LOON PANTS OR JUST PLAIN LOONY?

By Penny Hunt

A new and improved era of the loon pant is here, and it's better than days of the flare, writes MiNDFOOD.

When I say ‘trend alert’ followed by the
word ‘flares’, I don’t mean to alarm you. But let me lure you away from
memories of ’60s hippie attire, ’70s disco dancing and ’90s bootscootin’
towards a new and improved era of the loon pant, better known as the
flare.

To be honest, it’s taken me a more than a minute to get my
head (let alone hips) into our flared friends. Just a few days ago I
offloaded a pair of flared jeans at my weekend market stall believing
they would stay forever vintage. But now, after seeing countless
designers send similar cuts down the runway, I’m starting to think I
should have charged double. 

Balmain, Prada and Chloé showed an array of
flares in different fabrics, colours and textures during the northern
hemisphere fall 2010 fashion week season. Closer to home, Kym Ellery
continued the trend with crystal-embellished bell-bottoms at the 2010
Rosemount Australian Fashion Week. Meanwhile, Sass & Bide drew
inspiration from the original trendsetters – navy sailors – with
striped silky silhouettes, and Zimmermann presented pants with prints.

This has led me to actually consider wearing something other than a
frock this season. If flares are, as they say, flattering for ‘most’
body shapes, I’m willing to give them a try. I’m going to channel my
inner Charlie’s Angel and embrace trousers with extra volume and say
“see ya” to spray-ons.

1970s street style; Farrah Fawcett; Janice Joplin


They survived the ’60s, ’70s and ’90s, so in honour of the loon
pant/bell-bottom/flare/boot cut’s fashionable return in 2010, I’m
re-naming them the dirt dusters: desirable duds that widen from the
knee down.

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