Dig, if you will, a timeline. In February of 2021, boho retailer Free People added a new silhouette to its active FP Movement collection: the Way Home shorts, a cheerful pair of running bottoms with a high, smocked waistband, and vintage-ish split hem for a fit that numerous reviewers praised for its flattering silhouette. The shorts sold at a modest pace until later on that summer, when #BamaRush hit TikTok. While the FYP phenomenon — which consisted of college-age sorority hopefuls enduring the application process or “rush” at the University of Alabama — gave brands like Kendra Scott and the Pants Store (?) their 15 minutes of social-media stardom, it was the Way Home shorts that landed in customer’s carts with such repeat ferocity that we’re still talking about it almost a year later. While the TikTok fury may have died down a little, the shorts have proven themselves to be more than just a passing fad. Twelve months after their quiet debut, they’ve racked up a 4.5-star rating across 759 reviews, cementing their status as certified top-selling royalty.