bell bottoms

This term refers to a specific style of trousers that flare out significantly from the knee downward. The term is inextricably linked to the counterculture movements of the 1960s and 1970s, carrying a strong nostalgic connotation of disco, hippie fashion, and rebellion against traditional tailoring.

Grammatically, this noun is a plurale tantum, meaning it exists only in the plural form. It describes a single garment but always takes a plural verb (e.g., "these bell bottoms are vintage"). Because it lacks a singular form, it cannot be used as "a bell bottom" to describe one pair of pants.