Bell-bottoms
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:Bellbottoms sm.jpg Bell bottoms are trousers that become wider from the knees downwards.
It is believed that bell-bottom pants were introduced in 1817 to sailors working on deck. The flare at the end of the pant leg allowed them to be rolled up more easily than normal straight-legged pants. The bell-shaped leg also made the pants easier to remove in a hurry when forced to abandon ship or when washed overboard. The pants may also be knotted at the legs to be used as a life preserver. Absurdly wide hems became fashionable in the 1960s, both for men and women.
If a person looks at a pair of bell-bottoms from front or behind, it has the form of a bell or trumpet. Bell-bottoms are sometimes worn by carpenters in order to prevent dust from getting into their shoes. In the modern fashion scene, bell-bottoms were most popular from the late 1960s until the early 80s. They become popular again in the late 1990s and early 2000's in a reincarnation known as "flares" or "boot cut", they are worn mostly by women but are slowly starting to be worn by men.
See also
External links
- Leni's storyboard - Stories about bell-bottoms
- Schlaghosenforum - Message-board-for-fans (German)de:Schlaghose