Women started wearing pants more widely in the 1940s due to changing social norms and practical needs during World War II. As millions of men went off to war, women took over industrial jobs and found pants more suitable for factory work. Prior to this, pants were rarely worn by women except in certain cultures or circumstances. The suffragette movement in the late 1800s saw some women advocate for more practical women's clothing like pants. By the 1960s, the trend toward comfortable casual wear accelerated and designers introduced pants and mini skirts on runways, reflecting a new spirit of female rebellion and freedom of choice in fashion. Today pants have become universally accepted for women as a practical and comfortable option.

1. THE 1940s :
WOMEN
WEAR PANTS
NOW!
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC.
by :
Deepika Gunda, Bdes (Hons), Fashion design
Guidance :
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gomathi Gowda
Asst. Prof. Ashwini Kalyani

2. Introduction
• It was only odd for women to wear pants in
certain parts of the Western World - not all
over. Women wore pants under their skirts
in Korea very early on.
Here’s a modern illustration of a Hanbok that
show’s Alice’s trousers under her skirts:
• World War II dominated the first half of the
1940s as well as fashions in the Western
world.
Na Young Wu Artist, Recreation of Alice in Wonderland .

3. Before 1940s
• Back in the Renaissance era, Victorian era, Art
Deco era and in other eras, When it came to
fashion, there were laws that regulated who
wore what. Clothing depended on the class
system.
• During this time, it was all about the
extravagance, and decorative silhouette.
• Till the late 19th century, In the United States,
women typically wore long skirts, with the
exception of some women who wore pants like
garments to perform work or engage in sports.
Women wearing skirts on roads in 19th
century, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Fêtes Galantes at the palace of Versailles with the king's court

4. First women to
wear pants!
• In 1851, a woman named Elizabeth Smith
Miller became one of the first women to give
pants a try publicly.
• Miller was a suffragette. Her goal in the
1800s was to help women in the United
States win the right to vote. She also aided
slaves seeking freedom - her home was a
stop on the Underground Railroad.
- Elizabeth Smith Miller
Elizabeth Smith Miller, cycling in her
trousers, by BakLOL

5. Harem Pants
Harem Pants
Harold Koda
The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

6. Why did women started
to wear pants? (
in 1940s)
• In the early 20th century, there was a fight and a
struggle for women to gain the right to wear pants.
• Finally by World War II, it was time for women to
wear pants. Millions of American soldiers went to
war in Europe, so women were hired for empty job
positions to keep factories running.

7. Fast Forward to 21st
century...
• The Trend towards comfortable, worn-looking apparel for
women has began in 1960s.
• You have a new generation of British designers such as
Mary Quant, who is presenting both mini skirts and pants
on the runway, and that rebellious new spirit influences
high fashion.
Lady Gaga in her oversized Marc Jacobs pantsuit
KEVIN MAZUR VIA GETTY IMAGES

8. Conclusion
• From the early bloomers to today’s modern suits, pants have
provided women with a huge sense of freedom. Practically, they
allowed for increased mobility and functionality.
• Pants alone can’t and didn’t give women greater lives, but their
associations with masculine authority encouraged many women
to make changes.
1944 Navy Blue Pleated Slacks

9. References
Books
• Tate Sharon L., Edwards Mona S., Inside Fashion Design(5th edition), Pearson India Education
Services Pvt Ltd, India, 2004.
• Elizabeth Ewing Revised by Alice Mackrell, History of 20th century fashion, Quit Specific Media Group
Ltd. New York and Hollywood.
Websites
• Women And Pants: A Timeline Of Fashion Liberation| HuffPost Life
• When did women start wearing pants? | Britannicahttps://www.britannica.com› Demystified › Visual Arts
• Six Best Fashion Periods ThroughoutHistory — The Lexington Line

10. THANK YOU!