The past few years have brought forth former fashion trends some had never thought would resurface. Mom jeans, originally prominent in the 80s, made their way back to closets around 2019, and accessories like scrunchies and bucket hats—formerly beloved in the 90s—have found an audience within today’s youth, becoming widely popular again. 

Live and vivid patterns and prints filled the shimmering air, as the 60s were a time of neon colors and bold floral prints. In a decade of fashion advances, revolutionary pieces like miniskirts, tie-dye, crochet, bold florals, and flare pants took the world by storm. 

Although all these trends had their five minutes of fame, they proceeded to die out. These items occasionally make rare appearances with hard-core hippies—other than that, the 60s fashion trends joined the 40s and 50s in the fad grave. That was until the past few months when the most random, yet beloved, clothing item from the 60s made its way back to stores.

Being a favorable and contrasting alternative to regular leggings or skinny jeans, flare pants are devouring the racks of popular retail stores like Aerie, Hollister, American Eagle, Altr’d State, and many others. An item of clothing no one would assume to be the next fad now possesses a cultivating grip where not a day goes by that flare pants don’t swarm the halls of our high school. 

Being skin tight from the waist to the mid-calf area, flare pants live up to the name—fitting and flaring in all the right places. They accentuate the rear as well as the quads, predominating those specific areas, one of the main reasons they are so popular. In addition to the fit, they are simply the most comfortable and versatile clothing items and can be seen styled in numerous differing ways. 

Celebrities, as the biggest influencers to young teen girls, care to join in on this 60s throwback, providing their own twist to the flare style. From Emma Chamberlain’s oversized crew neck paired with a white turtleneck and black flare leggings to Elle Fanning’s black, cropped, halter top with mid-rise flare jeans, there is no “cookie-cutter” styling for these pants. 

Compared to other clothing items that have come back, like biker shorts or chunky sneakers, where they have to be paired in very specific combinations, you are free to be creative with these pants. They are a great way to spice up your closet, an addition to practically every outfit combination you can create. The pants are also easily accessible to everyone because they are sold at many stores in the mall.

The hippie vibe is truly based on inventing yourself and how you act in addition to how you dress and creating your own style. Having all the great characteristics of a comfortable and stylish clothing item, flare pants are one of the fashion fads that were resurrected from the grave and, hopefully, are here to stay.