Leesburg, VA- The hypothesis: If people are given the option between bell bottoms or flare jeans coming back into fashion, then the majority will choose flare jeans. After taking a survey with Tuscarora’s Fashion Design class, the results showed that more people thought flare jeans should come back into present-day fashion trends.

So, what’s the difference between bell bottoms and flare jeans? The answer is this: nothing. According to Fashion & History, bell bottoms, pants that become wider below the knee, were first used by sailors. Their bell-like shape made them easy to roll up and eventually became part of the British Royal Navy because of their functionality. They became popular with most people in the 70’s when the American pop couple Sonny Bono and Cher made appearances in these pants. Like other fashion trends, these pants have reemerged as the current clothing staples, simply titled “flare jeans.”

Another similarity is that both pants have inspired new renditions. Fashion & History explains that bell bottoms encouraged the creation of loon pants and elephant pants, which were simply adaptations of bell bottoms. On the same note, when flare jeans reemerged, new styles such as flare leggings were introduced. It is common to see people wearing these at school or around town. It is the “new” fashion, after all.

Simply said, the message we can’t escape the past is more than present today. While clothing trends from the 1900’s like the poodle skirt will probably never revisit fashion, flare jeans are a perfect example of the past catching up to us.