A Limited-Edition Publication on the world

of Trousers, happy reading!

HISTORY
Pants, also called trousers, are outer
garments that cover the lower body
from the waist to the ankles and are
neutral colours that would come to
divided into several sections to cover
dominate menswear till today.
each leg. When trying to define pants,
historians often explain that if any part
Bifurcated European clothes such as
of a piece of clothing passes between
breeches, knickerbockers, and
the legs, it is the ancestor of that piece
pantaloons were popular until the end
of clothing. Defined in this way, pants
of the 18th century. Trousers, as we
can be traced back to ancient times
know them today, had become
and are especially common among
popular among men by 1820. Since
equestrian ethnic groups such as
then, they have been the most popular
Scythians and Mongolians.
style of men's clothing, ranging from
the slim fit to the wide Oxford bags of
1924.

Instead of the older "falls," a front

panel that buttoned around the sides,
a looser-fitting trouser with a button-fly
front appeared in the mid-1800s.
Men's pants started to appear in the Trousers have been worn in Western
dark or cultures since antiquity. They are now
the most popular form of men's lower-
body attire. It's no surprise that both
sexes have accepted them as part of
their everyday attire because they're
practical and comfortable.
Trousers were created because robes
are uncomfortable to wear while riding
a horse. In fact, those who fought in
trousers had an advantage over those
who fought in robes. As a result,
civilisations across the world
developed this style of clothing in
order to survive warfare.
THE CHANGING
SHAPE OF TROUSERS
Trousers were once military uniform.
They come in the style of tight-fitting
shorts or loose-fitting pants with ankle
closures.
They evolved into tight trousers with
connected foot coverings in the late
14th century. Underneath their plate
armour, knights wore this garment that
looked like hose.
By 1500, dimensions had become
increasingly exaggerated. The
voluminous trousers ballooned over
the thighs and nipped in at the ankle.
They were composed of elaborate
material with cuts that revealed the
vibrant lining beneath.
These trousers were eventually
reduced to plain breeches with a knee
fastening. However, these were
eventually phased out in favour of the
working class's ankle-length trousers.
● Pants were worn by ancient
people, and they are mentioned
in both the Bible and Greek
mythology.
● Men in mediaeval Europe wore
short tunics with tight-fitting
pants or leggings. In inclement
weather, women wore leggings
or loose britches under their
dresses for warmth.
● These tight pants developed
into a tighter kind of leg
covering, resembling hose with
associated foot coverings.
● These pantaloons were
adorned with buttons and
ribbons in the 1600s, while
lower-class working men wore
ankle-length pants.
● Equestrians from Asia Minor
and Eastern Europe wore the
first pants in the Western world.
● Throughout the 3rd century
BCE, pants were worn in
Western Europe.
● Pants became acceptable work
attire for women in the 1970s.
Jeans (sometimes known as
dungarees) were manufactured and
marketed for California gold miners in
the late 1800s. The durability of these
pants, which have not changed much
since the turn of the century, was
enhanced by double stitching. Denim
became the quintessential clothing of
the late twentieth century, embraced
by farmers and labourers, and is now
a part of practically every wardrobe.

How and when women

started to wear
trousers.
Pants have long been associated, and
often still are, more associated with
men and later power. But for
centuries, when people thought that
pants were not considered an
acceptable women's dress, women
have been wearing pants to break
tradition. They were humiliated,
ridiculed, and even arrested for
wearing them. Both the United States
and France have enacted laws that
require women (and men) to wear
clothes in public.
 doing jobs previously assigned to
men.
In 1919, Luisa Capetillo became the
first woman in Puerto Rico to wear
pants in public. However, Capetillo
went to jail for the "crime" of wearing
pants. Fortunately, the judge later
dropped the charges against him.
During World War II, when men
fought in Europe, women were
responsible for producing things
necessary for war. It is not safe to
produce all things wearing skirts, and
women start to wear pants while
Miller was the first modern woman to
working in the factory. However, even
wear pants. Miller was a feminist. Her
at this stage, pants are only allowed to
goal in the 19th century was to help
be used in the workplace.
American women get the right to vote.
After World War II, the situation
He also helped slaves seek freedom:
returned to its previous state. It was
his house was a stop on the
not until the 1960s that this situation
underground railway. Miller claimed to
was completely changed by the
have created his Turkish style pants
feminist movement that demanded
while working in the garden one day in
equal rights amendments.
1851. They are long, loose trousers
that taper to the ankle and are worn
under the skirt. These early trousers
were designed to provide women with
more freedom of movement while
maintaining the decent Victorian
dress. After Miller introduced this style
of trousers, she shared them with her
cousin Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who
later shared them with her neighbour
Amelia Jenks Blue Mo (Amelia Jenks
Bloomer) shared this style. However,
they have received severe criticism
from the mainstream media. Most
women who wear them are actively
involved in the feminist movement.

During World War I, women began to

Surprisingly, a new movement has
wear their husbands' pants when
lately emerged calling for skirts to be
accepted as a common clothing option
for both men and women. In May
2014, male students and teachers in
Nantes, France, launched a Although there was a "second wave of
nationwide campaign to combat
sexism by wearing sport skirts instead
of trousers. The idea behind this
campaign is that women struggled for
their right to wear trousers half a
century ago, and today no one is
surprised when they see women
wearing pants on a regular basis.
Although worn by men and women in
ancient times, pants have been
"men's" clothing for hundreds of years.
On the contrary, women wear long
and wide skirts.
However, in the 19th century, women
began to wear pants again. These are
only used when riding a horse,
although they do wear a wide skirt to
hide them.
In the 1880s, Western women finally
began to wear pants during leisure
activities. They are safer to use when
riding a bike, because your pants are
much less likely to catch on the
wheels. They also allow greater
freedom of movement. In addition,
they are considered healthier than the
voluminous skirts that are usually
worn.
Onward and upward!
feminism" in the 1960s, according to a
Business Insider article, women were
encouraged by developments like the
provision of contraceptives, but there
is still controversy about women
wearing pants in public. Smoking,
which is the first women's tuxedo. But
it still caused quite an uproar. "Nan
Kempner was rejected at Le Côte
Basque in New York while wearing a
YSL tuxedo. However, in this serious
hermaphrodite provocative
temperament, she took off her lower
body and walked into the restaurant
wearing a jacket like a miniskirt that
brushed her thigh. The manager later
said that for formal formal wear, pants
are just as inappropriate as a
swimsuit," Estella Shardlow wrote in
the film

However, despite the increasing

popularity of pants, it was not until the
1970s that pants were considered
acceptable for women's clothing. In
fact, in some places, it is illegal for
women to wear pants! Today, women
wear pants on all occasions, without
masculine connotations.
The hippie revolution
The hippie revolution of the 1970s
brought new dimensions. For the first
time, women wore everything from
dizziness and rivets to boots and
jeans/trousers in public.

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TROUSERS

All the types of bifurcated garments
designed for both men and women
are subtly varied. Most pants are
crafted in the same manner, but it is
just a little distinction that
differentiates a man’s pants from
those designed for women.
(a) Sizing- the largest difference in
the pants of man and woman is
the way they are sized. A
trouser for the male tends to be
wider and longer than those
designed for the opposite sex.
The men’s trousers are marked
with two numbers to label the
size where one indicates the
waist size and the other
signifies inseam or leg length in
inches. To give an example, a
male trouser marked with the
number “36-34” indicates that
the trousers is designed for a
man with 36 waist size and
having legs that are roughly 34
inches from the inseam.
On the other hand, the trousers sized
for women are marked with just one
even number starting from zero. But a
size 8 trouser purchased from one
designer may vary substantially from
the same size bought from another
manufacturer as there is no industry-
wide standard for sizing of a women’s
trousers. Furthermore, for women’s
trousers, inseam length is not taken
into account for determination of
trouser
length, instead there are choice like
petite, short, regular and long
(b) Rise- the rise of the trousers
refers to how high up on the
waist the trouser would sit
 Although various types of rises
are available for both men and
women, women generally
prefer to wear low-rise trousers
which looks flattering whereas
men shy away from wearing
trousers that sit low on waist.
Medium rise trousers that sit
just below the navel are perfect
for men and are suitable for
women as well.

(c) Colour and pattern- Trousers

forwomen are designed to
incorporate brighter colours,
Chinos are the most popular type of
interesting patterns or
men’s trousers and are a must have
sometimes decorated with trims
for a men’s wardrobe. Chino’s
like beads, rhinestones etc. On
trousers are neither formal nor casual,
the other hand, the design for
they lie in between and therefore can
male trousers stick to traditional
be worn for most occasions and
patterns like houndstooth,
events. The word “chino” in Spanish
pinstripe or plaid and include
means Chinese and the term was
solid and dark colours like grey,
used because the fabric used for
navy blue, etc.
production was imported from China
when the trousers were manufactured
for the soldiers at the time of war
between Spain and America in 1898.

SLIM FIT TROUSERS

slim fit trousers are the tight trousers
with a snug fit through the legs and
have a small leg opening that can be
VARIATIONS OF TROUSERS
anywhere from 9” to 20” in
circumference depending upon the
size of the trousers. Dark colours such
VARIATIONS OF MEN’S as black, charcoal, navy are popular
options for formal and semi-formal
TROUSERS wear of slim fit trousers.

CHINOS

WOOL TROUSERS
As the
name suggests, these trousers are
made of woolen fabric. This category
includes both the trousers- one that is
made of lightweight wool for everyday
purpose and other that is more
heavier for suiting purpose. These
trousers do not wrinkle easy and also
lay flat and clean on the legs.
DRAWSTRING TROUSERS
these are more relaxed form a
trousers which has drawstrings for a
comfortable look and are similar to
joggers . More so designed for casual
days, these trousers can be worn with
a loose t-shirt or a sweatshirt. These
trousers have an elastic stitched on
the waistline which makes them fit
perfectly on the waist and would not
feel loose or uncomfortable even
when the drawstrings are not secured.
CARGO PANTS
these pants are sometimes called
combat pants/trousers and were
originally designed for military
workwear. These are loosely cut pants
and were initially designed for rough
work environments and outdoor
activities characterised by loose
pockets for carrying tools. These
pants are made of hard wearing fabric
and are stitched ruggedly. They are
stitched out of quick drying synthetic
or cotton-synthetic blends and feature
oversized belt loops.
HIGH WAISTED TROUSERS

these trousers are designed to sit high
on, above the wearers hips (8 cm
above the navel). These have been
classic and are often paired with semi
formal blazers, roll necks and
crewneck t-shirts.
These are the formal trousers in
women’s category and can be worn for
formal occasions or as a daily wear to
office. The tailored trouser is made to
closely fit the body and does not hang
loose. The cut of this trousers has
slightly a shorter rise and also less
fabric. The purpose is to slim down the
classic fit by providing a more
streamlined appearance.

TAPERED PANTS
JOGGERS/SWEATPANTS
tapered pants can be both worn for
joggers are traditional sports pants
formal and casual events depending
that are lightweight, comfortable and
upon the fabric they are made from.
give an athletic appearance. Initially
This trouser tapers at the bottom and
they were intended to be worn for
is roomier around the hips and waist
exercise but the mainstream has
caught on for them to be worn for
many occasions. Joggers are wide at
top and taper down the leg and fit
closely on the ankle. They either have
a drawstring waist or an elastic waist
with the ankles close to the body
through the use of elastic as well.

VARIATION OF WOMEN’S
TROUSERS

TAILORED TROUSERS
CULOTTES
this term can refer to split skirts and
have a loose fit. Culottes generally
have length till knees or midcalf and
give a look of a skirt when worn.
Culotte features a wide leg silhouette
for a relaxed look and to be worn
comfortably during summertime

HAREM PANTS
harem pants are also loose fitting
pants that gather and collect at the
waist and ankles. Elastic bands or
waistband with drawstrings are used
to hold the gather together.

BELL BOTTOMS/ FLARED PANTS

these trousers are closely fitted at the
waist and thighs and become wider
from the knees downwards forming a
bell like shape of the trouser leg.

LEGGINGS/TIGHTS
leggings are a very tight- fitting bottom
for women and are made of
stretchable fabric like lycra or cotton.
These are generally suitable for
athleisure wear but are also worn for
casual wear with loose hanging t-
shirts. Tights are the same as
leggings, the only difference is they
extend till foot and cover that as well.
PALAZZO PANTS
these pants are also loose-fitting
pants and have an extremely wide leg
that flares out from the waist. They are
made of light flowing fabrics that
makes it breathable to be worn in
summers.
WHAT LED TO
EMERGENCE OF
TROUSERS?
Trousers were worn in the West since
ancient times and now are worn in
almost all parts of the world. They are
the most common form of bifurcated
garments available in the market and
are practical and comfortable.
In the ancient times, when the mode
of transport for people were horses,
wearing robes became uncomfortable
which necessitated the invention of
trousers. This in fact meant that those
who wore trousers had an upper hand
in the battle than those who wore
robes and for the same reason
wearing trousers was adopted by the
civilisations all over the world to
survive the battle. Images of men and
women wearing trousers can be found
on ancient ceramics
Initially the trousers were seen as a
military garment and were in the form
of snug shorts or loose fitting trousers
that closed at the ankles. In the 14th
century, trousers were common and
people became familiar which led to
their transformation into tight fits. By
the end of the 15th century, trousers
evolved further and
voluminous, baggy, ballooning on
became
thighs and squeezed at ankles. It was
only in the 19th century that the
trousers got the look as they are worn
today and people started wearing
them in neutral colours.
FABRICS USED TO MAKE
TROUSERS
COTTON - Cotton is the most
versatile, affordable and used fabric in
making trousers for both men and
women. Cotton also works in all types
of weather from summer to spring.
Wearing trousers made from cotton
gives a soft and comfortable
experience and lasts longer because
of their durability, water absorbing
capabilities and sun-friendliness.
Cotton trousers can be worn in
summers to keep temperature down
and in the winter for isolation. Cotton
also rarely causes allergies, can be
easily handled making it a near
perfect fabric for trousers. The only
disadvantage is they tend to shrink
and it might be a good tip to buy one
size extra for the perfect fit.

DENIM - It is a cotton fabric with a

different fabric weave, it is best
defined by its 3-by-1 twill and distinct

indigo colour but can be in different

colours and weave structures. Denims
used for tailoring and making trousers
are finer and a lot denser, in order to
achieve the drape which is why denim
trousers look a lot more different than
jeans.

WOOL - Wool is more expensive but

one fabric that is the perfect fit for
making trousers. Wool is a natural
fiber known for its heat generating and
winter usage, also for its strong
durability. Wool is a soft fiber which
absorbs moisture naturally but needs
regular ironing just like pure cotton.
WHIPCORD - This is a particularly explodes the fiber and causes a fluffy
dense wool twill which gives great appearance.

body and shape to the trouser,

especially formal ones for that classic
fit. The only downside being that it
looks a little too old fashioned but a
classic wool fabric that feels thick with
body and holds shape.

FLANNEL - It is a universal
favourite for making trousers because
on the spectrum it lies between formal
CORDUROY - It is a distinctive
and casual and is therefore perfect
weave and is a type of velvet with
and suitable for both occasions. It is
vertical ridges. Made of nearly always
defined by its milled finish, which
cotton but sometimes also wool. It is a
good weight and with elasticity makes
great trousers.
SILK - Silk denotes luxury and
defines royalism. Silk is used to make
formal trousers only and they are
expensive and usually only worn for
formal occasions. It does not shrink
and holds its shape; it also doesn't
wrinkle and is exclusively worn mostly
at night for formal events and is
difficult to maintain.
LINEN - Linen is mostly used to
make summer pants. It is lightweight
and gives a cool, chic vibe. It is soft
and comfortable and light weight and
absorbs moisture and sweat easily
which makes it ideal for summer. It is
also
the
most

CASHMERE FABRIC - Cashmere

is the softest fabric that can be used
to make trousers. It is obtained from
the cashmere goat which is soft and is
luxurious and expensive. It also does
not cause any allergies and can be
safely worn with people who are
hypoallergenic. Cashmere is superior
to wool in thermal insulating
properties. And trousers made of
cashmere are more suited to be worn
in cold and harsh weather. It is wrinkle

resistant, breathable and is highly

absorbent, absorbing upto 35 % water
vapour. Cashmere pants also sit fine
on the body, making the wearer look
clean and sharp. Cashmere pants
durable among all-natural fabrics. It
also need special washing and costs
also stays clean and can tolerate high
heavy bucks if it is pure cashmere
temperatures. It is extremely
wool.
shrinkable, and wrinkles easily.
POLYESTER/COTTON BLEND POLYESTER/WOOL BLEND -
- Polyester is an artificial fabric and is

the cheapest of The blend of polyester with wool is

all, when it is used as a suiting material because it
blended with fits and drapes well and is also
inexpensive compared to worsted
wool and cashmere fabrics. This is
more comfortable than cotton blend
and wrinkles are less. It requires
regular washing but shrinks less and
is of lesser quality when compared to
pure wool formal trousers but works
well for everyday formal attire.

cotton in the ratio of 51% cotton and

49% polyester it makes a good fabric
for trousers. It is comfortable and fit
well on different types of body shapes.
It also wrinkles relatively less when
compared to pure cotton and can be
washed and cleaned easily. It is an
artificial fabric and therefore can
cause rashes and is not very soft on
the skin.
  Seam Pocket — A type of
pocket in which the opening
falls along the seam line of a
garment.

CURVED INSET POCKET

MAIN
CATEGORIES OF
POCKETS
Pockets can be separated into three
main categories.
 Patch Pocket — A pocket
applied onto the outside of a These pockets are typical examples of
garment. a set-in pocket that typically feature a
 Set-in Pocket — A pocket curved opening.
made by cutting an opening in
the garment and stitching the
pocket bag to the inside of the
garment so only the opening is
visible.
SLASH POCKET Jetted pockets appear from the
outside as nothing more than a
narrow, horizontal slit bordered by two
thin strips of fabric or “welts” that act
as an opening for the pocket bag that
is concealed inside the garment. The
jetted pocket is a sleek and formal
pocket that is mainly used for suit
jackets and other formal wear.

BELLOWS POCKET

Also known as ‘slant’ pockets, slash

pockets commonly appear on pants,
slacks, and jackets. These pockets
are set into the garment on an angle,
allowing the wearer to slide their
Originally designed for hunting jackets
hands in and out easily. On pants,
and other utilitarian sportswear
slash pockets will typically start at the
pieces, the bellows pocket has folds of
waistband and slash down toward the
excess material along the sewn sides
outseam.
of the pocket that allow the pocket to
JETTED POCKET expand and accommodate larger
items.

SEAM POCKET
A seam pocket is sewn into a seam of
a garment, with the pocket opening
presenting as a gap in the seam.
WELT POCKET
A welt pocket is a set-in pocket that is
finished with fabric welts along its
length that strengthen the pocket
opening.
UTILITY POCKET
The term ‘utility pocket’ applies to any
patch pocket that has multiple
compartments. You will often find
utility pockets on military-inspired
garments and bags. Utility pockets
may also feature additional, miniature
mesh pockets.
INSIDE POCKET
A pocket concealed inside of a
garment. Which is typically not visible
outside. Are most commonly found in
coats and blazers but also on some
time of Victorian style trousers.
COIN POCKET
This extra pocket on the right-hand
side of jeans was originally intended
to protect pocket watches. The pocket
has gradually become smaller and
smaller, and less commonly used for
carrying watches, it is now known as a
coin pocket

WESTERN POCKET
Western pockets are a form of patch
pockets that feature ornate flap
closures. Western pockets typically
feature snap button closures.
SAWTOOTH POCKET
Sawtooth pockets are a form of patch
pocket that features a flap that
resembles the teeth of a saw.
Each of the two points of the sawtooth
flap has its own snap button.
 The Team:

Researched and written by T Divya [BFT/19/156], Ishita Khanna [BFT/19/239], Raish Alam

[BFT/19/708], Kevin Charles [BFT/19/560] and Nidhi Bhatia [BFT/19/1800] as part of the

End Term Submission for Garment Construction III at National Institute of Fashion

Technology, Hyderabad under the guidance of Ms.Sharmila Sure.

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