Need help dating vintage pants -- 1930s or later?

[persephone60]

I need help dating a pair of vintage pants. They are a white cotton denim (heavy-duty cotton) with a back zip and front decorative buttons with sailor wheels. Initially, I thought they were earlier (30s/40s) because of the metal zipper and their overall "feel." As I did research, I noticed there are a lot of sailor/nautical style pants in the second half of the 30s. However, the shape of these pants don't look quite like 30s or 40s pants. They seem a bit more "curved" than the styles popular during those times. Thoughts?

 

[anothertimevintageapparel]

Possibly 2000s when they were putting zippers in the back of pants again. They looked cropped also

 

[persephone60]

They are 35" long, which is on the shorter side--they would definitely be cropped on me (I'm 6'), but maybe not on someone short? They do feel older to me than the 2000s, though. The fabric, buttons, and zip all have an older feel. One thing that makes them harder to date, though, is that while the fabric/buttons/zipper feels older, they are homesewn. So I don't have a label that I can use to date them.

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

So the front sailor style opening is just decorative? Non-functioning?

Can you please show clear close ups of the seaming, hems and interior so we can see how they're made? Thank you.

 

[persephone60]

Yes, the sailor style opening at the front is just decorative -- the only fastener that works is the back zipper. Here are some interior pics. Pic #1 is front seam with back side of "buttonholes" (and waist at top), pic #2 is back darts on either side of zipper (with waist at top), pic #3 is side seam, pic #4 is hem, and pic #5 is front detailing.

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Thank you for the extra pics. So number 4 is the hem. Is it on its side? So there's a row of stitching and then overlocking. Is it machine or hand sewn to the trouser bottom? Do the stitches go through the fabric, ie, top stitching?

I suspect they're early '70s. Here's a pattern for a similar style (although the sailor flap is less detailed on yours). 1972 also with a centre back zipper and bell-bottom flared leg.

 

[persephone60]

Yes, the hem is on its side in pic #4. There's a row of stitching and overlocking. It looks machine sewn to the trouser bottom, and the stitches go through the fabric (but only every inch or so). Thanks for the pic of the pattern -- you're right that these look similar to mine! Based on the shape of my pants, I was leaning towards thinking they might be 1970s, but I don't deal in pants from that era very often.

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Thanks for the hem confirmation. I'll go with early '70s. Cute trousers!

 

[anothertimevintageapparel]

Yes around 1970, now that i see more photos of the fabric and inner construction.