Navy Pants and Bell Bottoms

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Articles
Tim Kirkpatrick
Sep. 01, 2017 02:03PM EST
This is why the Navy wears bell bottoms, and it's not for fashion
https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/this-is-why-the-navy-wears-bell-bottoms-and-its-not-for-fashion
The Navy dress uniform — also known as "cracker jacks" — is one of the most iconic symbols in the military today. You can spot a Navy sailor from a mile away after they don the familiar dressing.

Every piece of the uniform from head-to-toe has some symbolic or practical use — and the famous bell bottoms are no different.

During the '60s and '70s, bell bottoms were all the rage in fashion culture as men and women of all ages walked the streets with the popular look.

Related: This is why sailors have 13 buttons on their trousers

A girl in the 1970s sporting some fashionable bell buttons near a beach. (Source: Wikipedia Commons)

But the fad didn't make its debut on a famous red carpet or in an elegant fashion show — it's the brilliant invention of the U.S. Navy.

Although no one has been officially accredited with inventing the bell bottom trouser, the flared out look was introduced for sailors to wear in 1817. The new design was made to allow the young men who washed down the ship's deck to roll their pant legs up above their knees to protect the material.

Young sailors aboard a ship play tug-of-war in their classic bell bottoms. (Source: Pinterest)

This modification also improved the time it took to take them off when the sailors needed to abandon ship in a moments notice. The trousers also doubled as a life preserver by knotting the pant legs.

Also Read: This is why some Marines wear the 'French Fourragere,' and some don't

Years later in 1901, the Navy authorized the first use of denim jumpers commonly known as "dungarees." This new fabric was approved to be worn by both officers and enlisted personnel.

The dungarees also featured the unique bell bottom look and are considered iconic in their own right.

What's your favorite Navy uniform? Comment below. And don't forget to submit your photos in the comment section wearing your dress uniform.