THE BELL-BOTTOM PANTS

As every summer, the most youthful trend sets the tone for clothing trends. As always, the major firms are looking for ways to seduce women and in the retro style it is seen that they have found a vein. If sailor shirts with blue and white horizontal stripes are back in fashion, now it is the time for pants. Flared trousers are back, well known in the 70s, but what are flared pants?

The chronicle of this kind of pants is very curious. It all begins in the U.S. Navy. The pants of the military were wider at the bottom for pure occupation, since it allowed them to take off their boots more easily and, in addition, in case of shipwreck, they filled the bottom of the pants with air, which allowed them to float in the water so as not to sink.

But it was the hippies who spread and made popular this garment born in North America. At the time of the 60s and early 70s, the hippie movement achieved scandal and the crowd began to copy their way of dressing, for example things. The elephant leg pants or flared pants was one of their hallmarks and clothing companies jumped on that train and began to market this unisex garment, as it could be worn by both sexes.

Men combined bell-bottoms, which could be jeans or dress pants, with jackets or blazers. Women wore them much more casually. Even some singers of the period wore them in their performances.

Right now we see the trend of flared pants making a comeback although undoubtedly as part of the evening wear wardrobe, not for work or daytime wear.