While putting together my vintage look of the week post, I started thinking about how unacceptable it was back in the 1900′s for women to wear pants. The picture I referred to in the post, where people are looking upon the women in shock because they are wearing pants, really struck a chord with me.
These days we hardly raise an eyebrow when we see another ‘accidental’ shot of a knicker-less Paris or Lindsey Lohan and aside from Lady Gaga and her boundary pushing meat dress (come on that definitely got more than a few raised eyebrows, credit where credit is due) There isn’t much that shocks us when it comes to fashion.
Although some women began wearing pants as early as the 1900′s and Coco Chanel featured pants in many of her collections. People still viewed Hollywood stars like Katherine Hepburn and Clara Bow as rebels for favoring pantsuits in the 1930s. It wasn’t until WWII, when women went to work, that it became acceptable. Women wore their husbands pants to work as it was more practical and saved their dresses from getting ruined.
So I’ve gathered some pictures of women from the 1900′s to the 1940′s wearing pants. I think by the time the 1950s had arrived, pants were seen as acceptable attire for women, even though it wasnt until 1972 that Title IX of the Education Amendments was instated, which basically meant schools could no longer force women to wear skirts and dresses as part of the dress code policy. 1972! So they all started wearing pants and stopped wearing bras… hmmmm.
Clara Bow
Katherine Hepburn
Joan Crawford?
random picture, but I love the pinstripes!
another random, but i love it!
Liz Taylor for national velvet
Coco Chanel
Marlene-Dietrich
