Ah, bell bottoms, those monstrously impractical yet completely irresistible flared pants. This fashion statement came straight from the good old U.S. Navy. Supposedly, the reasoning behind them was that the flared opening made the trousers easier to jettison in case you fell overboard. Then, they could be filled with air to make a life preserver.
Whatever. In the 60's, this look was declared to be cool, and cool it was. I got my first pair when I was nine years old. They were green striped, and instantly transformed me into the coolest thing in school.
The striped pants were a fixture in TV, the movies, and advertisements. But they pretty much disappeared early in the 70's. But flare-legged jeans rolled on.
The photo to the right is Kate Jackson, world-famous "smart" Charlie's Angel. Obviously, bell-bottoms were still cool to wear by the later 70's.
I had a pair of Levi's Big Bells circa 1976. Man, those monsters completely covered my big feet.
The monstrous-sized bells have become passe, but flares continue to live on. Check out this site for more on bell bottoms and flares than you could possibly assimilate. They even teach you how to easily create your own from standard jeans.
Here's to bell bottoms. Seeing a pair of big bells instantly takes you back at least thirty years.
Comments (3)
I wore the very first pair of bellbottoms ever on Murray State University's campus. They came from a friend in the Coast Guard, were navy wool with the 13 buttons in front.
I was just SO cool.
Posted by kygirll | May 2, 2007 1:12 PM
Posted on May 2, 2007 13:12
It has came back in style 2008/2009?Thanks for the help.
Posted by Kenny | November 6, 2008 7:56 AM
Posted on November 6, 2008 07:56
I remember the vivid, flashy stripes of early bells in grade school. Sold as flares! I also remember the hiphugger type of Bells too! I wore many of dungeree Bells in the seventies! Remember the wide belt loops in the seventies for those wide diameter belts? It was hard to go back to straight leg jeans, but that is all there is now! Some of the stripped flare slacks were truley hidious in my eyes. Looking back, very cool! Then came the Leisure suits! God help us!
Posted by Rivers End | April 26, 2009 7:49 PM
Posted on April 26, 2009 19:49