Wide-leg trousers are not a new concept but recently they have gained more of a foothold in modern menswear collections and for good reason: as our collective dressing has become more casual and influenced by sportswear, our tailored garments have followed suit. Suits have become more like extensions of our casualwear, so it only figures that wide-leg trousers would make a comeback.
Oxford bags were some of the first wide-leg styles to gain prominence in the 20th century. They originated at the University of Oxford in the early 1920s in direct response to the university's ban on knickerbockers, which were a type of knee-length trouser often worn with long socks. In defiance, students began wearing wide-leg trousers that could be easily slipped over their knickerbockers, hence the term Oxford bags. They soon became a fashion trend all across Britain, symbolizing youthful rebellion and a break from traditional, conservative clothing styles.
