In Britain pantaloons made their appearance as daywear in the 1790s. They evolved from the tightly fitted, knitted breeches of the period. Pantaloons were usually machine knit in cotton or silk. They reached down to the calf in the 1790s, then extended to the ankle in the early 19th century. Although by 1820 they had been taken over by trousers for daywear, pantaloons continued to be worn as evening dress until the 1840s.