Never Is the Next New Thing™: Knickers Update
My Never Is the Next New Thing™* fashion theory proposes that the most provocative/grating/startling looks the ones that make you say, “I would NEVER wear that!” are the ones most likely to become trends, big or small. We need to be jolted out of our fashion complacency before we move in a new direction.
Last June, I predicted that knickers would be the new pants silhouette. And gorgeous blogger Vyque of Fasshonaburu found a fabulous example. Behold these J Brand pants.
Slouchy and cropped with elasticized cuffs, the pants gently hint at the classic knickers cut while avoiding the costume-y feel that might result from too-full legs and too-tight cuffs. J Brand named the flight-inspired pants after famed pilot Amelia Earhart. Earhart herself often wore long, flowing pants, though Ive seen at least one photo of her wearing jodhpurs. Though jodhpurs were ankle-length, in Earharts time they were very full in the thigh and tight starting just below the knee, so I see where J Brand got the knickers vibe.
Last summer, J Brand had a monster hit with its Houlihan skinny cargo pants, so when J Brand does something, its worth paying attention.
Interestingly, the real Earhart launched a short-lived line of clothes in 1934. In a 2009 article for The Huffington Post, writer Gioia Diliberto called Earhart Americas first celebrity designer. That same year, Mary Hall, also writing for HuffPo, provided additional details about Earharts designs. Im amused that Earhart added shirt tails to womens shirts, so that shirts didnt come untucked and expose skin when women bent over. According to Hall, Earhart said, I made up my mind that if the wearers of the shirts I designed for any reason took time out to stand on their heads, there would still be enough shirt to stay tucked in. Imagine the shirt tails shed have to design to cope with some of the low-rise pants we wear nowadays! The tails would be down to our knees.
Are you ready to take on traditional or ultra-toned-down knickers?
*Its really trademarked! Im not kidding around this time!