Flare Jeans have a history that most of us would not expect. Typically when someone mentions flare jeans or bell bottoms, we automatically think of the 70's, flower power, etc. However, the origination of the flare/bell came from the United States Navy in the 19th Century. Although, the uniforms were not standardized at that time, the one thing that was the same was the belled leg. Although not confirmed, there are many theories around the reason for this. Some say it was so that the pants were easier to put over boots, some say that it was easier to roll up the pants so they didn't get wet and then there are other theories that the legs could be blown up and used as flotation devices. Regardless of the reason, this is where the bell started. The trend eventually was picked up by counterculture youth who were looking for any excuse to do something different. In the 60's this generation started shopping at army surplus stores, which had belled pants, when this supply ran low due to popularity, the kids got creative and starting cutting pants and adding color fabric to make their own.
The fad continued to grow and gained attention from major retailers and celebrities like Sonny and Cher. Once mass production and public wear by famous icons took place, they became part of mainstream fashion.
They tapered off (see what did there 😀) when skinny jeans hit the runways but have circled back around and should be on every fashionista's wish list if they aren't already in her closet. So...where do you buy them and how do you style them? Here are some of our favorite brands and styling tips below.
- Everlane - They are eco friendly, price friendly and over great fit and quality.
- GAP - Lower priced, but great fit and comfortable, also have them in long's for those tall glasses of water!
- Good American - Higher price point, but well worth it. Has sizes for every body type, however they are hard to get your hands on.
As far as styling, we thought it would be best to give you some options so we created a Pinterest page for all our favorite looks when wearing flare or wide leg jeans.
Happy Styling
xoxo