Over time, women's roles in society have drastically changed and evolved — females go through life today much differently than they did in the earlier centuries.
There are no restrictions on how much education a woman can receive, and the sky's the limit when it comes to career possibilities.
However, this wasn't always the case, as these old vintage ads suggest by the way they portray women.
Things started to evolve in the early 1900s with more jobs opening up to females. This sped up even more during WWI and WWII, when women stepped into the working world to keep their country going.
With occupying professions, both new and old, came the uniforms that were unique to the job — from the traditional black and white maid outfits to flowing dresses made for playing baseball.
In today's world, women actively occupy all the professions below, but the styles have definitely transformed over the decades. Keep scrolling to see for yourself!
Did you or your family members ever rock any of these now-vintage uniform looks? Let us know in the comments, and please SHARE this blast from the past with your family and friends!
Thumbnail source: Flickr / army.arch
1. Nurse
Today, we see both female and male nurses sporting bright blue scrubs in hospitals. But back in the day, women rocked a plain white dress with a collar — and no nurse outfit was complete without the hat to match!
2. Athlete
Women had an active role in playing professional sports when men were drafted overseas during WWII. In order to keep spirits high (and money coming in), many professional leagues scouted females to sub in for their male counterparts.
Above, you'll see women who played baseball wore sleeved dresses with sneakers — a very different look compared to the jerseys and pants we often see on TV today.
3. Flight Attendant
These days, many airlines are hiring fashion designers to elevate the look of their staff uniforms. However, many companies had it right the first time around, as seen in this vintage snapshot of flight attendants from Hawaiian Airlines — the tropical flower in the hair being a bit of a giveaway.
Rocking long-sleeved jackets with collared shirts underneath, knee-length skirts and a nice pair of shoes, these fashionable outfits and the professions that came with them were very desirable.
4. Waitress
These hard-working ladies usually wore sleeved dresses with puffy skirts, possibly with a checkered print, and an apron wrapped around their waists.
Sometimes, waitresses rocked a very fashionable look for their profession — maybe they were hoping it would get them a bit of an extra tip!
5. War Correspondent
No, women weren't able to fight in combat during the two world wars (although some of them did anyway), but they were certainly able to help in other ways — such as the women above who acted as war correspondents in the 1940s.
Their simple but stylish uniforms were certainly a unique twist on the traditional military garb.
6. Maid
You may only see these outfits in today's world when you go to the Halloween store, but people wore these traditional maid outfits on the job. With white frilly aprons and black dresses underneath, these women were ready to do their duty, even if they didn't look too thrilled about it.
7. Firefighter
This is another job that might surprise many, since even today we don't see too many female firefighters. In truth, women have been occupying this position and donning the uniform since the beginning of the 1900s, proving early on that females can do some heavy physical labor too.
8. Police Officer
These women in uniform meant some serious business. Appearing in similar attire as the men who occupied these jobs, the lady cops dressed from head to toe in dark clothing, with a fierce hat to match.
9. Farmer
Women who helped with farm work had quite the opposite expectations than what a housewife might. In particular, the women above were training hard for the Army, picking Brussels spouts as part of their workout.
This job was just downright dirty, so these females wore the appropriate attire — old pants, shirts, and aprons paired with some scuffed boots. What else would you expect?
10. Factory Worker
When men went off to war, women had to step up and help meet manufacturing needs in the factories. So just like Rosie the Riveter, these ladies kept their hair back with bandanas, threw on some baggy jumpsuits, and got to work — determined to prove that they could do the job just as well.
Did we miss a profession women would take up in the early 1900s that had a unique outfit? Do you prefer the strict uniforms of yesteryear or the casual looks of today? Let us know in the comments, and please SHARE with your family and friends on Facebook!
