How to Make a Pretend Pair of Bell Bottom Pants for a Costume

Create your own bell bottoms for pretend or for a costume.

Originally part of the United States Naval uniform, in the 1970s bell bottoms became the fashion of choice for the hippie movement. Instead of buying a pair of pre-made bell bottoms for a hippie costume, make your own. Homemade bell bottoms require little sewing skills. Also, making your own bell bottoms lets you choose the colors and pattern for the fabrics you use, giving you a more personalized finish product.

Things You'll Need

• Corduroy pants or jeans
• Seam ripper
• Paper
• Pen
• Fabric
• Fabric pen
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Place a pair of pants on the table in front of you with the inseams touching one another. Choose corduroy pants or pair of jeans for best results.

2. Tear the outer seam of the pants on one leg using a seam ripper. Rip until you reach 1 inch below the knee of the pant. Turn the pants over and repeat the seam ripping on the other pant leg.

3. Spread one of the cut legs apart and insert a piece of paper inside the leg. With the leg spread in a triangle shape, trace the triangle onto the paper to create a template.

4. Cut the template out of the paper, adding 1/2 inch on either side to allow for a seam.

5. Place the template onto a piece of fabric of your choice. Trace the triangle template onto the fabric using a fabric pen. Cut the fabric out. Repeat the process to create a second fabric triangle.

6. Hem the bottom edge of the fabric triangles by folding them over 1/2 inch. Pin the fold and sew the hem with a straight stitch on a sewing machine. Remove the straight pins.

7. Turn the pants inside out and place them on the table with one leg up. Attach one of the fabric squares to the cutout section of the pants so that the backside of the fabric will be on the inside of the pants when complete. Line up the bottom edge of the fabric triangle with the bottom edge of the pants. Use straight pins to attach the triangle to the pants using a 1/2 inch seam all around. Sew the triangle in place using a straight stitch with the sewing machine.

8. Remove the straight pins and repeat Step 7 with the other leg and second fabric triangle.

9. Turn the completed bell bottoms inside out.

Tips & Warnings

• If desired, attach iron on appliques to the jeans such as peace signs or flowers.

References

• Way Back Machine; Bell Bottom Blues; Peter A. Dervis; March 2000
• Making Friends; Way Cool Bell Bottoms; 2010