Fashion Words: The Ups and Downs of Parachute Pants
Rarely has a trend sailed so smoothly into its own comeback as the parachute trouser. Why they're called that and when they made fashion hearts glow.
A parachute is "a technical device used to bring a person or object to the ground unharmed from a great height", as Wikipedia puts it. Oha! So is this trend only for adrenaline junkies and fearless adventurers? Don't panic, what sounds breakneck is actually quite down-to-earth. Because parachute pants are basically nothing more than sweatpants 2.0.
Often something old-new
Why the daredevil-sounding little sister of the trainer pants is so hyped right now, you want to know? I guess that question is rhetorical. After all, the good piece has its origins in the eighties - so it was only a matter of time before its brilliant comeback. The fashion USP of our time seems to be clearly to drag everything that has been there before out of the mothballs and celebrate it (slightly modified) as new and trendy. And now it's their turn, the Parachute Pants.
In the early 1980s, the hot panties had their first big, if brief, moment. At that time, the even narrower cut models found a grateful home especially in the wardrobes of breakdance-savvy young men. The light nylon material was not only comfortable, airy and robust, but also explains their rather daredevil name, which may still cause question marks up to this point: parachutes are also made of nylon. It's as simple as that. Whether too clumsy or simply not in tune with the times, in any case the trousers could never really land with the female target group. Even said breakdancers soon preferred wide-cut baggy specimens, and so the heyday of the just so exuberantly celebrated Parachute Pants lasted only one to two years.
Cut in 2022, the parachute leg dress has spent decades mulling over and learning from its mistakes, and now sits wide and emphatically casual on the hips of influencers like Hailey Bieber and Bella Hadid, making it to It-piece Olympus. The easy-care, airy material, the cosy elastic and the pockets reminiscent of cargo trousers have remained. But there is no sign of Airflare or Headspin any more; now it's all about fashion and likes. The common parachute pants wearer earns the latter when she combines slim tank tops or belly-free shirts with wide trousers. On the bottom - depending on her mood - chunky sneakers or delicate heels ensure a smooth landing.
Source: Instagram
In the series "Fashion Words" I regularly try to shed light on the communication darkness. If you too are sometimes lost in translation, I'm sure I can help - just slide your input into the comments.
Lead image: Instagram @emilisindlev
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