The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word BELL-BOTTOMS
B
E
L
L
-
B
O
T
T
O
M
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "flares" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case flares = bell-bottoms.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BELL-BOTTOMS mean?
BELL-BOTTOMS noun- Pants that are flared from the knee downwards, a characteristic style of the 1970s.