There was one product in the 1970s that brought a whole new meaning to the term "hot pants," and it's probably not what you'd expect. The decade of bizarre fads and goofy products culminated into the introduction of Wonder Sauna Hot Pants, one of the decade's most puzzling innovations.

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The inflatable pants were designed to melt away fat from people's stomach and thighs. Instead of eating right and exercising, people around the country could sit back, relax, and have the fat magically disappear. Remember, exercise tapes and leg warmers were still a decade away at this point. 

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The Wonder Sauna Hot Pants worked like this: You inflated the rubber shorts and wore them around the house for a while. You could theoretically leave the house, but we don't think many people did. Because of the heat, your body would sweat more than usual, causing you to lose a few extra ounces of water weight. 

If the promise of "slenderizing" problem areas didn't entice consumers, check out the official endorsement in the corner. It makes the product seem pretty legitimate, until you take a closer look. The seal on the top right of the package is for the Amateur Athletic Union, a non-profit sports organization that promotes amateur sports around the country. 

There's no concrete evidence that people actually used these pants, but the fact they exist means someone out there sweated off a couple pounds. And hey, at least these shorts weren't the worst things to come out of the 1970s.