# Elizabethan Puffy Shorts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 18, 2000, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194 "2000-12-18T18:52:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Melpomene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@Melpomene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melpomene)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/1 "2000-12-18T18:52:23Z")
Okay. I’m having trouble trying to find a name for those puffy shorts that were worn so many hundreds of years ago. I am at a complete loss. I can’t do a search on “puffy shorts” because that brings up way too many sites. I’m sifting through costuming sites and am having a terrible time finding anything. So, to the Wealth of Knowledge held by the Dopers, I go. Royalty would wear those puffy shorts with tights. What were the shorts called? HELP! ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/2 "2000-12-18T18:57:28Z")
They are called knickers. MR ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/3 "2000-12-18T19:09:03Z")
Breeches, dear, breeches. Also seen them referred to as "Dutch slops’ in reference to Cavalier-era clothing. I can’t find the page on codpieces, however. I’m sure it’s out there somewhere. [The Auld Garb Monger’s Costumes for Manly Men](http://www.pe.net/~wwweaver/index.html) [The Costume Page](http://users.aol.com/nebula5/tcpinfo2.html#history) You ought to be able to find more info on these pages. ---
**Author:** ![Melpomene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@Melpomene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melpomene)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/4 "2000-12-18T19:21:52Z")
Yeah, I didn’t think they were “knickers” - I was under the impression that’s what the English call _all_ pants. 😉 Thanks Owl for those Links. Especially “The Costume Page” - that’s one to be bookmarked. I appreciate it! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![davesink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@davesink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davesink)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/5 "2000-12-18T19:23:28Z")
Until this post, I’d always thought they were pantaloons (get it? pants + balloons= “pantaloons”), but after looking it up ([http://heyerlist.org/ghcost2.htm#Pantaloons](http://heyerlist.org/ghcost2.htm#Pantaloons)), I find they were generally ankle length and skintight knitted garments. Once again, I learn something new and useful from TSD. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/6 "2000-12-18T19:28:30Z")
They were called “pumpkin breeches,” for obvious reasons, and were one of the most unfortunate items of clothing ever to be worn. —Eve (who used to work in a costume history museum) ---
**Author:** ![JavaMaven1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JavaMaven1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JavaMaven1)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/7 "2000-12-18T19:31:32Z")
Not only were they known as Breeches, but also as trunkhose and venetians, depending on the cut. Here is a website where you can order patterns: [http://www.alteryears.com/renaissance/ren-mens.html](http://www.alteryears.com/renaissance/ren-mens.html) ---
**Author:** ![Walrus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/51bf81/32.png) [@Walrus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walrus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/8 "2000-12-19T01:02:04Z")
Try “Elizabetian (or Jacobean) Breeches”, You might also find something if you search for “Doublet and hose”. Good Luck Walrus ---
**Author:** ![Tabithina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@Tabithina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabithina)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/9 "2000-12-19T01:38:32Z")
Try “paned slops” or “paned trunk hose”. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/10 "2000-12-19T03:12:55Z")
In all the romance novels I’ve read, they are referred to as “slops”. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/11 "2000-12-19T03:21:53Z")
How did they attach the hose that went with the breeches & doublet? I don’t see anything that resembles a garter belt. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/12 "2000-12-19T03:26:02Z")
Garters. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2000, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elizabethan-puffy-shorts/46194/13 "2000-12-20T20:22:59Z")
Gut garters? \