Bell-bottoms
Encyclopedia
Bell-bottoms are trousers
that become wider from the knee
s downward. Related styles include flare, loon pants and boot-cut/leg trousers. Hip-huggers are bell-bottomed, flare, or boot-cut pants that are fitted tightly around the hips and thighs.
Bell-bottoms' precise origins are uncertain. In the early 19th century, very wide pants ending in a bell began to be worn in the U.S. Navy. Clothing varied between ships, however, in the early days of the U.S. In one of the first recorded descriptions of sailor
s' uniforms, Commodore
Stephen Decatur
wrote in 1813 that the men on the frigates United States and Macedonia were wearing "glazed canvas
hat
s with stiff brims, decked with streamers of ribbon
, blue jackets buttoned loosely over waistcoat
s and blue trousers with bell bottoms." Though the British Royal Navy
usually was the leader in nautical fashion, bell-bottoms did not become regulation wear for the Royal Navy until the mid-19th century. These "bell-bottoms" were often just very wide-legged trousers, unlike modern versions cut with a distinct bell. While many reasons to explain sailors' wearing of this style have been cited over the years, most theories have little credibility because reliable documentation is lacking.
Bell-bottoms became very fashionable for women in the mid 1960s in Europe and in North America by the late 1960s, much of the 1970s, and early 1980s for both for men and women. By 1967, they went from high-fashion to become part of the hippie
counter-culture movement in the late 1960s, together with love beads
, granny glasses, and tie-dye
shirts, even getting mentioned in popular music, such as "Bell Bottom Blues" by Blues-Rock super-group Derek and the Dominos
in the 1970s, they moved into the mainstream. Sonny and Cher helped popularize bell-bottoms in the USA by wearing them on their popular television show
. However, they can be seen as early as 1964, in the concert film The T.A.M.I. Show
, worn (white "flares" with a baby-doll top) by a young Toni Basil
, who at the time was a go-go dancer.
Summary: Difference between Bell Bottoms, Flares and Boot-cut.
60's Bell Bottoms (which came into fashion in 1964 to the end of the decade) flared out back and front from the bottom of the calf down and the hems are slightly curved. Usually worn by lads and girls wearing Cuban heeled shoes and Chelsea Boots. The bottoms usually flared to around 18 inches. By the end of the decade the new fashion were parallels which had the same wide leg width from top to bottom. The fashion didn't take off though.
70's Flares flared out massively from the knee down. The bottoms could be up to 26 inches.
Modern Boot-cut flare just slightly at the front.
Today, the original men's bell bottom pants and flares from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s are collectible vintage clothing
items. Worn by men to attend retro theme disco parties, worn in retro revival bands, and to wear clubbing - men's bell bottom pants are a popular fashion item from the late 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s.
Loon pants (shortened from "balloon pants") were one type of bell-bottomed trousers. They flared more from the knee than typical bell-bottoms, in which more of the entire leg was flared.They could be seen worn occasionally by the go-go dancers on the British TV music variety show Ready Steady Go!
in 1966. They were a popular fashion, and could initially only be bought via catalog from a company in Britain which advertised in the back of the New Musical Express
. They were usually worn with a Led Zeppelin
T-shirt
and sandals
. They became associated with disco
music. When the disco backlash started in 1979, bell bottoms started to go out of fashion along with leisure suit
s and other clothes that had become associated with disco. They were still popular in the early 1980s, even in 1983. In 1984 through 1986, bell bottoms were considered by many as outlandish. In the spring of 2011, bell-bottoms grew in popularity and in style among celebrities, as well as the middle-section drop-like pleated pants, which is a variant of bell-bottoms. Production in boot-cuts has been slow, much more so than in the 70's.
Elephant bells, popular in the mid-to-late 1970s, were similar to loon pants but typically made of denim. Elephant bells had a marked flare below the knee, often covering the wearer's shoes.
, bell bottoms became popular again in women's and men's fashion in Europe
spreading to the Americas
, South Africa, Japan and Australia. They were initially reintroduced as boot-cut (also spelled "boot cut" or "bootcut"), tapering to the knee and loosening around the ankle to accommodate a boot
. Over time, the width of the hem grew wider and the term "flare-leg" was favored in marketing over the term "bell-bottom". As with boot-cut hems, the trend began in Europe
and spread rapidly around the world. Today both boot-cut and flare-leg pants remain popular both in denim
and higher quality office wear. In menswear straight-leg also gave way to boot-cut looks, again initially in Europe, and has made its leap into flare-leg for officewear, the same as what has happened in womenswear. In most cases men's boot-cut and women's boot-cuts differ. Women's jeans are tight to the knee and then flare out slightly to the hem while men's styles are usually flared/loose all the way from crotch to hem. The bell-bottoms of the '60s, '70s, and '80s can generally be distinguished from the flare or boot-cut pants of the '90s by the tightness of the knee.
Trousers
Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately...
that become wider from the knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
s downward. Related styles include flare, loon pants and boot-cut/leg trousers. Hip-huggers are bell-bottomed, flare, or boot-cut pants that are fitted tightly around the hips and thighs.
Naval origins
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
s' uniforms, Commodore
Commodore (USN)
Commodore was an early title and later a rank in the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard and a current honorary title in the U.S. Navy with an intricate history. Because the U.S. Congress was originally unwilling to authorize more than four ranks until 1862, considerable importance...
Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur
Stephen Decatur, Jr. , was an American naval officer notable for his many naval victories in the early 19th century. He was born on the eastern shore of Maryland, Worcester county, the son of a U.S. Naval Officer who served during the American Revolution. Shortly after attending college Decatur...
wrote in 1813 that the men on the frigates United States and Macedonia were wearing "glazed canvas
Canvas
Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other items for which sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame...
hat
Hat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
s with stiff brims, decked with streamers of ribbon
Ribbon
A ribbon or riband is a thin band of material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily for binding and tying. Cloth ribbons, most commonly silk, are often used in connection with clothing, but are also applied for innumerable useful, ornamental and symbolic purposes...
, blue jackets buttoned loosely over waistcoat
Waistcoat
A waistcoat or vest is a sleeveless upper-body garment worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear, and as the third piece of the three-piece male business suit.-Characteristics and use:...
s and blue trousers with bell bottoms." Though the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
usually was the leader in nautical fashion, bell-bottoms did not become regulation wear for the Royal Navy until the mid-19th century. These "bell-bottoms" were often just very wide-legged trousers, unlike modern versions cut with a distinct bell. While many reasons to explain sailors' wearing of this style have been cited over the years, most theories have little credibility because reliable documentation is lacking.
Bell-bottoms in the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
counter-culture movement in the late 1960s, together with love beads
Love beads
Love beads are one of the traditional accessories of hippies. They consist of one or more long strings of beads, frequently handmade, worn about the neck by both genders...
, granny glasses, and tie-dye
Tie-dye
Tie-dye is a process of resist dyeing textiles or clothing which is made from knit or woven fabric, usually cotton; typically using bright colors. It is a modern version of traditional dyeing methods used in many cultures throughout the world. "Tie-dye" can also describe the resulting pattern or an...
shirts, even getting mentioned in popular music, such as "Bell Bottom Blues" by Blues-Rock super-group Derek and the Dominos
Derek and the Dominos
Derek and the Dominos were a blues rock band formed in the spring of 1970 by guitarist and singer Eric Clapton with keyboardist Bobby Whitlock, bassist Carl Radle and drummer Jim Gordon, who had all played with Clapton in Delaney, Bonnie & Friends...
in the 1970s, they moved into the mainstream. Sonny and Cher helped popularize bell-bottoms in the USA by wearing them on their popular television show
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour is an American variety show based on the married couple of American pop-singer Cher and her husband, Sonny Bono. The show ran on CBS in the United States, when it premiered in August 1971...
. However, they can be seen as early as 1964, in the concert film The T.A.M.I. Show
The T.A.M.I. Show
T.A.M.I. Show is a 1964 concert film, released by American International Pictures. It includes performances by numerous popular rock and roll and R&B musicians from the United States and England...
, worn (white "flares" with a baby-doll top) by a young Toni Basil
Toni Basil
Antonia Christina Basilotta , better known by her stage name Toni Basil, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, filmmaker, film director, choreographer, and dancer, best known for her multi-million-selling worldwide #1 hit "Mickey" from 1982.-Early life:Basil was born Antonia Christina...
, who at the time was a go-go dancer.
Summary: Difference between Bell Bottoms, Flares and Boot-cut.
60's Bell Bottoms (which came into fashion in 1964 to the end of the decade) flared out back and front from the bottom of the calf down and the hems are slightly curved. Usually worn by lads and girls wearing Cuban heeled shoes and Chelsea Boots. The bottoms usually flared to around 18 inches. By the end of the decade the new fashion were parallels which had the same wide leg width from top to bottom. The fashion didn't take off though.
70's Flares flared out massively from the knee down. The bottoms could be up to 26 inches.
Modern Boot-cut flare just slightly at the front.
Today, the original men's bell bottom pants and flares from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s are collectible vintage clothing
Vintage clothing
Vintage clothing is a generic term for new or second hand garments originating from a previous era. The phrase is also used in connection with a retail outlet, e.g...
items. Worn by men to attend retro theme disco parties, worn in retro revival bands, and to wear clubbing - men's bell bottom pants are a popular fashion item from the late 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s.
Loon pants (shortened from "balloon pants") were one type of bell-bottomed trousers. They flared more from the knee than typical bell-bottoms, in which more of the entire leg was flared.They could be seen worn occasionally by the go-go dancers on the British TV music variety show Ready Steady Go!
Ready Steady Go!
Ready Steady Go! or simply RSG! was one of the UK's first rock/pop music TV programmes. It was conceived by Elkan Allan, head of Rediffusion TV. Allan was assisted by record producer/talent manager Vicki Wickham, who became the producer. It was broadcast from August 1963 until December 1966...
in 1966. They were a popular fashion, and could initially only be bought via catalog from a company in Britain which advertised in the back of the New Musical Express
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
. They were usually worn with a Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
T-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
and sandals
Sandal (footwear)
Sandals are an open type of outdoor footwear, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by straps passing over the instep and, sometimes, around the ankle...
. They became associated with disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
music. When the disco backlash started in 1979, bell bottoms started to go out of fashion along with leisure suit
Leisure suit
A leisure suit is a casual suit consisting of a shirt-like jacket and matching trousers, often associated with American-influenced fashion and fads of the 1970s.-History:...
s and other clothes that had become associated with disco. They were still popular in the early 1980s, even in 1983. In 1984 through 1986, bell bottoms were considered by many as outlandish. In the spring of 2011, bell-bottoms grew in popularity and in style among celebrities, as well as the middle-section drop-like pleated pants, which is a variant of bell-bottoms. Production in boot-cuts has been slow, much more so than in the 70's.
Elephant bells, popular in the mid-to-late 1970s, were similar to loon pants but typically made of denim. Elephant bells had a marked flare below the knee, often covering the wearer's shoes.
Flare and boot-cut jeans in the late 1980s, and 1990s
In the late 1980s, during the rise of acid house and the Second Summer of LoveSecond Summer of Love
The Second Summer of Love is a name given to the period in 1988-89 in Britain, during the rise of acid house music and the euphoric explosion of unlicensed MDMA -fuelled rave parties...
, bell bottoms became popular again in women's and men's fashion in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
spreading to the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, South Africa, Japan and Australia. They were initially reintroduced as boot-cut (also spelled "boot cut" or "bootcut"), tapering to the knee and loosening around the ankle to accommodate a boot
Boot
A boot is a type of footwear but they are not shoes. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle and extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece....
. Over time, the width of the hem grew wider and the term "flare-leg" was favored in marketing over the term "bell-bottom". As with boot-cut hems, the trend began in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and spread rapidly around the world. Today both boot-cut and flare-leg pants remain popular both in denim
Denim
Denim is a rugged cotton twill textile, in which the weft passes under two or more warp threads. This produces the familiar diagonal ribbing identifiable on the reverse of the fabric, which distinguishes denim from cotton duck. Denim has been in American usage since the late 18th century...
and higher quality office wear. In menswear straight-leg also gave way to boot-cut looks, again initially in Europe, and has made its leap into flare-leg for officewear, the same as what has happened in womenswear. In most cases men's boot-cut and women's boot-cuts differ. Women's jeans are tight to the knee and then flare out slightly to the hem while men's styles are usually flared/loose all the way from crotch to hem. The bell-bottoms of the '60s, '70s, and '80s can generally be distinguished from the flare or boot-cut pants of the '90s by the tightness of the knee.