Did you know that historically women were not allowed to wear pants in a professional environment. That’s right. Not allowed. The whole concept of not being able to wear pants at work is preposterous to me. So completely foreign that I can’t even really understand it.
To me pants are more professional than skirts. You’re not drawing attention to your legs, worrying about how you’re sitting, or prevented from certain tasks. Skirts just aren’t practical to me. Of course if you’re sitting in an office it doesn’t really matter how practical your clothing is.
Some History
Pants made a few blips on the historical fashion radar in the form of bloomers (1850s) and knickerbockers thanks to the effort of feminists (notably Amelia Jenks Bloomer) looking for more practical clothes. World War I (1914-18) necessitated pants for women working in the factories. Then Hollywood got in the game and pants really took off! The lead woman in Morocco (1930), Marlene Dietrich, wore pants in the movie and in her everyday life. Then World War II (1939-45) demanded tons of practicality… everything, including clothes was rationed. Pants were not taken for granted as women’s workwear. Around 1950 many styles of women’s pants became fashionable in a casual environment and the 1960s ushered in the idea of unisex clothing. Jeans and pantsuits became popular for women and men. Pantsuits at work and casual days began the slow erosion of requiring skirts in a professional setting.
I’m grateful that the women before me forged ahead in pants wearing so that I can take it for granted. Thank you!
My name is Kelly Seiler. I'm an electrical engineer working in the defense industry. I realized that there was an undercurrent of sexism present at work... no one person or attitude seemed to be the culprit. I've decided to learn more about feminism to help me better combat sexism without damaging my reputation. I consider myself an undercover feminist. I'm a feminist, but I avoid pointing things out directly.
An excellent feminist primer! At 118 pages this one is a quick read, but still jam packed with information. It will change your perspective about what feminism is really about compared to the mass media portrayal.
While not a strictly feminist read, this books has lots of good tips to consider in an office environment.
One Comment
I think wearing women’s pants is a very professional look now! Most women wear that wear skirts wear to high of skirts so skirts have become a look that could not be something to wear to work.