<P> The traditional grey flannel shorts associated with British school uniform had become well - established by the 1920s, when they were knee - length or just above knee - length . Up until the 1950s school shorts were also described as' knickers' in tailoring catalogues and jargon . This term possibly originated as an abbreviation of knickerbockers, which began being worn by schoolboys for sports in the 1880s . As the term' knickers' had become synonymous with panties in the 20th century, it was rarely used colloquially for shorts . By 2004, a study of British private schools noted that traditional grey school shorts had become denoters of private or public school uniform, as they were no longer required wear by state schools . Similar tailored shorts form part of school uniform in a number of countries, including Australia, Singapore, South Africa and New Zealand, and are also part of the uniform worn by children in organisations such as the Cub Scouts . </P> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Short shorts </Td> <Td> Posing in short shorts, 1945 Short shorts, as their name imply, are shorter than average . Such garments had been known since the 1930s when female Hollywood stars wore them for publicity photographs, and in New York City, a by - law (repealed 1942) was passed banning females from wearing them . They were principally worn for sports and active purposes, such as cycling . Shorts that terminated at the upper thigh became increasingly popular as informal leisurewear and sporting attire throughout the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s for both men and women . In the early 1970s short shorts began to be made in fashion fabrics, in which form they became known as hotpants (see above), a term popularised by Women's Wear Daily . The terms hotpants and short shorts have since become interchangeable . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Skorts </Td> <Td> Skorts (a portmanteau of "skirt" and "shorts") are made with a flap of fabric in front that creates the illusion of their being a skirt from the front . They are often worn for sport and active pursuits . When the skort was first introduced in America in the late 1950s it described a pair of shorts with an attached pleated overskirt . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Zip - offs or Convertible Shorts / Pants / Trousers </Td> <Td> Long pants which zip off at the knee, allowing the wearer to vary the length of their trouser leg at wish . Often recommended for hiking or walking, zip - offs have been around since the 1980s . They are also suited to fishermen, as longer pants can easily be converted to wading - length shorts . </Td> </Tr>

Which of the following is not the description of the british clothing style