Women wearing pants
Encyclopedia
Women wearing pants were thought by some to be historically almost non-existent, apart from Amazonian women, but have become more commonplace since the advent of feminism in the middle to late 20th century.
, women have historically worn dress
es and skirt
-like garments while men have worn trousers
. During the late 19th century, women started to wear trousers and blouses for industrial work. During World War II
, women wore their husbands' trousers while they took on jobs, and in the 1970s, trousers became especially fashionable for women. In the United States
, this may be due to the passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which made public education treat males and females equally and in turn dresses could not be required of female students and dress codes changed in public schools across the United States. Today, trousers are worn by many women but most women still wear skirts or dresses some of the time.
Although trousers for women in western countries did not become fashion items until the later 20th century, women began wearing men's trousers (suitably altered) for outdoor work a hundred years earlier.
The Wigan
pit brow girls scandalized Victorian society
by wearing trousers for their dangerous work in the coal mines. They wore skirts over their trousers and rolled them up to their waist to keep them out of the way.
Women working the ranches of the 19th century American West also wore trousers for riding, and in the early 20th century aviatrices and other working women often wore trousers. Actresses Marlene Dietrich
and Katharine Hepburn
were often photographed in trousers from the 1930s and helped make trousers acceptable for women. During World War II
, women working in factories and doing other forms of "men's work" on war service wore trousers when the work demanded it, and in the post-war era trousers became acceptable casual wear for gardening, the beach, and other leisure pursuits.
In Britain during the Second World War, because of the rationing of clothing, many women took to wearing their husbands' civilian clothes, including their trousers, to work while their husbands were away in the armed forces. This was partly because they were seen as practical garments of workwear, and partly to allow women to keep their clothing allowance for other uses. As this practice of wearing trousers became more widespread and as the men's clothes wore out, replacements were needed, so that by the summer of 1944 it was reported that sales of women's trousers were five times more than in the previous year.
In the 1960s, André Courrèges
introduced long trousers for women as a fashion item, leading to the era of the pantsuit
and designer jeans and the gradual eroding of the prohibitions against girls and women wearing trousers in schools, the workplace, and fine restaurants.
Most women who wear business attire to work will wear pants on some days and skirts on others, with style variance in mind. The activities of the day at work and the outdoor temperature may have an impact on their choice for any particular day.
. Though one-piece dresses have historically been the choice, many two-piece dresses, often modeled like suits
, are produced now. In recent years, some formal outfits consisting of slacks have been developed, using the suit design for their basis.
While it is still the norm for wedding gown
s to be dresses, clothes worn by other women to wedding
s and other formal occasions sometimes include pants.
are an option for many casual occasions, many women do not feel their needs can be met with a pair of shorts. Shorts may also be inappropriate for some occasions, and a skirt or dress, such as a sundress
, may be the best choice. Additionally, some women who feel they look unattractive in shorts may choose a skirt or dress for warmer weather.
It is especially recommended for women suffering from infertility
or otherwise struggling to conceive to wear skirts or dresses. Though no scientific studies have conclusively proven that wearing skirts increases the chances of getting pregnant, there have been some surveys showing women who abstain from wearing pants are less likely to struggle.
.
, there are a number of religion
s that prohibit women from wearing trousers and some may require all women and often young girls to wear only skirt
s or dress
es. The reasons behind such beliefs, which vary within each religion and culture, are generally due to modesty
laws, which vary in each culture. Religion is the most common reason for a woman never to wear a pair of pants.
, Government Code Section 12947.5 (part of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act
) expressly protects the right to wear pants. Thus, the standard FEHA discrimination complaint form includes an option for "denial of right to wear pants."
, Article 152 of the Memorandum to the 1991 Penal Code prohibits the wearing of "obscene outfits" in public. This law has been used to arrest and prosecute women wearing pants. Thirteen women including journalist Lubna al-Hussein
were arrested Khartoum in July 2009 for wearing pants; ten of the women pled guilty and were flogged with ten lashes and fined 250 Sudanese pounds apiece. Lubna al-Hussein chose to go to trial to challenge the law. Amidst international protests by human-rights activists, she was convicted and fined 500 Sudanese pounds. She considers herself a good Muslim and asserts "Islam does not say whether a woman can wear trousers or not... It is not about religion, it is about men treating women badly." She wants to change the law on behalf of all the women of Sudan.
women were not legally allowed to wear pants under President Kamuzu Banda's rule until 1994. This law was introduced in 1965.
History
In the Western worldWestern world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
, women have historically worn dress
Dress
A dress is a garment consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice or with a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment.Dress may also refer to:*Clothing in general*Costume, fancy dress...
es and skirt
Skirt
A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped garment that hangs from the waist and covers all or part of the legs.In the western world, skirts are usually considered women's clothing. However, there are exceptions...
-like garments while men have worn trousers
Trousers
Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately...
. During the late 19th century, women started to wear trousers and blouses for industrial work. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, women wore their husbands' trousers while they took on jobs, and in the 1970s, trousers became especially fashionable for women. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, this may be due to the passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which made public education treat males and females equally and in turn dresses could not be required of female students and dress codes changed in public schools across the United States. Today, trousers are worn by many women but most women still wear skirts or dresses some of the time.
Although trousers for women in western countries did not become fashion items until the later 20th century, women began wearing men's trousers (suitably altered) for outdoor work a hundred years earlier.
The Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
pit brow girls scandalized Victorian society
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
by wearing trousers for their dangerous work in the coal mines. They wore skirts over their trousers and rolled them up to their waist to keep them out of the way.
Women working the ranches of the 19th century American West also wore trousers for riding, and in the early 20th century aviatrices and other working women often wore trousers. Actresses Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
and Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
were often photographed in trousers from the 1930s and helped make trousers acceptable for women. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, women working in factories and doing other forms of "men's work" on war service wore trousers when the work demanded it, and in the post-war era trousers became acceptable casual wear for gardening, the beach, and other leisure pursuits.
In Britain during the Second World War, because of the rationing of clothing, many women took to wearing their husbands' civilian clothes, including their trousers, to work while their husbands were away in the armed forces. This was partly because they were seen as practical garments of workwear, and partly to allow women to keep their clothing allowance for other uses. As this practice of wearing trousers became more widespread and as the men's clothes wore out, replacements were needed, so that by the summer of 1944 it was reported that sales of women's trousers were five times more than in the previous year.
In the 1960s, André Courrèges
André Courrèges
André Courrèges is a French fashion designer, known for his ultra-modern designs. At the age of 25, after studying to be a civil engineer, he went to Paris to work at Geanne Lafaurie fashion design house...
introduced long trousers for women as a fashion item, leading to the era of the pantsuit
Pantsuit
A pantsuit or pant suit, also known as a trouser suit outside the USA, is a woman's suit of clothing consisting of trousers and a matching or coordinating coat or jacket....
and designer jeans and the gradual eroding of the prohibitions against girls and women wearing trousers in schools, the workplace, and fine restaurants.
Exceptions
Many women today wear pants all or virtually all of the time. However, there are times when women may prefer to wear a skirt as opposed to a pair of pants, and some women may wear skirts/dresses 100% of the time out of the modern tradition. Some of these reasons include:Professional appearance
In most professions, it has been accepted for women to wear slacks. With the popularity of the pant suit and other slacks giving the appearance of business attire, in most professions, it is possible for women to wear pants at all times. Occupations today also allow casual attire or have uniforms that consist of pants. However, there are women who feel that wearing a skirt ensures one is "dressed up" and therefore gives a better impression.Most women who wear business attire to work will wear pants on some days and skirts on others, with style variance in mind. The activities of the day at work and the outdoor temperature may have an impact on their choice for any particular day.
Formal occasions
Most formal attire for women consist of a dressDress
A dress is a garment consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice or with a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment.Dress may also refer to:*Clothing in general*Costume, fancy dress...
. Though one-piece dresses have historically been the choice, many two-piece dresses, often modeled like suits
Suit (clothing)
In clothing, a suit is a set of garments made from the same cloth, consisting of at least a jacket and trousers. Lounge suits are the most common style of Western suit, originating in the United Kingdom as country wear...
, are produced now. In recent years, some formal outfits consisting of slacks have been developed, using the suit design for their basis.
While it is still the norm for wedding gown
Wedding dress
A wedding dress or wedding gown is the clothing worn by a bride during a wedding ceremony. Color, style and ceremonial importance of the gown can depend on the religion and culture of the wedding participants.- Western culture :...
s to be dresses, clothes worn by other women to wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
s and other formal occasions sometimes include pants.
Weather
During warmer weather, many women consider skirts more comfortable than pants, particularly when travelling and in situations where they are required to remain seated for sustained periods. Though shortsShorts
Shorts are a bifurcated garment worn by both men and women over their pelvic area, circling the waist, and covering the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to or even below the knee, but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they are a shortened...
are an option for many casual occasions, many women do not feel their needs can be met with a pair of shorts. Shorts may also be inappropriate for some occasions, and a skirt or dress, such as a sundress
Sundress
A sundress is a dress intended to be worn by women in warm weather. Typically, it is an informal or casual dress in a lightweight fabric, most commonly cotton, and usually loose fitting. The dress is intended to be worn without a layering top, and the design must therefore cut a balance between...
, may be the best choice. Additionally, some women who feel they look unattractive in shorts may choose a skirt or dress for warmer weather.
Health
Some movements associated with healthier lifestyles recommend women wear skirts or dresses whenever possible and avoid wearing jeans or slacks.It is especially recommended for women suffering from infertility
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
or otherwise struggling to conceive to wear skirts or dresses. Though no scientific studies have conclusively proven that wearing skirts increases the chances of getting pregnant, there have been some surveys showing women who abstain from wearing pants are less likely to struggle.
Pregnancy
Though maternity pants exist and are very popular, some pregnant women prefer to wear dresses that have no waistline throughout pregnancyPregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
.
Religion
In an age where the majority of women at any given time are wearing trousersTrousers
Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately...
, there are a number of religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
s that prohibit women from wearing trousers and some may require all women and often young girls to wear only skirt
Skirt
A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped garment that hangs from the waist and covers all or part of the legs.In the western world, skirts are usually considered women's clothing. However, there are exceptions...
s or dress
Dress
A dress is a garment consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice or with a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment.Dress may also refer to:*Clothing in general*Costume, fancy dress...
es. The reasons behind such beliefs, which vary within each religion and culture, are generally due to modesty
Modesty
Standards of modesty are aspects of the culture of a country or people, at a given point in time, and is a measure against which an individual in society may be judged....
laws, which vary in each culture. Religion is the most common reason for a woman never to wear a pair of pants.
- Orthodox JewOrthodox JudaismOrthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
s: Most Orthodox Jewish rabbis rule that it is required by religious laws to wear skirts and not trousers. There are two main precepts in Judaism that are the basis for this. One is modesty: In Jewish belief, the space between a woman's legs is considered to be a private area, and therefore, must be covered by a garment. The second: since trousers were originally created as a man's garment, women are therefore forbidden to wear them according to most rabbinical authorities; as wearing men's clothing is forbidden biblically under the prohibition of Lo Silbash ("A woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man"). Some Jewish ethnicities, such as the Yemenite JewsYemenite JewsYemenite Jews are those Jews who live, or whose recent ancestors lived, in Yemen . Between June 1949 and September 1950, the overwhelming majority of Yemen's Jewish population was transported to Israel in Operation Magic Carpet...
, had special trouser-like clothes for women, and some Modern OrthodoxModern Orthodox JudaismModern Orthodox Judaism is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize Jewish values and the observance of Jewish law, with the secular, modern world....
women wear trousers. - Traditionalist CatholicTraditionalist CatholicTraditionalist Catholics are Roman Catholics who believe that there should be a restoration of many or all of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions and presentations of Catholic teachings which prevailed in the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council...
s: On 13 November 866, Pope Nicholas IPope Nicholas IPope Nicholas I, , or Saint Nicholas the Great, reigned from April 24, 858 until his death. He is remembered as a consolidator of papal authority and power, exerting decisive influence upon the historical development of the papacy and its position among the Christian nations of Western Europe.He...
wrote to King Boris I of BulgariaBoris I of BulgariaBoris I, also known as Boris-Mihail and Bogoris was the Knyaz of First Bulgarian Empire in 852–889. At the time of his baptism in 864, Boris was named Michael after his godfather, Emperor Michael III...
: "Whether you or your women wear or do not wear trousers neither impedes your salvation nor leads to any increase of your virtue"(sive vos, sive feminae vestrae, sive deponatis, sive induatis femoralia, nec saluti officit, nec ad virtutum vestrarum proficit incrementum - Patrologia LatinaPatrologia LatinaThe Patrologia Latina is an enormous collection of the writings of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers published by Jacques-Paul Migne between 1844 and 1855, with indices published between 1862 and 1865....
, CXIX, 1002). Some members of the Society of Saint Pius X have spoken of the preference of women's wearing skirts rather than trousers. Cardinal Siri's letter has also been cited as justification for women wearing skirts and dresses. In addition, Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Church's principal theologian, also taught that "outward apparel should be consistent with the estate of the person, according to the general custom. Hence it is in itself sinful for a woman to wear man's clothes, or vice versa; especially since this may be a cause of sensuous pleasure; and it is expressly forbidden in the Law (Deuteronomy 22)..." - Oneness PentecostalOneness PentecostalOneness Pentecostalism refers to a grouping of denominations and believers within Pentecostal Christianity, all of whom subscribe to the nontrinitarian theological doctrine of Oneness...
s: Pentecostal women choose to wear skirts because of the Biblical commandment that women must not wear men's clothing, however this is not mandatory. - MennoniteMennoniteThe Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
s: The basis for skirts in Mennonites is modesty. For this reason, long skirts or dresses covering most of the legs are required. They also wear dresses and skirts because they believe men and women should be distinguished from one another. Only a very small percentage of the Mennonites adhere to this restriction. Women's pants are accepted by all but the most conservative conferences.
Scottish highland dancing
- In Scottish highland dancing, women don't wear trewsTrewsTrews are men's clothing for the legs and lower abdomen, a traditional form of tartan trousers from Scottish apparel...
, but instead either wear the Aboyne dressAboyne dressThe Aboyne dress is the name given to the prescribed attire for females in the Scottish national dances, such as the Flora MacDonald, the Highland lilt, and others. There are actually two versions of the Aboyne dress in use.- Description :...
(for the national dances) or the kilt-based outfit for the Highland dances. However, tartan trews can be worn by women in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Laws
In CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Government Code Section 12947.5 (part of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act
California Fair Employment and Housing Act
The California Fair Employment and Housing Act , codified as Government Code §§12900 - 12996, is a powerful California statute used to fight sexual harassment and other forms of unlawful discrimination in employment and housing.-Scope:...
) expressly protects the right to wear pants. Thus, the standard FEHA discrimination complaint form includes an option for "denial of right to wear pants."
Sudan
In SudanSudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, Article 152 of the Memorandum to the 1991 Penal Code prohibits the wearing of "obscene outfits" in public. This law has been used to arrest and prosecute women wearing pants. Thirteen women including journalist Lubna al-Hussein
Lubna al-Hussein
Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein is a Sudanese Muslim, media worker and activist who came to international attention in July 2009 when she was prosecuted for wearing trousers...
were arrested Khartoum in July 2009 for wearing pants; ten of the women pled guilty and were flogged with ten lashes and fined 250 Sudanese pounds apiece. Lubna al-Hussein chose to go to trial to challenge the law. Amidst international protests by human-rights activists, she was convicted and fined 500 Sudanese pounds. She considers herself a good Muslim and asserts "Islam does not say whether a woman can wear trousers or not... It is not about religion, it is about men treating women badly." She wants to change the law on behalf of all the women of Sudan.
Malawi
In MalawiMalawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
women were not legally allowed to wear pants under President Kamuzu Banda's rule until 1994. This law was introduced in 1965.