bill blass
Fantastic 1970s Bill Blass Wrap & Tie Indian Cotton Pants w Red & Gold Print
Bill Blass launched his label in 1970 when he bought out the Maurice Rentner label and re-launched it under his own name. Blass was arguably one of the most famous of the American designers. His forte was the ability to mix simple styles with unexpected materials in way that was very flattering to the wearer. These pants are so unusual and must've been a part of a resort or spring line. I absolutely love them.
These are based on a simple fisherman pants that you see in many cultures around the world. You have to wonder if he travelled somewhere and was inspired to make a version for the West. They are made out of a beautiful Indian cotton. The colour of the cotton is a deep blue that then has a blocked pattern done in red and a matte gold on it. This completely covers the pants from top to bottom. As they near the hem of the pants the pattern changes to a horizontal stripe that gets smaller and more intricate. The pattern gets far more dense and anchors the pants. They have no closures. To wear them they are simply tied into place. They are seamed down the center of the body and then along the inner edge of each leg. The outer part of the leg is completely open and this is what allows it to wrap around you. To wear them you hold the front in place and tie it at the back. Then you grab the pant from between the legs and bring it up over the back and tie that in the front. There is enough fabric in the legs that the resulting wrap over at the side keeps you covered. When you walk or move you do get a bit of leg showing at the very bottom. It's extremely simple and ingenious. You can't give Mr. Blass credit for the design but they are a great pair of pants. These would be fantastic to travel with and you can easily dress them up or down because of the print. Excellent condition
Unlined and they tied to wear as described above. They appear to have been worn very little if at all and the wrap does give some flexibility in measurements. These are very hard to measure so I've given approximate laying flat of the material it will cover and then you watch overlap is it wraps around you.
Waist: the fabric on both sides is 29" wide before the ties extend. This makes the waist and hips adjustable
Length: 44.5" from top of bodice to waist
Inseam: 33" from waist to hem
Rise: 13.5" from waist to inner seam
Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED
Item# S986
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.
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SIZE GUIDE
Please review all measurements carefully. More often than not, vintage garments do not fit any size category exactly. If in doubt, measure a garment of your own that fits and is a similar cut and compare it's measurements to the listed measurements below.
