Are flares 70s or 80s? (2023)

Are flare pants 70s or 80s?

Flare jeans, or “bell bottoms” have a strong association with the 1970's vibe of their heyday, but the history of these pants stretches back before that particular decade, originating in an unexpected place. The first iteration of the “flare leg” came about around the 19^th century.

The '70s is here to stay, and nothing says that more than the enduring appeal of flare jeans.

As with every trend started by the few, bell bottoms quickly became mainstream and stayed popular through the disco days of the '80s, disappearing for a while before a reappearance in the '90s cut as a denim jean.

Although flares were rapidly growing in popularity, they only really hit their stride in the mid-60s when celebrities like Sonny and Cher started wearing them.

The '70s was about the woman wearing the clothes and not the other way around. From flares and bell sleeves to shearling coats and miniskirts, the era birthed an eclectic mix of style influences that evolved over a ten year span.

The 1980s were a wicked cool time for various pants styles. Parachute pants, harem pants, stirrup pants, metallic jogger pants, and tapestry pants are just a few of the distinct and iconic 80s pants styles.

By the 1970s, flares had become the it-trouser for everyone, from musicians to football hooligans, the working class through to the rich and famous, trendy youths and their trendy dads. The style was co-opted for inclusion in collections by designers such as Mary Quant. In this photo: The PHIX Wool Flared Trouser.

'Flares' trousers, for example, have become a symbol of 1960s-70s fashion, even if the story of their origins is quite different from the atmosphere of those years.

Bell-bottoms, pants with legs that become wider below the knee, were an extremely popular fashion during the 1960s and 1970s. The belled or flared legs on bell-bottom pants were originally a functional design, worn by those who worked on boats since the seventeenth century.

What were hot pants in the 70's?

Hotpants or hot pants are extremely short shorts. The term was first used by Women's Wear Daily in 1970 to describe shorts made in luxury fabrics such as velvet and satin for fashionable wear, rather than their more practical equivalents that had been worn for sports or leisure since the 1930s.

Flared Jeans

Thanks to a preference for oversized and loose silhouettes, these pants were highly favored during the '90s. Their casual aesthetic made them perfect for daywear, but these must-have pants were also on show at night with crop tops.

Flares never really took off until the mid-60s. Sonny and Cher, seen here in June 1965, helped popularise the look in the US through their TV appearances. It is a misconception to think that all late-60s hippies wore flares. Those who wore clothes favoured a straight-leg trouser.

Left: @bellahadid on Instagram | Right: Amapô 'Wanda' flared jeans (Rs 9,200 approx.) One of the reasons that bell bottoms were big in the '70s was because they allowed freedom of movement, especially when dancing at the disco.

An article in the New York Times about denim trends in the early 1970s said that patched jeans, frayed cuffs, and lightweight jeans were becoming more and more popular.

The 1970s are remembered as an era when the women's rights, gay rights and environmental movements competed with the Watergate scandal, the energy crisis and the ongoing Vietnam War for the world's attention.

The 1980s, often remembered for its materialism and consumerism, also saw the rise of the "yuppie," an explosion of blockbuster movies and the emergence of cable networks like MTV, which introduced the music video and launched the careers of many iconic artists, and the emergence of the AIDS crisis, which would go on ...

The 1980s was possibly the boldest decade in modern fashion history, a magical era of over-the-top silhouettes, teased perms and saturated colors. They were the years of puffed shoulders and power suits, flashy skirts and spandex leggings, velour, leg warmers and voluminous parachute pants.

Tie-dye. Colorful tie-dye gained traction during the 1960s with the rise of the hippie movement. But in the '70s, the psychedelic pattern saw its popularity surge.

'Flares' trousers, for example, have become a symbol of 1960s-70s fashion, even if the story of their origins is quite different from the atmosphere of those years.

Are bell-bottoms 60s or 70s?

Bell-bottoms, pants with legs that become wider below the knee, were an extremely popular fashion during the 1960s and 1970s. The belled or flared legs on bell-bottom pants were originally a functional design, worn by those who worked on boats since the seventeenth century.

The fabrics of the 1980s were unquestionably velour, spandex, and Lycra, with comfortable cotton and natural silk also popular. Severely tailored military -style suits and jackets with padded shoulders were worn side-by-side with printed t-shirts, velvet tracksuits , and baggy harem pants or leggings.

Flared Jeans

Thanks to a preference for oversized and loose silhouettes, these pants were highly favored during the '90s. Their casual aesthetic made them perfect for daywear, but these must-have pants were also on show at night with crop tops.

Flares never really took off until the mid-60s. Sonny and Cher, seen here in June 1965, helped popularise the look in the US through their TV appearances. It is a misconception to think that all late-60s hippies wore flares. Those who wore clothes favoured a straight-leg trouser.

Left: @bellahadid on Instagram | Right: Amapô 'Wanda' flared jeans (Rs 9,200 approx.) One of the reasons that bell bottoms were big in the '70s was because they allowed freedom of movement, especially when dancing at the disco.

An article in the New York Times about denim trends in the early 1970s said that patched jeans, frayed cuffs, and lightweight jeans were becoming more and more popular.

Mid-1990s to 2000s

By 1999, flare jeans had come into vogue among women, which had a wider, more exaggerated flare than boot-cuts. The boot-cut style ended up dominating the fashion world for 10 years. By around 2006, the bell-shaped silhouette started to fade as the skinny jean rose in popularity.

- Bell Bottom are fit with bell shape from knee downwards. - Flares are narrower which loosen from keen to hem or widen more around mid calf. There are a lot of different variations but this distinguish should help.

History Of Flares Worn By Hippies And Disco Dancers. Bell bottoms, also known as flares -- what was up with that? The pants, often jeans, that flare out below the knee are one of the less redeemable fashion trends of the late '60s and the '70s.

A few iconic 80s items to look for specifically are Members' Only jackets, parachute pants, ^{X Research source} acid washed or dyed jeans, shirts with large logos on them, miniskirts, leg warmers, stretch pants with stirrups, one-piece jumpers, and denim jackets. Look for materials that were popular in the 80s.

How do you dress like the 80's?

Popular clothing items were black or red leather (or pleather) pants, fitted shirts, halter tops, cropped tanks, flared pants, and platform shoes. The color palette brightened up from the darker grunge tones to plums, navys, and reds.

Denim 80s fashion overalls were a big part of the late 80s. This workers uniform became the fashion trend, along with ripped denim jeans.

Particularly common were black or dark red pleather pants, animal print clothing, halter tops, metallic clothing, crop tops, tube tops, maxi coats, maxi skirts, knee boots sometimes with knee socks slouch at the top, and boot-cut dress pants.