1920s1960s1920s 1940sHigh-water pants (or "flood" pants the name is a humorous reference to a short length that would stay clear ofa torrent) have a long history that spans opposite extremes, from high fashion avant-garde to ill-fitting geekygaffes. Whether unaware or unbothered by conventional norms, daring men showed quirky sensibility by donningshort, ankle-baring trousers. Today!s contemporary man sports this iconic silhouette with masculinity and a bit ofswagger.1910s Business Men c. 1910s 1910sBetween 1900 and 1920, ankle boots became the status symbol for the well-to-do gentleman. Edwardian stylesintroduced more ornate, side-button footwear that demanded attention. Cropped trousers, whether casual or forsuits, raised the curtain that is, the hem showcasing these statement-making boots. High-waters anddeeply cuffed pants countered the preceding long-hemmed Victorian trend.Harold Lloyd in Grandma's Boy 1922Harold Lloyd Harold LloydBuster Keaton c. 1920s Buster Keaton c. 1920s1920s silent film stars, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton, put the silver screen spotlight on cropped pants. Morefor comedic measure than for fashion forwardness, Hollywood!s clownish focus nonetheless served to keepcropped trousers in the limelight. Even funny guys in farcical fashions became style stars for the masses toemulate.1910s Sailors c. 1920s 1940s 1940sDuring the hardscrabble periods between 1900 and 1950, many men rolled the hems of their second-handtrousers, achieving a high-water look. While less for fashion and more for manual laborer!s function, this style isan important element in today!s heritage workwear trend.Gene KellyFred AstaireGene Kelly in An American in Paris 1951 Fred AstaireHollywood once again threw its spotlight on high-waters during the 40s and 50s with its hyper-production ofdance musicals. To show off fancy footwork, stars of the day like elegant Fred Astaire and the more athleticGene Kelly wore cropped pants in blockbuster musicals like An American In Paris. This playful take on high-waters would later influence sock-hop looks and preppy pant styles.Teddy Boys c. 1960sThe BeatlesJFK c. 1960s Bobby Soxers c. 1950sCome mid-century, cropped pants forked into various fashion directions. Rock 'n'roll brought new styles to 1950steens with icon Elvis Presley leading the look of cropped or pegged, sock-exposing pants or rolled-up jeans.Collegiate-inspired shortened khakis caught on around the same time, moving into the 60s with the preppypresidential style of JFK. 1960s London brought a mod, flat front high-water look. The Beatle Suit featured short'continental' pants and ankle boots while tough British Teddy Boys embraced old school Edwardian proportions.Geek c. 1960s Steve Urkel Pee-Wee HermanNerd style has been part of pop culture since the youth boom of the 1950s. Classic 80s and 90s geeks SteveUrkel and Pee-Wee Herman wore high-water pants. These comedians' cult-like popularity, while based onseemingly unaware nerdiness, resonated with a kind of geek-chic, anti-norm attitude that continues to inspirecontemporary designers like Thom Brown today.Elvis in Jailhouse Rock 1957 Michael Jackson Frank SinatraKings of Pop Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra have allmade high-waters part of their signaturelooks. Each of these men and their iconic sense of style influenced pop culture and cemented cropped pants asiconic and cool. The death of the last !King", Michael Jackson, further immortalized the high-water look andcontributed to its nostalgic relevance to modern fashion.Whether on the runway or on the street, high-waters are part of modern men!s fashion. No matter the inspiration,from Edwardian dandies and 30s laborers to 60s pop icon and 80s nerds, cropped pants continue to conjureboyish vulnerability, rugged charm and pop star cool sometimes allat once. Related Reports: Key Items > Cropped Pant|Global Streets >Tasty Tailoring|Global Streets > Roll On |Retail Analysis Wool Flannel Pants|Must Haves > The Cargo Pant & Khaki