We stopped in to Express which happens to sell fancy clothes, sometimes even to men I gather from the fact that the big sale sign in the window said "Women's Clothing only". Strangely the store only seemed to sell women's clothing so I didn't quite see the need for that disclaimer. But I digress. While we were there waiting for the girls to try on some of the latest and greatest fashions, my roommate and I began a conversation about one of these latest trends in the world of high women's fashion. No, I don't mean the re-emergence of sequins, we'll save that tirade for another day. I speak of the "the gaucho pant" aka "the pirate pant" aka "the garbacho pant" as my roommate likes to call them.
On the off chance that you have not seem this trend in action, here are some images I culled from the internet (my apologies for the fact that as far as can be seen here the pants are to be worn without any shirt. My personal experience is that I've always seen them worn with a shirt) :
Ok, so that last one wasn't actually filed under "gaucho pants" but I think I make my point, which is: why would a girl want to a) wear pirate pants, and b) wear them with high heels instead of the traditional high, large-cuffed, buckle-sporting boots? They seem to be some kind of dressy capri pant or as I like to think: coulats' (sp?) ugly cousin.
At first I found the trend mildly amusing, just another example of how some women will wear anything if they think its "in-style". That was until I found out that these pirate pants were masquerading under the name "gaucho pants". As a former resident (or I guess legally my status was extended tourist) of Argentina, I personally have met gauchos and would like to let the fashion world know that gauchos in fact wear no such pants. Gauchos are the Argentine equivalent of cowboys, ranchers, cattlemen, etc. They wear traditional pants called "bombachas" which apparently (or so my Google search would indicate) is also a name for women's undergarments. These true gaucho pants are just baggy trousers, usually having multiple pleats to create the bagginess, and often having a button closure at the bottom of each leg. I didn't discuss fashion much with these gauchos, so I can't definitively give the purpose of the buttoned leg, but my guess is that it allows for the pants to be worn easily over boots.
In any case, I found some pictures of gauchos online and was able to even find website offering to sell me bombachas. If they were smart they'd label them as "gaucho pants" and try to cash in on the recent trend. Without further ado, I give you real Gaucho pants, as worn by actual gauchos:
I guess this last photo might give a hint as to why they are called gaucho pants, but I think its fairly clear that this gaucho has pants that are actually quite long and are not actually cut off right at the top of his boots.
Just wanted to stand up for the gauchos, as I doubt very few of them have internet connections and even fewer of them have blogs with a super high readership (unlike mine of course).
5 comments:
Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou....I DO NOT THINK THESE ARE CUTE!!! I thought the trend would pass but it has stuck.
My problem with these ugly things is that they make even the cutest woman's bum look disgusting, like she needs a butt lift/butt implant/pair of underwear on to hold it all still...(they always seem to be going commando). My aunt says they make girls' butts look like the "buns" of baby girls in wet swimsuits without diapers. Which is only cute when they are under 24 months old. She's absolutely right. They cling and I mean it. The seam of the pant nestles itself in so deep into their buttcracks that it's borderline pornographic. I think I may have lost a few pounds this season, due to a loss of appetite every time I see some chick walk by with these ugly-as-sin things swishing around their knees, and catch a glimpse of their butt-cheek fat rippling with each prancey step. Even the girls with toned, buff bottoms jiggle and it's not attractive. Bleagh.
In fact, I'm so worked up about it right now that I'm going to copy and paste this comment into my own blog.
My roommate and I figured that there must be some reason that girls wear them, thinking that certainly there must be some rationale behind trends, weak as it might be. We decided that maybe somehow that girl think they make them look better, but we couldn't figure out how. Our best guess what that no one's going to be noticing what your legs look like if they are too busy laughing about your pirate pants.
Tallahassee, Florida has no such Gaucho Pants. I have yet to see anyone wear them. Not sure if it's because I'm in a college town or because out here in the East people think they're ugly. This is one trend ya'll can keep. :)
WTF! I'd totally buy a a pair if they were marketed as pirate pants! I'd even buy the frilly Seinfield pirate shirt, and once a month I'd make it Adam's pirate day! Gaucho's are cool, but Pirates > Gaucho's. No offense J. The only thing cooler than a pirate is a vampire ninja war guy.
I Came upon Bombachas thru my addiction to "The Timeless Ride" web-site. This site is about Hubert Kriegle's 10 year journey around the globe Horizontaly and Verticaly on his sidecar. He wears Bombachas I find out. I had long admired the comfort and utility that the pants he wore exuded thru the pictures of him on this journey and wanted some to wear when I ride my sidecar rig. Since he is a French replant, I thought the pants would be french and I spent countless days searching the internet looking for them. Finally I mentioned them in his guest book("Open Book")and he told me they were Bombachas made in Argentina and if I went there I could buy some. So I went there and bought a couple'a pair and a Red Beret to wear with them. I probably should buy a Poncho too but the ones at that store were cotton and I think wool would be more approiate if not for authentisity but for living in Whiskysconsin half way to the Nortpole... They haven't arrived yet, but expect them soon.
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