The Unlikely Factors in Winter Shorts Trend

by | Mar 5, 2025

person wearing shorts in mountains

Image credit: Tadeja Pavšič via unsplash

In a survey of nearly 30,000 Americans, a surprising number of people admitted to wearing shorts during the winter months. Conducted by CivicScience, the survey revealed that 17% of respondents often wear shorts in winter, while 33% do so occasionally. Meanwhile, 46% of participants never wear shorts in the colder season.

Demographic insights shed light on the characteristics of those who embrace this chilly fashion choice. Men are more likely to wear shorts in winter, with 64% of frequent wearers being male. In contrast, the majority of those who never wear shorts, 60%, are female. This gender divide highlights differing attitudes towards winter attire.

Join the Conversation: Do you ever wear shorts in the wintertime?

Age also plays a role in winter wardrobe choices. The largest age group among those who often wear shorts is 45-54, making up 20% of this category. Interestingly, no respondents under 18 reported wearing shorts often, suggesting that this trend is more popular among adults.

Education levels among frequent shorts wearers are varied. A quarter of them have a high school diploma or GED, while 21% hold a bachelor’s degree. This distribution suggests that education does not significantly influence the decision to wear shorts in winter.

Income levels show a diverse range among those who often wear shorts. While 20% earn less than $25,000 annually, 13% have incomes exceeding $150,000. This indicates that financial status does not heavily impact this fashion choice.

Urbanicity reveals that 42% of frequent shorts wearers reside in suburban areas, followed by 30% in cities and 25% in rural regions. This spread suggests that the decision to wear shorts in winter is not confined to a specific type of community.

Overall, the survey highlights intriguing patterns in winter fashion choices across different demographics. While some embrace the cold with shorts, others prefer to stay bundled up. These findings offer a glimpse into the diverse attitudes towards winter attire in the United States.

Keep answering questions.

This article’s data comes solely from CivicScience’s database, which contains nearly 700,000 poll questions and 5 billion consumer insights. Our AI content creation tool, DataScribe, supported the article.

Want the latest insights?

CivicScience provides a foundational source of truth to drive positive impact for humanity, brands, and media.

Sign up today to get our latest insights sent straight to your inbox each week.