Same reason as the Dolphin Shorts — if you are young and in shape — and that was usually the case back in the 70s/80s when they were popular — they look ok.

I had a pair given to me by my then-GF, I otherwise probably would not have worn one.

Keep in mind, one of the groups they were very popular with were devotees of Fire Island.

Some of you will Get That. Others may Guess. Wiki it if you feel curious.

This peaked with the Dolphin Shorts of the early 80s, most notably connected with the fitness craze of the same time (yes, it peaked in the early-mid 80s).

The most obvious modern example of Dolphin Shorts still around is the shorts generally associated with “Hooters Girls”. Except that the Dolphin short was generally not a single color, it was usually one of two forms, two colors, one for one side (“Cheek”) and the other for the other side.

Even better was the striped kind, with two colors of stripes, the stripes about 1cm wide, in alternating colors. If you had a shapely rear end (and, again: “Fitness craze”, so, quite possible) they were exceptionally flattering of your tuchus.
Here’s a picture of such a pair (nothing inappropriate):
https://img0.etsystatic.com/012/0/5831433/il_fullxfull.448486246_3p11.jpg

After that, shorts became much less a popular fad, and other things came into play.

Women who wear short shorts today are generally advertising a certain easy availability more often than not.

“When did Bermuda shorts become a thing?”

…I guess they became a thing, when [Bermuda long pants] became too doggone HOT!

(Hee, hee, hee!) 🙂

My wife, a dancer, had the legs for short shorts. I expect that Neo did too. Add in suspenders to accentuate another of her attributes, and she was apparently quite dangerous. So many young women these days, carrying extra weight, don’t benefit from them.

Shorts are ubiquitous in PHX esp in the summer. I notice them more on men. Never liked them, and rarely, throughout my life, have I worn them, except, as now, sitting around a hotel room, or working out. Grew up riding, hiking, and skiing, in CO, and long pants always made more sense. On the flip side, my wife grew up in Las Vegas, and moved to PHX in her mid 20s after having been widowed. All the males on her side of the family (son, son-in-law-law, 5 grandsons) wear shorts much of the time, through at least half the year. The females, not so much. And then there is me, still wearing Levi’s, very similar to the ones I wore in HS, but a couple inches wider at the waist (28’ then to 33’ now 28’ are almost impossible to find in stores anymore). And they now zip up. But still no shorts. That blogger mentioned above and I are in agreement there.

Leterhosen (and suspenders) and Pickelhaube