Have you noticed that young women everywhere have been wearing what we call “flared leggings” in the past couple of years? You’d be wrong if you thought this was a new fashion trend. You might’ve even heard, “I used to wear those in my day,” from the older women in your family. Well, these pants have a history, and we’re about to go back in time!
To begin, flared trousers and jeans became popularized in the 1960s and 70s but originated in the early 19th century when U.S. Navy sailors began to wear these pants as a part of their standard uniform. Although they are “bell-bottoms,” these pants were usually wide-legged and large, only worn by men.
Bell-bottoms have trended in fashion on three occasions: the 1960s-70s, the late 1990s, and now! Skip to the “cultural decade” of the 1960s, London became the center for bell-bottoms fashion for men and women. This style then traveled to Europe and North America and was often paired with Cuban-heeled shoes, clogs, or Chelsea boots. The 1970s are a trivial point for bell-bottoms because they became recognizable on television shows and worn by famous musicians and singers such as Sonny & Cher. If you live under a rock, Cher is an iconic American singer and actress who rose to fame in the 1970s, and her influence on fashion trends is timeless; it continues to inspire style to this day. As for the material of bell-bottoms, they were typically made of denim and came in various wash colors.
In the mid-1990s to 2000’s, bell bottoms were given another name: “boot-cut” or “bootleg” jeans. In this period, the demographic of customers shifted from both sexes to just women. These pants started to appear in fashion magazines, both printed and online. The tightness of the fabric in the jeans also changed from a slimmer flare to a much wider fit from 1996 to the 2000s.
In 2023, I’ve observed that other Americans lean toward comfort when picking an outfit for the day. “Athleisure” is a term used to describe athletic clothing that is comfortable and flattering. This could be the hottest fashion trend of the 2020s thus far. These leggings are made of 88% Nylon and 12% Elastane, which are comfy and stylish for all body types. Bell-bottoms have continued to thrive in women’s fashion, but I have not seen many men rock a stylish pair of bell-bottoms in a while!
A company that popularized bell-bottoms is Aerie, an American apparel store founded in 2006 that the widely popular American Eagle Outfitters owns. Their high-waisted crossover flared leggings have taken the internet by storm, and now nearly every young girl and woman has bought a pair. Almost every one of my girl friends owns a pair, and I’d recommend them to all fashion lovers!
Source: https://fashionheritage.eu/the-history-of-symbols-flares/
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