Let's start with the history. Supposedly the production of the bellbottom style trousers and jeans stem from sailor fashion of the 1950s and 1960s. Members of the US Navy are said to have sported wide-leg pants so that in the event of a man overboard, the wide legs made it easier for the damp fabric to be removed. However, the fashion of bell-bottoms wouldn’t reach mainstream until the late 60s and into the 1970s- which is typically the decade that most people would associate with the style.
So how did the style move from a practical choice amongst sailors to a lasting fashion trend? By the time the 1960s ended, many of its youths were finding clothes from second hand and surplus suppliers where these old navy uniforms had ended up. This newfound accessibility of bell-bottoms paired with the growing popularity amongst pop culture icons of the time (including Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix) solidified them as an essential piece for teens throughout these decades.
The style of bell-bottoms quickly became associated with the fashion of rebellion in the United States.
Alongside trends in fashion, certain social movements were growing in equal popularity through the States. The young adults sporting flared trousers were of the generation most exposed to and immersed in the rise of a culture of opposition to America’s political climate. In turn, the style of bell-bottoms quickly became associated with the fashion of rebellion in the United States.
But why does all this matter for the 2025 Super Bowl?
Well, anyone who has already watched Kendrick’s half-time performance will remember his collaboration with Hollywood Icon, Samuel L Jackson, acting as ‘Uncle Sam’. The running commentary provided by Jackson throughout the show pokes at the hypocrisy and instability that many individuals agree to be present within the current social and political climate of the United States. Thus, Kendrick uses his platform and celebrity status to offer a voice to views opposing mainstream power in our contemporary America. Therefore, any opposition conveyed to the current reality of the States is not only highlighted in Kendrick's performance but is also expressed in his fashion- his choice of bellbottoms being a potential nod to the history of rebellion that these pants carry.