Why Do Americans Call Trousers 'Pants'? | #shorts

A 60-second primer on why Americans call trousers 'pants'.

[sparkyheberling]

Another term I haven't heard in years: Slacks.

[elizabethpage_]

I’ve always used “pants” as a general term for anything you wear on your legs. Trousers/slacks are more formal pants. Jeans are causal pants. And so on

[digitalunity]

"Pants pulled up and trousers fell down" might be the funniest way to explain that that I've ever heard. Well written

[HogTieChamp]

That punchline was ABSOLUTLEY worth the trip! 😂

[the_real_rascal]

I always associated pants with being more casual and trousers/slacks being more professional.

[TheAmericanNostalgist]

As an American Tailor it is really hard to try to keep track of all these god damn pronunciations of different clothing There's 5 or 6 names for an item sometimes And you just have to remember that shit, my friend's razz me for saying trousers then my friends from outside the country razz me for saying pants💀😭 You can never win

[RAnthis]

When i was growing up, pants are informal attire and trousers are formal only. For example on Sunday, get out of your church clothes, aka trousers, and into some pants, usually jeans. Going school shopping, time to get some new trousers.

[gengarvenom]

Thank you for this. I never understood why Rory said hes in his pants when he was still in underwear in the Power of Three. Now I do.

[SparkyPeaches]

My Dad, from Alabama, called them “britches”……also, undergarments were called “under britches”.
It’s a southern thing. I have no idea why. Lol

[pasbaf]

That's interesting since pantaloons is also used in most other languages just nit british, for example in italy here we say 'pantaloni' in reference to 'pantalone' as you said too.

[dxfifa]

In New Zealand, we call anything that's not jeans pants, and nobody really says trousers. Sometimes people are more specific when needed, but it's usually just pants and jeans (for some reason these are specified more than track pants, or dress pants. But women will often specify yoga pants or leggings rather than just saying pants

[BigRedShadevil]

My Mamaw (we’re from Kentucky) always called them britches

[JosueSantiagoG]

I didn't know we favored trousers for a time. Great short as usual. Thanks!

(We Americans do often call underwear underpants as well, fwiw, but yeah, never pants)

[hollyholm]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with such a sense of humor. You get me through my dull work days. LOL

[zan]

“Pants pulled up and trousers fell down, ” was the predictable pun I didn’t see coming. 5/5 stars.

[bradkopp]

OMG I love your content. As a Canadian kid who grew up watching British shows like “are you being served” and “dr who” I love British humour the drier the better!

[alysoffoxdale]

_"...pants eventually pulled up and trousers fell down."_ :snrk!:

[WizardfDogs]

We actually do use pants for trousers in Britain too but it's only in the North, a couple areas in the midlands, and I think Scotland

[glorygracek.]

In our family, trousers are dressier pants. Like what comes with suits. Coming from the early 1900's when men wore suits most of the time and they were called trousers at that time. Pants is interchangeable with everything else and their real names. Like sweatpants can be either sweats or Pants. And most definitely, jeans are jeans. Overalls are overalls.

[RJM]

Thank you I have told people the same only to be called stupid !