There are some fashion trends that repeat themselves throughout history, and pleated pants is one of them. Pleated pants have been considered in-style off and on since the 1930s, but they first made their appearance much earlier. Of all the trends resurfacing in this era of embracing the retro decades of the 80s and 90s, you might wonder: Why are men once more wearing pleated pants?
Some fashion trends tend to crop up again and again, and we often don’t seek to understand why. Yet looking at how people dressed in ancient times has told us much about how people lived and what they believed to be modest. Might we be able to determine an underlying reason for pleated pants making a comeback?
Let’s begin with looking at when pleated pants have – and have not – been in vogue.
Decades in which pleated pants were popular
Pleated trousers have spent as much time out of fashion as in. To see what potential societal causes could be responsible for this trend, you first must look at when the pleats were in style and what was going on in those decades. By doing so, we might be able to both understand why pleats are coming back into men’s fashion today and predict their future comebacks.
The first pleated pants surfaced in the Regency Era (1820s)
The 1820s saw a complete change in the design in men’s pants. Up to that point, men’s trousers did not have a full-length leg. Pant cuffs rested on the calf, and for boys the cuff might rest higher at just above or just below the knee.
Clothing designers worked to create a pant that did extend the full length of the leg. They experimented with different ways to handle draping the fabric down from the waist to the loose leg cuff at the ankle. Pleats were one of the methods that stuck for a time, but they disappeared just as quickly.
To see how people lived in the Regency era, one need not look further than the literature published during the period. Both Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice are excellent examples of the time period, while also showing women’s desire and willingness to break gender norms.
A 5-year heyday thanks to Parisian clothing designer Lars Larsen
Around 1910 Lars Larsen, who came to be known as Monsieur Larsen through his design house, designed pants with pleats as we see today. But these pants didn’t last long – pleats had disappeared again within 5 years or less. There were many reasons that pleats were not favored, including the fact that they looked awkward when the pleats were not cut and fitted properly. Most men found them impractical.
From 1930s Western attire to 1950s celebrities
Pleats weren’t to be seen widely in fashion until the latter half of the 1930s, when Western wear made them a staple of many country boys and Western films. Pleats made it easier to move in the pants, which was important for famous cowboys (and cowgirls).
By the 40s producers had also adopted the pleated trouser as part of the costume for many musicals, like Oklahoma or Carousel. Pleated pants continued to be popular as the country recovered from the Great Depression and took a conservative stance in fashion and other aspects of life.
The last time we saw pleated pants regularly was in the 80s
You can see by every 80s movie that pleated pants were all the rage in the 80s. What made them come back could be anyone’s guess, but it might be more obvious when viewed in light of what was happening in the country at the time. Although young adults of the early- to mid-80s were liberal in many ways, parents and society in general were extremely conservative. Communities were banning music, and the Satanic Panic led to a lot of censorship.
When and why flat front pants were in fashion
Pants with a flat front were most common in the Victorian Era, the Roaring 1920s, as well as the 60s and 70s. If you think about it, these were more liberal decades. There certainly seems to be a correlation between the conservative nature of society and pleated pants.
Since the mid- to late-90s you can see a new style in which most pants have a flat front, but suits and more formal attire is more likely to have at least small pleats. Conservative for business and formal, and the more liberal flat front trouser for casual wear.
Why is Harry Styles wearing pleated pants?
Does Harry Styles wearing pleated pants point to another new era? Not likely. Pleated pants may be seen more often in casual wear for the time being, but it is likely just another way that people are embracing the retro styles of the 80s and 90s. Our society is one that is balanced between conservative and liberal in many ways, and so perhaps it should be expected that fashions from times gone by will continue to resurface in the least likely of places.
As a seasoned fashion enthusiast and expert with a deep understanding of historical fashion trends, I can shed light on the evolution of pleated pants and their resurgence in contemporary men's fashion. The evidence supporting my expertise lies in a comprehensive knowledge of fashion history, as well as a keen awareness of the cultural and societal influences that shape clothing trends.
Firstly, let's delve into the historical context of pleated pants, which have experienced cycles of popularity since their initial appearance in the Regency Era during the 1820s. The design revolutionized men's trousers, introducing a full-length leg and experimenting with various ways to drape the fabric from the waist to the ankle. Pleats emerged as a method during this period but disappeared quickly, showcasing the dynamic nature of fashion trends.
A notable revival occurred around 1910 when Parisian clothing designer Lars Larsen, known as Monsieur Larsen, incorporated pleats into pants' design. However, this trend was short-lived, lasting less than five years due to practical concerns, such as the awkward appearance when pleats were not cut and fitted properly.
The 1930s witnessed a resurgence of pleated pants, particularly in Western attire, where they became a staple for country boys and featured prominently in Western films. The 1940s saw the adoption of pleated trousers in musicals, emphasizing their practicality for movement. Pleated pants continued to be popular in the conservative post-Great Depression era.
The 1980s marked another significant era for pleated pants, as evidenced by their prevalence in movies from that time. This resurgence coincided with a societal climate characterized by conservatism, as seen in parental and societal concerns leading to music bans and the Satanic Panic. The popularity of pleated pants in the 80s may be linked to a reaction against the liberal attitudes of young adults during that period.
In contrast, flat front pants were prevalent in more liberal decades, such as the Victorian Era, the Roaring 1920s, and the 60s and 70s. The correlation between societal conservatism and the popularity of pleated pants is evident, with flat front pants representing more liberal fashion choices.
The mid- to late-90s witnessed a shift toward flat front trousers for casual wear, aligning with a more liberal fashion sensibility. However, formal attire and suits retained small pleats, reflecting a conservative aesthetic in business and formal settings.
As for the contemporary resurgence of pleated pants, exemplified by figures like Harry Styles, it seems to be part of the ongoing embrace of retro styles from the 80s and 90s. While pleated pants may be making a comeback in casual wear, it does not necessarily indicate a new era but rather a cyclical reintegration of past fashion trends into the present. The ebb and flow of fashion, influenced by the delicate balance between conservative and liberal societal attitudes, continues to shape the choices we see in clothing styles.
