31
• Jorts at Work, Celebrity Endorsement – 09:57–11:02
• Gender Neutrality in Fashion – 11:21
• Generations & Thrifting – 13:36, 15:01
• Pockets and Practicality for Women – 15:38
• Fashion Passions – 17:12

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Summary

This delightfully spirited episode illustrates how a seemingly trivial topic—jorts—opens revealing windows into New York life, generational perspectives, gender politics, and the enduring power of denim. Listeners, fashion experts, and the hosts themselves show that when it comes to jorts, the stakes (and opinions) may be small, but the debates are serious, fashion is cyclical, and comfort—and pockets!—always win.

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Transcript

[Host 1]

This is all of it.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm Alison Stewart from live from the WNYC studios in soho. Thank you for spending part of your day with us.

[Host 1]

I'm really grateful that you are here.

[Alison Stewart]

On today's show, we'll learn about the new documentary short film you and Me about a bookstore in Chinatown that had to rebuild itself after a fire in the building. We'll continue our Summer in the City series with a look at some surprise, surprising things to do in Manhattan. And we'll hear from three authors. Ann Patchett, whose latest novel is titled Whistler, Maggie o', Farrell, whose book lan recently came out, and Xochil Gonzalez, whose most recent book is Last Night in Brooklyn. That's the plan. So let's get this started with Attack of the Jor. Like to start today's show with a subject plaguing New Yorkers. No, it isn't the rain nor the pied a terre tax. I'm talking about jorts. J O R T S It is the summer of jorts. A portmanteau of jeans and shorts has entered the chat. For the next few minutes, let's have a little fun with our series. Small stakes, big opinions, and the subject is Jorts. Listeners. You, do you wear jorts? How do you start wearing jorts? What do you like about jorts? Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. Or maybe you heard the word jorts and thought, hell no. You consider it cringe worthy. We want to know your opinion, too. Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. Maybe you don't have a strong opinion about it, but you want to tell us where you've seen George this summer. We want your big opinions about a small stake subject, Jorts. Joining me now is WNYC Gothamist reporter Sonia Rao, who wrote a piece about this for Gothamist. It was called Attack of the Jorts. Giant denim shorts have taken over New York City. Hi, Sonya.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Hi.

[Sonia Rao]

How you doing?

[Alison Stewart]

I'm doing well. Did I leave anything out about jorts? The definition of jorts?

[Sonia Rao]

I mean, I think it's important to say what we're talking about. Some people use the word jorts to talk about any length. When I'm saying it here, I'm referring to, as you say, the back baggy ones, the long ones, the long ones that almost look like capris. You don't really know if they're shorts or capris or pants that were cropped they're just enormous, enormous denim pants.

[Alison Stewart]

Do they have to be made out of denim? Out of jeans?

[Sonia Rao]

I would say the J is important. Yeah, we're talking jeans.

[Alison Stewart]

How's it. Has it been expanding to other fabrics recently?

[Sonia Rao]

You know, I personally have seen a lot of sweatshirts out and about as well, which I, you know, is kind of a bold choice, I think, for daytime wear. You know, I think the jorts aspect of it is what's most stunning to me because it is, you know, traditionally not the most attractive garment.

[Host 1]

What made you decide to write a pretty lengthy piece about jorts?

[Sonia Rao]

Yeah, I think, you know, I had kind of noticed this trend bubbling over the last few summers, and I think this summer in particular, we reached what I have deemed peak jort. I think I couldn't go, you know, two blocks in certain neighborhoods. I'm talking Bushwick, maybe, honestly, SoHo as well, where our office is. Couldn't go two block without seeing these everywhere. You know, every corner, all ages, actually, as well. You know, I think it skews younger, but I've seen folks in their 30s, early 40s in these baggy, baggy denim shorts as well. So I just had to figure out why.

[Host 1]

We just got a text that said, I literally wear jorts every day wearing them, listening to you right now. Best shorts, you can bike in them and play basketball. Just. Do you have a little bit of a history of jorts? Because it's not the first time we've seen them.

[Sonia Rao]

No, absolutely not. And I mean, I think it goes back as long as the history of denim itself. But most people, when they think of this style of Jord's, I think they're thinking late 90s, early 2000s. I think that's kind of when the baggy silhouettes were really big in the mainstream. And so, you know, fashion is cyclical. I think we all know that by now. I was talking to a shopkeeper at Awoke Vintage, which folks in New York will know as a chain of local vintage stores. She said, people are coming in looking for low rise baggy jorts. That's just a double whammy, right. Of early 2000s fashion trends coming back. And I think, you know, it's a big part of it.

[Host 1]

I remember in the 90s, people started wearing them to concerts because especially girls, because you could fit all that into your pants, you didn't have to have a bag with you, which was important.

[Sonia Rao]

Absolutely. And I think a lot of the folks I ended up speaking to just approaching on the streets of lower Manhattan said as much. Right. They were saying, I actually, I like all the loops that are here. I like all the pockets. I don't want to carry stuff. You know, I don't want a bag on my shoulder getting all sweaty in the summer. You know, I'm just going to stick everything in my pockets. And, you know, the longer the shorts, the bigger the pockets.

[Alison Stewart]

We have a couple of questions for you. These two texts came in. One says, jorts are just a pair of cutoffs. But the next text says, what's the difference between jorts and cutoffs?

[Sonia Rao]

And that's a good question. I actually surveyed our own newsroom to figure out what people thought of when they heard jorts. And I think it is actually split pretty firmly between those two camps. Some folks say anything that counts as jean shorts, no matter the length, counts as jorts. So, you know, some people would think of cutoffs in that realm. A lot of other folks said, no, no, no. Jorts are the big, baggy ones. Cutoffs are what you call the ones that are frayed at the bottom, that are shorter. So I think it depends on how specific you're will get with your own language of denim. But I, you know, I personally tend to think of baggier shorts when I say jorts.

[Alison Stewart]

Our subject today is a summer, small stakes, big opinions. It's jorts. Are you pro or con Jorts? What makes them great? What makes them cringe worthy? Where have you seen jorts this summer? Our Phone number is 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. My ride along is WNYC. Gothamist reporter son. She wrote the piece Attack of the Jorts. Giant denim shorts have taken over New York City. Let's talk to Nicole calling from City Island. Hey, Nicole.

[Caller Nicole]

Hi. We don't call them jorts. We just prefer to call them birth control.

[Host 1]

So why do you call them birth control?

[Alison Stewart]

Tell me.

[Caller Nicole]

Because working as a publicist on many tours in the early and mid-90s, do I need to say Limp Bizkit? Yeah. There are loads and loads of fellows who are wearing those horrible culotty, horrible monstrosities. And it was just really easy to separate the men from the jorts.

[Host 1]

Yeah.

[Caller Nicole]

If you're wearing jorts, you had no shot.

[Host 1]

I think I knew you, Nicole.

[Alison Stewart]

I'm sort of remembering that. Thank you for calling.

[Host 1]

And so the people who like Jort, Sonja, what did they tell you about

[Alison Stewart]

why they liked them?

[Sonia Rao]

You know, I think comfort was a big thing. You know, we talked about someone playing basketball in them earlier. I Wouldn't necessarily think of death. Denim is the best fabric for that sort of activity. But a lot of folks I was talking to were saying, yeah, these are the ones. I think they prefer the looseness of them because they're, you know, quite literally allows for air circulation in the summer. I think denim is easy to pair with things, so that's a big plus in the column as well. And, you know, I think baggy clothes have just kind of been the way to go since maybe since the pandemic, especially when folks were wearing a lot of looser clothes at home. I don't think we've seen the return of super tight silhouettes just yet. And so, you know, who's to say what'll come next? Maybe this is as baggy as we'll go and then it'll swing all the way back. But for right now, I think, you know, comfort and kind of a throwback style are the two main key points.

[Alison Stewart]

So many fashion trends start with the

[Host 1]

gay community and the black community. And this has been around for years.

[Alison Stewart]

We know this.

[Host 1]

What did you find out when you researched this?

[Sonia Rao]

You know, I spoke to a couple stylists, one of them, Ian Bradley, he is a black queer man. And he was saying, you know, you can just look at fashion and look at gay people and in his particular case, gay men, and say that's what's coming next for, quote unquote, the mainstream. So, you know, I think a good example of this would be short shorts on men. People were wearing three 4 inch inseams a few years ago, if you remember correctly. And I think, you know, as gay men perhaps moved into the baggier silhouettes, straight men came right behind him.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Right.

[Sonia Rao]

So I think you can kind of look to queer communities, often queer black communities at what's coming up. And so, you know, I talked to. I, um, I talked to a couple other stylists as well. And I think capris might be next. So could be a reason that the shorts are getting longer. We're inching towards capris.

[Host 1]

We got a text that says jorts are just bell bottom shorts. That's one way to look at it.

[Alison Stewart]

This says, I love jorts.

[Host 1]

I have bought three pairs so far this summer. I love them because they are. My favorite part of my leg is actually between the bottom of my calf and my ankle. For this reason. I have always loved my midi skirts, but jorts are so much more convenient. My favorite pair is a sl slung indigo denim that came with a matching blazer. Finally, I can wear jean shorts to Work. Did you find people wearing these to work?

[Sonia Rao]

You know, I didn't encounter anyone personally, but I was speaking to them about how they would wear them to work in that scenario. And I think with women especially, they found it easier to dress them up. You know, you wear a kitten heel, you wear a cute little blouse with them. I think it's really about the way you style it. And, yeah, I mean, I think I have personally seen people, I didn't talk to them, but I've seen folks wearing jorts to work. And so, you know, the length helps. I think it makes it feel more appropriate to wear in that setting.

[Host 1]

Who are some well known jorts wearers?

[Sonia Rao]

You know, I think the part that's interesting to me is there are a lot of supermodels wearing these. I think you look at paparazzi photos of both of the Hadid sisters, right? Gigi and Bella. There's M. Ratowski. I'm mispronouncing her name, so sorry. But Rata Kowski, I think it is. You know, there are all of these supermodels who you expect to be on the cutting edge of fashion wearing them, which to me suggests maybe these are fashionable, Right? Maybe we're shedding the ways of the past and actually embracing these for what they are.

[Alison Stewart]

Someone sort of disagrees with you and says Kevin Smith is not a fashion icon.

[Sonia Rao]

I think of Adam Sandler. You know, if you look at Sandler's clothing, he's not actually wearing denim, but the silhouette is very much the same, very similar.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you think about the sort of unisex quality of them?

[Sonia Rao]

Yeah, I mean, I think that's great. I think a lot of high fashion as well has kind of been moving towards gender neutral clothing. Silhouettes from menswear filtering into women's wear and vice versa. I think we're seeing cinched waist at men's fashion shows and that sort of thing. So I think, you know, we're really, as time goes on, kind of ditching the rules that have been made for us about what we're supposed to wear and what settings we're supposed to wear them in. Now, I'm not saying there is a time and a place for things. You know, maybe don't wear flip flops to the Met Gala, that sort of thing. But, you know, I appreciate the flexibility that's being introduced increasingly to fashion.

[Host 1]

Let's talk to Vicki. Calling in. Hey, Vicki, thanks for calling, all of it. What do you think about jorts?

[Caller Vicki]

Hi, good morning. I actually have thoughts because I have an 18 year old daughter who started wearing them at least a year ago, if not two years ago. We live in Westchester County. I think of myself as somebody who observes fashion. I didn't see them, but then again, she's the TikTok generation, so who knows, maybe she's seeing it online. I was horrified by some, but, you know, as teen fashion goes, you know, we can't get too worked up by it. And then my sister, who's in her early 60s, showed up with jorts. Again. She's in Massachusetts. She's not in Greenpoint, Bushwick or Brooklyn. You know, I'm just. I was puzzled, but I'm mostly puzzled about myself and why I'm so slow to come to the trend. Like, obviously some people see it and they're like, yeah, they're vib. I'm always like at the end. So that's just my comment.

[Host 1]

Yeah, I thought the same thing. Thank you for calling in, Vicki. Sonia. You know, I went to a store, sort of a fancy downtown store, and they were like 1:19 the pair I picked up, and I put them on. They were like a really good Japanese denim, really heavy. They were sort of cut well. And I thought, well, maybe with a blazer, with the right kind of shoes,

[Alison Stewart]

I could rock this. And then I was like, I gotta put them back.

[Host 1]

And I thought, is there a generational divide here? I'm a Gen Xer.

[Sonia Rao]

Yeah. I mean, I think if you're talking generations, though, what were Gen Xers wearing in the late 90s, early 2000s?

[Caller Nicole]

Right.

[Sonia Rao]

I think it's. Yeah, I think in my 20s then it's. It's kind of a thing where it's. Don't throw anything away.

[Caller Nicole]

Right.

[Sonia Rao]

Come back later. But yeah, I mean, I think, you know, to the caller's point, I do think it skews younger. I think there's a lot of folks in their 20s maybe wearing these or even younger. She said 19, but it doesn't mean that people who are older can't wear them. I mean, I think everyone who's out and about deserves to be able to be comfortable and wear what they think is stylish. And, you know, she said her sister's wearing them. Power to the sister. I love that.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Nicole in Westchester. Hey, Nicole, thanks for taking the time to call, all of it.

[Caller Nicole]

Hi, I'm turning my radio off.

[Alison Stewart]

Can you hear me now?

[Caller Nicole]

Yeah, I bought a pair of gingham, what we're now calling a long pair of jorts. About five or six years ago in a thrift shop for about $5. And I had no idea that they were going to become fashionable. I just thought they were a comfortable alternative to just a pair of shorts, which I wouldn't be caught dead in. And I felt kind of dorky wearing them. And I thought, well, so be it. And now I'm in fashion.

[Alison Stewart]

Love it. How much of the secondhand and vintage shopping is a part of this, Sonya?

[Sonia Rao]

I think it's a huge part of it. And, you know, I'm kind of sounding like Internet mom here, but I do think that Gen Z loves to thrift. They do, right. And so I think that going to thrift stores, you get these 90s Levi's shorts, right? And they're. The silhouettes are big, they're baggy. And that makes it cool. It makes it cool to find these in the wild rather than, you know, go on Google and search jorts and buy them new. And so I think that's a huge, huge part of it. Kind of the status symbol of getting the brands that were cool maybe before you were born in some of these kids cases and just, you know, seeming cool for that reason.

[Alison Stewart]

Over at Bustle did a.

[Host 1]

They did a piece on this, and a reporter said, let's be real, wearing baggy shorts that actually feature functional pockets is an absolute dream.

[Sonia Rao]

Absolutely. I mean, I think the tote bags are a very Brooklyn thing. You'll see folks running around with the tote bags, and after a while, you don't want to carry that anymore. Just stick it in your pockets.

[Host 1]

Also, I thought about the gender aspect of it is girls get harassed. Women, Girls get harassed for wearing short shorts. And wearing longer shorts kind of pulls that out of the equation, to be honest.

[Sonia Rao]

It does, Yeah. I think it, you know, unfortunately, that's a reality we live in. And what you wear sometimes impacts how people talk to you. And so I think in this case, you know, one of our clients callers called it birth control. I think that's the other side of it. Right. It's like, well, maybe they talk to you differently for that reason. But I think there is, you know, there are some pluses of not being harassed. I think that's a great point to bring up.

[Alison Stewart]

This is a question. How do these differ from Bermuda shorts made by cutting off jean legs just above the knees? You're talking about below the knees?

[Sonia Rao]

I'm talking about, yeah, just about at knee or below. So I would think Bermuda. Bermuda's kind of in the middle. I think some Bermuda might count. My thing that I would say is if They're Bermudas that are bit tighter around your legs. Those probably are not what we're talking about when we're talking jorts, but lengthwise, yeah, could work.

[Alison Stewart]

Last question for you. Were you surprised at the response to your piece?

[Sonia Rao]

I think, you know, it was a mixture and it always is with style stuff where some people are like, this is an old trend. I've been doing this for years. And other people have never seen it before. Right. So I think overall I was a little surprised by the passion. I think that was an overarching theme in response to the piece was people really get up in arms about their denim. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's just, you know, the everyman fabric. But people have strong opinions about denim and I think that's not going away.

[Alison Stewart]

The name of Sonya's piece is Attack of the George Gian denim shorts have taken over New York City. You can read it on Gothamist. Thanks for your time, Sonja.

[Sonia Rao]

Thank you.

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[Sonia Rao]

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[Host 1]

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