In case you missed the chunky-wedge-sandal memo: boho is back. And riding high (waisted) alongside the trend is the return of bell-bottomed trousers and jeans. Wide-legged flares became big in the late 1960s, going more mainstream in the 70s – synonymous with vibes of peace and love, and worn by such icons as Sonny and Cher, and the late David Bowie .
But they actually originated in the early 19th century as rather practical trousers for sailors in the US and later in Britain. One reason given for their invention is that the wide leg of the trousers made it easier for someone to grab should a man fall overboard. They were also easier to remove when wet, could be flipped up should the deck be awash with water, and with a certain amount of flair (pun intended), be used as a last-ditch flotation device.
It was these trousers, surfacing in army and navy shops, that were repurposed as the uniform of rebels and hippies of the 70s. They also served as inspiration for Coco Chanel’s “yacht pants” and “beach pyjamas” of the 1920s. {"@context":"https://schema.
org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Frame jeans, modelled by Gisele Bundchen. Photos: Handout","url":"https://img.i-scmp.
com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/07/23/92e86647-f8d3-4e05-b3cf-2a8d6a14b426_1f19ff51.jpg"} Frame jeans, modelled by Gisele Bundchen. Photos: Handout The feeling of freedom that bell-bottomed trousers evoke was captured at Chemena Kamali�.