Bell-bottoms, flares, flared jeans, elephant bells – you name it. No, I’m not losing my mind or saying words at random. I can assure you every single one of you knows what this clothes item (yes, it’s the same!) looks like, but maybe you aren’t making the necessary connection to realise what I am really talking about. As the name suggests, bell-bottoms are a type of pants (for you American English speakers, trousers if you prefer British English), that are tight on the thigh region and widen from the knee downwards. The flare makes them look like a bell or even an elephant paw. Ah, now you see what this text is all about!
They are iconic clothes items that first appeared in the 60s and they were immortalised by hippies and the rock stars from the 60s and 70s. However, you’re in for a surprise. They weren’t created by fashion designers or exotic singers, band, or actors. Instead, their origin is quite unique and actually pretty unlikely – the navy! Yes, you’ve read it well! Sailors used to wear them in the US Navy as early as in the 19th century. You don’t believe me? Watch this:
Apparently, the wide shape of these pants allowed sailors great freedom to get in and out of their boots quite fast and, because they were really loose, they were easy to roll up in case they needed to walk on high waters. Finally, because they had a larger amount of cloth than usual it was easy to pull the people back to the boats in case they fell overboard. Extraordinary and progressive thinking, right? And you know what? Soon, other navies across the world were wearing flared pants and this style also remained in the US Navy until 1998! Impressive!
So, in the 1920s things started to change and this piece of clothes became a unique fashion item thanks to the creative personality of the famous designer Coco Chanel. Until the 1920s, women used to wear dresses and corsets, but her creativity combined with the irreverence of the roaring 20s favoured the introduction of a new style and a different mindset. Obviously, Coco got her inspiration from the sailors, but still she managed to create a trend that lasts until today.
In the 1970s, they became *the thing* to wear. This item, which at first was an item of counterculture, became mainstream. Cher and Sonny, iconic singers at that time, wore them at their popular TV show and everyone wanted to imitate them. Hippies were particularly associated with these pants and they were synonyms of the “flower power” movement, with their relaxed fabric, colourful designs and creative patterns.
They were incredibly popular for over 10 years, and everyone wore them. Iconic personalities such as Twiggy (a very famous super model at the time), John Travolta, the Swedish group ABBA couldn’t go without them and soon they were the item to have in your wardrobe. They became so important that they still are a symbol of the 70s, deeply associated with this era. Parents would wear them, children would wear them, young people going to clubs and parties found them comfy and easy to dance with – much better than a tight dress, do you know what I mean, girls? =D
Nevertheless, as time passed and the decade drew to its close, punk rock favoured tight jeans with lots of chains and different dark accessories and the colourful, funny, relaxed, happy elephant bells started losing their popularity. The end of the disco era, at the beginning of the 1980s, changed the fashion styles and designers returned to a more straight cut for pants.
Still, did this mean the death of flared trousers? Not exactly! The 1990s brought this iconic item into the spotlight again! Ok, they weren’t as wide from the knee downwards, and they got a new name – bootcut jeans, but they did become a hit - again! The 2000s made all of us forget about them again, but…. today, bell-bottoms are making another comeback. In their latest collection, several designers looked back to the flares of the 70s to find inspiration. Therefore, even though the trend of bell-bottom jeans has been going on and off, they are still trendy. And isn’t that wonderful? =)
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell-bottoms
https://mentalitch.com/history-of-bell-bottom-jeans/
https://fashionheritage.eu/the-history-of-symbols-flares/
https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports-and-everyday-life/fashion-and-clothing/clothing-jewelry-and-personal-adornment/bell-bottoms
https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/this-is-why-the-navy-wears-bell-bottoms-and-its-not-for-fashion