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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Chloe Mac Donnell

Move over boxers, it’s the season of the bloomer

Chloé’s bloomer-inspired runway show.
Chloé’s bloomer-inspired runway show. Composite: Alessandro Viero & Salvatore Dragone via Chloé/ Guardian Composite


We’ve had exposed thongs, pants as pants and boxer shorts as shorts. But now there is a new, arguably even more unexpected underwear as outerwear trend. Welcome to the spring of big, frilly bloomers.

The 19th century undergarment has been thrust into the 21st century spotlight with a string of celebrities and influencers channelling their inner Folie Bergere dancer - including the actor Lily James, Alexa Chung and Camille Charrière. Social media is peppered with gen Z and millennials styling Victorian bloomers, found on vintage sites or on the high street with band T-shirts, crop tops and cardigans. Free People’s £88 “forever young pants”, which come in six different colours and are bedecked in a dramatic lace trim, are proving particularly popular.

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