What are bloomers?
Bloomers are knee-length or ankle length pants that were inspired by the harem pants of countries like Syria. They were also in part inspired by women’s undergarments called pantalettes, or sometimes just pants or drawers, that were worn underneath petticoats by adult women and by young girls. You often hear pantalettes, first developed in the early 1800s, referred to as bloomers in the modern day, but this usage occurs long after the development of pantalettes. You can also distinguish bloomers from pantalettes in early usage because of the tapered legs; bloomers have a tapered leg, while pantalettes have a wide leg construction.
