Flared Jeans | Fashion's Favorite F-Word
Discover the fascinating history of flared jeans. From the U.S. Navy in the 19th century and the hippies of the 1970s to a timeless fashion favorite today.
Flared jeans, with their iconic flared legs, have become a staple of street fashion! But did you know that this stylish pair of pants once started out as workwear on ocean-going ships? Discover their surprising journey from sailors and hippies to the modern wardrobe.
- Origin
- U.S. Navy (19th century)
- Breakthrough
- The '60s & '70s (hippie culture & disco)
- Characteristic
- Fitted around the thighs, flaring out from the knee
- Optical effect
- Lengthens the legs and creates a balanced silhouette
Life isn't perfect, but flared jeans are
Wanna bet that many of you are wearing a pair of flared jeans right now? Not that we can prove it, but judging by the success of our own LES FLARES jeans, you’ve all gone on a thing with flared. Just like us—everyone at the office can be spotted in them. And for good reason: the flared fit is simply genius. The secret to its success: try them once, and you’ll be hooked for life.
Why?
The flared fit is a “figure-flatterer” that, as a bonus, also makes your legs look longer.
That’s why.
Flared jeans are anything but new—they have an impressive history and (r)evolution behind them. And who are we to leave you in the dark about that? Exactly... Time for an old-fashioned PLEIN PUBLIQUE history lesson.
FLARE, FLAIR, BELL-BOTTOM, OR BOOTCUT?
Since the proliferation of names creates confusion, let’s start with this: “Flared” essentially means “widening,” and of course we’re talking about the legs. “Flared” doesn’t actually say anything about where the flared shape begins (thigh, knee) or how wide the hem is. For example, palazzo pants are also flared, but here we’re limiting ourselves to jeans and jeans-related pants. In today’s fashion world, “flared” is the most commonly used term for pants that gradually get wider starting at the knee. Mainly because “bell-bottom” and “bootcut” sound old-fashioned, and “flair” is simply a spelling mistake. Pretty clear, right?Annnd onto next part...
IN THE NAVY (lalalalala-lalala ♪♫)
Annoying but true: like so many of our favourite women’s fashion trends, it was men who first claimed wide-leg pants. 19th century, U.S. Navy, new rule: sailors must scrub the deck barefoot, with their pant legs rolled up. That called for pants that were easy to roll up without first having to take off shoes or boots: bell-bottom pants, named for their bell-shaped legs. As early adopters of boots, cowboys quickly jumped on the trend, which also explains the term “bootcut.”
* Side note: It’s actually pretty funny how our “old favourite”—the Breton stripe—and our latest hit, Les Flares flared jeans, share maritime roots.
COCO CHANEL STRIKES (AGAIN)
Coco Chanel (who else...) was quick to jump on the bandwagon in the 1920s and adopted sailor pants as a fashion statement. The looser fit perfectly aligned with her mission: to free women from the (literal) straitjacket of fashion.
* See that guy on the right? Coco's the one in charge here—clearly not him ;)
IT'S HIP TO BE FLARE
Fast-forward to the ’60s. In response to the Vietnam War, politically engaged teenagers shop for secondhand army and navy clothing at thrift stores. Flared pants, as well as military jackets and bags, were decorated with flowers and peace signs, perfectly in line with the “peace & love” attitude of the hippie lifestyle.
Flared pants only truly became counterculture icons when the music scene jumped on board: pioneering artists like Jimi Hendrix, Sonny & Cher, and Fleetwood Mac literally set the new standard in flared jeans.
DESIGNER FLARES
As the 1970s approached, the fashion world pulled off a successful coup with flared jeans. They went from being labeled “anti-fashion” to high fashion, thanks in part to Mary Quant and Yves Saint Laurent.
Hollywood and the European film and entertainment industries are also falling under the spell of flared jeans. All three of the Charlie’s Angels—and Farah Fawcett in particular—are inextricably linked to flared jeans. Style icons Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot, to name a few, are also often seen wearing flared jeans.
LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS
It’s hard to imagine these days, but back in the day (the ’60s and ’70s), fashion-conscious men also wore flared jeans. Take a look at the male style icons of that era.
ALONG CAME PUNK
With the arrival of punk in the late ’70s and early ’80s, the flared fit slowly but surely gave way to skinny and baggy styles. That’s just how it goes in fashion—the hunger for novelty is an ongoing process.
BACK FROM NEVER REALLY GONE
Did we say goodbye to flared jeans for good in the ’80s? Nope! Although they never completely disappeared, flared jeans are currently 100% back in style. And that’s great news. We already mentioned it in the first paragraph: a flared fit works wonders for your figure. The secret:
- The flared hem “mirrors” the shape of your hips, bringing your figure into balance
- Although figure-flattering, the slim fit doesn’t hide your feminine curves around the hips and thighs
- The wider hem falls over—not on top of—your shoes, making your legs look longer
Let's be clear: the PLEIN PUBLIQUE team is, without exception, a huge fan of flared jeans. Our pride and joy, LES FLARES, has been expanded several times with new colours and washes since its launch. And we’ll be continuing to do so for the foreseeable future, so stay tuned and keep an eye on the PLEIN PUBLIQUE online boutique .
Love,
the Plein Publique team
FAQ
Where did flared jeans originally come from?
Flared jeans date back to the 19th century and were designed for sailors in the U.S. Navy. The wide legs made it easy to roll up the pants while working on deck.
When did flared pants become popular in fashion?
In the late 1960s and 1970s, flared jeans were embraced by the hippie movement and disco culture, after which they became a global fashion trend.
Why are flared jeans so popular and flattering?
The slim fit on the thigh, combined with the flared leg from the knee down, creates the illusion of longer legs and beautifully balances the silhouette.
