Parachute pants are a style of trousers Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately . The word trousers is used near universally in the UK, but other English-speaking countries such as Australia, Canada, South Africa and the United States often refer to such items of clothing as pants or even as characterised by the use of ripstop nylon Rip-stop nylon is a light-weight nylon fabric with inter-woven ripstop reinforcement threads in a crosshatch pattern.The material comes in many different colours and sizes, including thickness. It is woven with coarse, strong warp and filling yarns spaced at intervals so that tears will not spread. The same effect can be achieved by weaving two or and/or extremely baggy cuts. In the original loose-fitting, extraneously zippered style of the late 70s/early 80s, "parachute" referred to the pants' synthetic nylon material. In the later 80s, "parachute" may have referred to the extreme bagginess of the pant. They are typically worn as menswear and are often brightly colored. Parachute pants became a fad A fad, sometimes called a trend, meme or a craze, is any form of behavior that develops among a large population and is collectively followed with enthusiasm for some period, generally as a result of the behavior's being perceived as novel in some way. A fad is said to "catch on" when the number of people adopting it begins to increase in US culture The development of the Culture of the United States of America has been marked by a tension between two strong sources of inspiration: European ideals, especially British; and domestic originality in the 1980s as part of an increased cultural appropriation Cultural appropriation is the adoption of some specific elements of one culture by a different cultural group. It describes acculturation or assimilation, but can imply a negative view towards acculturation from a minority culture by a dominant culture. It can include the introduction of forms of dress or personal adornment, music and art, of breakdancing B-boying, also known as breaking and commonly referred to as breakdancing, is a style of dance that was created and developed as part of hip-hop culture among African Americans, and later on Latino youths in New York City.:125, 141, 153 Breaking includes four primary moves: toprock, downrock, power moves and freezes/suicides. It is danced to both.[1]
Functional clothing
Early breakdancers occasionally used heavy nylon to construct jumpsuits Jumpsuit originally referred to the utilitarian one-piece garments used by parachuters and skydivers, but has come to be used as a common term for any one-piece garment with sleeves and legs or trousers Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately . The word trousers is used near universally in the UK, but other English-speaking countries such as Australia, Canada, South Africa and the United States often refer to such items of clothing as pants or even as that would be able to endure contact with the break dancing surface ("break pad") while at the same time decreasing friction with the dancing surface, allowing speedy and intricate "downrock Downrock is an element of breakdance that includes all footwork performed on the floor. Downrock is normally performed with the hands and feet on the floor, as opposed to toprock. In downrock, the breakdancer displays his or her proficiency with foot speed and control by performing footwork combinations. The foundational move of downrock is the 6-" routines without fear of friction burns or wear in clothing. Some, possibly apocryphal, sources attribute the use of genuine parachute nylon having been cut to make such trousers possible. In the early part of the 80s, parachute pants were more tight-fitting and only later became looser. In the later 80s, the term "parachute pants" was used to describe any pants that were somewhat voluminous and narrow at the ankles, sometimes cinched with a tie cord running through the lower hem (unlike bellbottoms or wide-leg baggy jeans) in order to increase mobility for dance moves requiring flexibility. Due to both the use of nylon in the parachutes A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag. Parachutes are usually made out of cloth, most commonly nylon. Parachutes must slow an object's terminal vertical speed by a minimum 75% in order to be classified as such, and the large baggy appearance of the parachute pants, the style of pants became known as parachute pants. Often, early outfits were of a single color or slightly patchwork in nature as they were sometimes made of found materials A found object, in an artistic sense, indicates the use of an object which has not been designed for an artistic purpose, but which exists for another purpose already. Found objects may exist either as utilitarian, manufactured items, or things which occur in nature. In both cases the objects are discovered by the artist or musician to be capable.
When manufactured and marketed as fashionable clothing, parachute pants were often constructed with lightweight synthetic fabrics, making this variety of pants more suitable for fashion than breakdancing.
Fashionable clothing
As fashion cut pants, parachute pants were popularized by hip-hop performers. From this point, they were often woven of loose, light fabric, with a low seat containing many folds, and sometimes printed with complex designs, ranging from neon patterns to prints resembling Middle Eastern pattern embroidery, contrasting the earlier monochromatic heavy jumpsuits and trousers. They were also sometimes seen with many zippers and pockets, although many of these pockets were too small to be used as pockets and existed only in order to apply another zipper or other superficial feature to the outfit. Parachute pants were then used primarily in choreographed hip hop Hip-hop dance refers to social or choreographed dance styles primarily danced to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture. This includes a wide range of styles notably breaking, locking, and popping which were developed in the 1970s by Black and Latino Americans. What separates hip-hop dance from other forms of dance is that dancing, with the light, baggy fabric and folds visually enhancing the flowing rhythm of the dancers' moves while allowing for greater comfort and mobility.
Decline in use
Parachute pants are infrequent in fashion as of 2010 and have received little serious exposure since the late 1980s.[citation needed] By the early 1990s parachute pants were sometimes mocked in popular culture as emblems of the 1980s, much as flares and bellbottoms are associated with the 1960s/1970s.
See also
References
- ^ Mansour, David. "Parachute pants". From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th Century. pp. 353. http://books.google.com/books?id=b1ruwF6xYNIC&pg=PA353&dq=%22Parachute+pants%22&ei=LFINSIi-CYquygSqsPCRAQ&sig=lCuv7kpCypCfFulVhzuNSLN3aak.
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Cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant. The plant is a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, Pakistan, India and Africa. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft, breathable textile, which is the most widely · Fur Fur clothing is clothing made entirely of, or partially of, the fur of animals. Fur is one of the oldest forms of clothing, thought widely used as hominids first expanded outside of Africa. Some view fur as luxurious; others reject it due to animal welfare and ethical concerns. The term 'a fur' is often used to refer to a coat, wrap, or shawl made · Leather Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry · Linen Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather · Nylon Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935 by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station. Nylon is one of the most commonly used polymers · Polyester Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate . Polyesters include naturally-occurring chemicals, such as in the cutin of plant cuticles, as well as · Rayon Rayon is a manufactured regenerated cellulose fiber. Because it is produced from naturally occurring polymers, it is neither a truly synthetic fiber nor a natural fiber; it is a semi-synthetic or artificial fiber. Rayon is known by the names viscose rayon and art silk in the textile industry. It usually has a high luster quality giving it a bright · Silk Silk is a natural protein fibre, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity . The shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre, which allows silk cloth to refract · Spandex Spandex, Lycra or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It is stronger and more durable than rubber, its major non-synthetic competitor.[citation needed] It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was invented in 1959 by chemist Joseph Shivers at DuPont's Benger Laboratory in Waynesboro, Virginia. When first · Wool The term wool is usually restricted to describing the fibrous protein derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles in sheep
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Blouse A blouse is a loose-fitting upper garment that was formerly worn by workmen, peasants, artists, women and children. It is typically gathered at the waist so that it hangs loosely ("blouses") over the wearer's body. Today, the word most commonly refers to a woman's shirt but can also refer to a man's shirt if it is a loose-fitting style ( · Crop top A crop top is a T-shirt or blouse with the lower portion cut off, resulting in the exposure of some of the wearer's abdomen. The halfshirt (or bellyshirt) is a variety of shirt that is cut off from the bottom of the chest · Dress shirt A dress shirt , or simply shirt (also button-front or button-down shirt) is a shirt with a collar, a full-length opening at the front from the collar to the hem, and sleeves with cuffs. Dress shirts are predominantly used by men, since women usually wear blouses. The front opening is fastened using buttons or studs, and the cuffs close with · Halterneck Halterneck is a style of women's clothing with a single strap around the back of the neck. This can refer to either a dress or a separate shirt, called a halter top. The latter is a type of sleeveless shirt similar to a tank top . The term "halter" comes from the German word for "holder", as in Büstenhalter, which literally · Henley shirt A henley shirt is a collarless men's casual wear pullover shirt, characterized by a 10 cm to 15 cm long placket beneath the round neckline, usually having 2-5 buttons. It essentially resembles a collarless polo shirt. The sleeves may be either short or long sleeve, and it can be made in almost any fabric, although cotton, cotton-polyester blends, · Hoodie A hoodie , is a sweatshirt with a hood. The characteristic design includes large frontal pockets, a hood, and (usually) a drawstring to adjust the hood opening · Jersey A jersey is an item of knitted clothing, traditionally in wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn. The word is usually used interchangeably with sweater and is the · Guernsey (clothing) A guernsey, or gansey, is a seaman's knitted woollen sweater, similar to a jersey, which originated in the Channel Island of the same name · Poet shirt · Polo shirt A polo shirt, also known as a golf shirt and tennis shirt, is a T-shaped shirt with a collar, typically a two- or three-button placket, and an optional pocket. Polo shirts are usually made of knitted cloth , usually piqué cotton or, less commonly, silk, merino wool, or synthetic fibers · Shirt A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body. Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become, in American English, a catch-all term for almost any upper-body garment other than outerwear such as sweaters, coats, jackets, or undergarments such as bras, vests or base layers. In British English, a shirt is more specifically a · Sleeveless shirt A sleeveless shirt, tank top, singlet or vest is a shirt manufactured without sleeves, or one where the sleeves have been cut off. Sleeveless shirts can be worn by either gender, depending on the style. These sleeveless undershirts do not prevent sweat stains from showing through. Tank tops are often worn by athletes in sports such as track and · Sweater A sweater, jumper, pullover, sweatshirt, jersey or guernsey is a garment intended to cover the torso and arms. They are often worn over a shirt, blouse, T-shirt, or other top. Sweaters tend to be, and in earlier times always were, made from wool; however, they can be made of cotton, synthetic fibers, or some combination thereof. Sweaters are · T-shirt A T-shirt is a shirt which is pulled on over the head to cover most of a person's torso. A T-shirt is usually buttonless and collarless, with a round neck and short sleeves · Tube top A tube top is a shoulderless, sleeveless "tube" that wraps the torso. Such a top is generally very tight over the breasts in order to prevent the garment from falling. This is usually achieved with elastic bands at the top and bottom of the garment · Turtleneck A polo neck or turtle neck (US) or skivvy (Australia) is a garment—usually a sweater—with a close-fitting, round, and high collar that folds over and covers the neck. It can also refer to type of neckline, the style of collar itself, or be used as an adjective ("polo necked")
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Bell-bottoms Bell-bottoms are trousers that become wider from the knees downward. Related styles include flare, loon pants and boot-cut/leg trousers. Hip-huggers are bell-bottomed, flare, or boot-cut pants that are fitted tightly around the hips and thighs · Bermuda shorts Bermuda Shorts, also known as walking shorts or dress shorts, are a particular type of short trousers, now widely worn as semi-casual attire by both men and women. The hem can be cuffed or un-cuffed, around one inch above the knee · Bondage pants · Capri pants Capri pants are a style of pants usually worn in warm weather. They are also known as long shorts or three-quarters in some areas of the world and longer versions are called high-waters. They are designed to end mid-calf or just below the calf. Though capri pants are most popular with women, they have become popular among men in many countries, · Cargo pants Cargo pants are much like regular khaki pants, but were designed originally for tough, outdoor activities. They are baggier, permitting free movement, made of hardwearing, quick-drying fabrics, with tough stitching, and have large belt loops and several additional patch pockets · Culottes The word culottes is of French language origin. Historically, the word "culottes" has always referred to the knee-breeches commonly worn by gentlemen of the European upper-classes from the late Middle Ages or Renaissance through the early 19th century. Culottes were normally closed and fastened about the leg, to the knee, by either · Cycling shorts Cycling shorts are short, skin-tight legwear designed to improve comfort and efficiency while cycling. They: · Dress pants Dress pants suit pants are a style of pants intended as formal or semi-formal wear. They are often made of either wool or polyester (although many other synthetic and natural textiles are used) and may be designed to be worn with a matching suit jacket. Dress pants have a crease on them because of their tight-fitting nature. Unlike formal trousers · Jeans · Jodhpurs · Overall · Parachute pants · Phat pants · Shorts · Sweatpants · Windpants
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Categories: History of fashion | 1980s fashion | 1990s fashion | Trousers and shorts
