What are pantaloons?
Pantaloons are knee-length, calf-length or ankle-length loose pants that can be worn by either men or women. The word pantaloon comes from the Italian word pantalone, which in turn was derived from a character in a seventeenth century comedy play. The character in the play, Pantaleone, was shown wearing these pants, and was probably the first person to wear them in public. During the French Revolution, the revolutionaries disdained the then-fashionable breeches in favor of pantaloons. Breeches were symbolic of the ousted royals and aristocrats. The pantaloon, on the other hand, seemed to have a more fraternal character.
