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:
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