In fashion today, trouser cuts are firmly in two camps - either they are tight to the leg, as in the return of skinny jeans, or they are ultra-wide and baggy. But, perhaps, there is a third way. For the umpteenth time, bell-bottoms are returning to the scene.
This trouser cut, first popularized in the 1970s and briefly "grabbed" the fashion scene five years ago, is making a comeback in 2026. Resale app Depop says it has seen a 30 percent increase in searches for the style this month alone, writes The Guardian.
If they were initially worn by hippies and outsiders at Woodstock in the 1960s, this latest wave takes inspiration from famous women who could be described as "alphas."
This week, TV presenter Claudia Winkleman wore a suit with bell-bottoms that spilled over her shoes on The Traitors, while Hailey Bieber, a recent advocate of baggy jeans, was photographed in Los Angeles in a pair of bell-bottom pants.
Some "alpha" stars have made bell-bottoms a part of their signature style - Jennifer Lopez and Victoria Beckham regularly wear them, often with a blouse or T-shirt tucked into trousers. Beckham also chose a variation of this combination in her recent Netflix documentary. Donatella Versace, meanwhile, often stepped out after the show in bell-bottoms and heels, writes The Guardian.
Sinead McFarlane, Claudia Winkleman's stylist for The Traitors, says the Essential Antwerp outfit suited the presenter because it had a "chic feel... I like to see bellboys that aren't always seen as a '60s or '70s thing... it's a very modern take on bellboys."
Daniel Rogers, fashion editor at Vogue, agrees that bell-bottoms have now moved beyond boho chic. "I think it's about looking smart and polished, and it's more of an elegant version," he said.
Footwear is key for "alpha bellhops," adds Rogers.
"You have to wear that cut with platforms, or with a sharp, pointy heel that sticks out from under the leg. I think that's what makes that look so confident."
This approach to the bell ringers is a far cry from their Woodstock roots.
"I don't wear bell-bottoms and high heels, so I don't know, but I can't imagine it's a particularly practical look," Rogers said. "It becomes a status thing. The message is, 'I can wear this because I'm getting into an SUV in two minutes.'"
Inge Onsea, creative director and co-founder of Essential Antwerp, agrees that they are the third in line in today's "pants wars." "They're the perfect compromise," she says, "bringing together the definition of a skinny trouser with the ease of a looser fit, and that's what makes them so flattering."
Onsea says the bells bring a different mood to 2026. "After seasons dominated by overly baggy silhouettes, they bring back confidence," she said. "The bells seem optimistic."
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