What we Americans call sailor pants are a fashion classic that are worn typically this time of year (can't imagine them without espadrilles!) and are an easy, breezy way to look put-together and chic. The pantalon à pont is usually a high-waisted (taille haute) style with a buttoned flap at the front, often with a flared leg. Sailors in the US Navy apparently originated the "bell-bottom" in the 1800s as a practical matter, since the flare shape made it easier to put on and remove heavy work boots and to roll up when swabbing the decks!