Pants. They’re getting wider these days. But not necessarily the whole pant, sometimes it’s just the bottom near the hem.
This type of cut can go by many names: bell-bottoms, boot cuts, flares, darts. However you slice it, these inverse-tapered fits usually have a tight fitting top block but are flowing and breezy at the ankle.
As bell-bottoms begin to ring again, let’s take a look at some of the backstory behind these flared jeans.
Nautical Origins
Sailors on the USS Unadilla (1861-1869). Image via Ibiblio.
Like many items in our humble niche, the story of bell-bottoms begin in the military. This time, it’s on the high seas of the US Navy in the 1800s.
Sailors realized that having a wider leg on the bottom of their pants provided a myriad of benefits:
- The extra material made it easier to grab sailors who had fallen overboard
- The loose fit made it easier for similarly waterlogged seamen to take off their pants while in the water to swim
- And at its most basic, they were easier to roll up above the knee when working in a wet environment
The most common version of the USN bell-bottom the denim dungaree, immediately recognizable by its two beveled patch pockets on the hips.
Left: 1970s USN Denim Dungaree Pants. Image via Rockhopper Vintage. Right: Image via McGuire Army Navy.
These humble denim trousers were in service from the 1930s until 1998, when the Navy switched to a straight leg cotton/poly blend pant. Their reach, however, would go far wider than the deck of a battleship.
Anti-War Flares
Vietnam War veterans protest the war in Washington, D.C. Image via Getty.
Surplus of any military style eventually leads to mainstream adoption and boy did the US Navy have a lot of pants left over after World War Two.
As civilians began to slide their legs into the cool fabric of naval bell-bottoms, one group began to gravitate to them more than others, protestors against the US war in Vietnam. Anti-war activists, many veterans themselves, began to wear military clothing to add legitimacy to their protests—M65 jackets, boonie hats, and flared denim dungarees.
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Surplus is often very cheap, so it wasn’t long before the styles were adopted by people all over.
Bell bottoms in the 1970s. Image via Vintage Everyday.
Manufacturers were quick to produce their own, and soon bell-bottoms could be found at the local department store, boutique, or mail order catalog.
1970s Sears catalog advertising bell-bottoms.
And like all trends, bell-bottoms could only be the new thing for so long, and their popularity ebbed away by the end of the 1970s.
But also like all trends, 20 years later they came roaring back in the late 90s/early 2000s in the form of bootcuts and raver jeans.
Wide legs of the 90s. Image via Design You Trust.
I had a pair in middle school where the back of the hem instantly turned brown and looked like someone had taken a bite out of it. Those too faded away but here we are, another 20 years later, and the bell tolls again.
bell.b0ys and More
How have bell-bottoms manifested in the year 2022? A scroll over to Tiktok and you’ll find the @bell.b0ys carrying the bell-bottomed torch into the twenty-first century.
@bell.b0ys♬ original sound – Joel C. Bautista
The 2022 look is accessorized with:
- High waists
- High cut denim jackets or velour track jackets
- Ribbed tank tops
- Thick soled leather boots
- Lots of accessories and dangly jewelry
- Mullets
Basically a 70s scumbag look. I immediately thought of James Woods in Night Moves and Harvey Keitel in Taxi Driver when I saw these looks popping up.
Robert Deniro (left) and Harvey Keitel (right) in Taxi Driver, 1976. Image via Columbia Pictures.
James Woods in Night Moves, 1975. Image via Warner Brothers.
Compare that to how Levi’s is styling the bootcut fits on their site:
Levi’s So High Bootcut jeans.
Where to Bell-Bottom Today
Is it good? Is it bad? It’s not necessarily for me, but we are going to see much more of it soon. I imagine these styles will filter down through our Japanese makers soon, but for now, here’s where you can get flared today.
Vintage USN Dungarees
There’s a million vintage options for the Navy dungarees that started it all floating around the internet, including these from seller Callahansupplyco. Depending on condition, they typically run $50-$100. Have a look at the full offering on Etsy.
Repro USN Dungarees
If wearing an old seaman’s pants isn’t up your alley, there are a host of quality reproductions available. This one from creme de la creme of repro Buzz Rickson’s is made in Japan to a higher standard than the military ever saw and they’re available for $152 at Hinoya.
Sugar Cane 14oz. Denim Boot Cut
Getting a little more contemporary than the dungarees, we have Sugar Cane’s take on a 70s bootcut. Also made in Japan with that hourglass like figure that tightens up a the knee before flaring out to the hem.
Available for $252 at Blue in Green.
Levi’s 527 Slim Boot Cut jeans
Finally, we have the old standby Levi’s coming in with their 527 boot cut jean, which also comes in a rigid finish (their term for raw).
Available for $69.50 at Levi’s.
