She Wears The Pants: How Trousers Became A Symbol Of Rebellion For Women

Until January 31st, 2013, trousers were illegal for women to wear in France. Yes, you read that right. A 200-year-old law required women to ask the police for special permission to “dress as men.” Non-compliance risked getting taken into custody. The law had been enforced since 1799, and despite repeated attempts to remove it, it remained in place. Officials often claimed it wasn’t a priority since the rule was rarely enforced. Ironically, the law stayed on the books for so long simply because lawmakers forgot it ever existed!

When it was finally overturned in 2013, France’s then-Minister of Women’s Rights, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, said:

“This order was aimed first of all at limiting the access of women to certain offices or occupations by preventing them from dressing in the manner of men.”

Sometimes, the things we take for granted, be it accessible education or something as basic as wearing trousers, have been debated for generations. In many parts of the world, wearing pants was once illegal for women. It was considered an offensive crime, and women were arrested for ‘masquerading as men.’

The History of Trousers as Women's Clothing

During World War I, women in countries like France started working in factories to keep supply chains running while men were off at war. For comfort and ease at work, they began wearing their husbands’ trousers.

Eventually, other women designed trousers specifically suited for female workers' needs. During these war years, the sight of women in trousers gained a little social acceptance, but the laws still didn’t agree. In 1919, Luisa Capetillo, a labour leader, was arrested for wearing trousers in public. She was also the first woman in Puerto Rico to publicly wear them.

After gaining financial independence through paid work, many women successfully fought for the right to vote post-war. This brought not just political power, but social autonomy as well.

Trousers in Influence: How It Fueled Empowerment

In the 1930s, Hollywood icons like Katharine Hepburn and Marlene Dietrich were often photographed wearing trousers. There’s even a famous story about Hepburn, when a studio staff member hid her jeans, she walked around the set pantless until she got the pair of jeans back.

Eleanor Roosevelt later became the first First Lady to wear trousers in public. By the 1930s and 1940s, trousers were slowly becoming a daily garment for women. By the 1970s, the hippy revolution became the first time that women wore everything from bedazzled and studded to bootcut jeans in public.

Desi Context in brief

In South Asia, women draped nine-yard sarees that gave them similar freedom of movement and practicality as pants. Contrary to popular belief, sarees have never been restrictive. However, the introduction of trousers in the form of churidars, salwars, or patialas is said to have become more common from Persian influence. Pants did not garner much acceptance outdoors until the British came, and upper-class Indians also began adopting the two-legged garment.

Interestingly, a series of photographs commissioned by the 19th-century Government of India to gather information about clothes, customs, trade, and religions of the different racial groups on the sub-continent showcased several women wearing salwar-style “pyjama” pants, that was eventually adopted by Europeans during British East India Company rule in India. Later, with Western influence, trousers and jeans became more common.

More Than Just Clothing

The journey had indeed been tedious, from women being arrested for ‘masquerading as men’ to trousers becoming a common part of everyday wear. Trousers were never just a piece of clothing. They’ve symbolised freedom, rebellion, and a long fight against patriarchy.

They allowed women to move more freely, to work, to lead, and most importantly, to be seen as equals. It empowered women to challenge the age-old gender norms and bring in the equality we cherish today.