Early modern period and baggy
hosen belonging to Swedish king
Gustavus Adolphus Historically, the cut of pants has varied by period. From the
1500s until the early 17th century, very loose fitting
breeches and
hosen were fashionable among the wealthy. Frequently, these galligaskins, trunk hose and
Rhinegraves had slits to reveal a contrasting fabric lining and were paired with short
doublet or
jerkin. These were replaced with
tighter breeches and
justacorps frock coats during the 1660s, which remained in fashion until long pantaloons were introduced during the 1788
French Revolution and Georgian
Regency era. Baggy
pantaloons (named after
Pantalone from the
Harlequinade) were originally work clothing, and were worn by urban French
sans-culottes seeking to distinguish themselves from the overdressed aristocratic
fops of the
Ancien Régime who wore tight knee breeches. In the Islamic World, loose fitting
harem pants and the
shalwar kameez were traditionally worn for modesty. These trousers remain typical everyday menswear in modern Iran, Afghanistan and Kurdistan. Subsequent conflict between the Ottoman, Russian and Holy Roman Empire resulted in the development of the
European loose trousers or
Sharovary worn as
folk costume in Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Ukraine. From the
Crimean War until World War I, French
Zouaves were also issued baggy red
pajama pants inspired by those worn by North African and Turkish soldiers.
20th century Beginning in the early 20th century, several styles of wide-leg pants gained rebellious connotations. During the 1920s, wide
Oxford bags were favored by the
Hearties of
Oxford and
Cambridge University because they could be put on over the
knickerbockers then worn to play
rugby football. In the United States, during the 1930s and 1940s, Black, Italian and Mexican
zoot suiters,
Pachucos and
hepcats wore very wide-legged
high waisted pants to the dancehalls as a protest against wartime rationing, and because it was easy for gang members to conceal weapons beneath a baggy suit.
In modern fashion In the 1980s, baggy jeans entered mainstream fashion as the
Hammer pants and
parachute pants worn by rappers to facilitate
breakdancing. In the 1990s, these jeans became even baggier and were worn by
skaters,
hardcore punks,
ravers and
rappers to set themselves apart from the skintight
acid wash drainpipe jeans worn by
metalheads. They were largely an underground trend in the early 1990s, but took off in popularity in the mid-1990s. The baggy jeans were very popular along with baggy
bondage pants during the
nu metal era which lasted from the late 90s to the early-to-mid 2000s along with
pop punk during the same time. They continued to be popular in the 2000s, but by 2003 baggy jeans started to be replaced by
boot-cut jeans and trousers among white men. However, they continued to be popular among African-American and Latino men throughout the mid 2000s until about 2013. In the United Kingdom, during the 1990s fad they were known as "
baggies". However, this term faded with the original fad and now they are generally known as
Phat pants and "wide-leg jeans". In the late 2000s, rap stars like
Kanye West popularised a more refined
indie-inspired look but baggy jeans continue to be worn by the raver and
gangsta rap subcultures.
Revival The style resurfaced in the late 2010s and early-to-mid 2020s alongside other baggy attire; possibly due to the shift to more comfortable clothing during the 2020
COVID-19 pandemic and retro revival fashion trends that started in the late 2010s like the
Y2K which took inspiration from late
90s and early
00s fashion. New styles of jeans popular among
Gen Z girls during the early and mid 2020s include
barrel leg jeans and horseshoe jeans which were extra loose in the thigh area, like
jodhpurs. ==Gallery==