Don't get me wrong — I love getting all dolled up in a frilly dress as much as the next woman. But I am definitely thankful it's no longer frowned upon for us gals to get around in a comfy pair of pants.
Of course, waltzing around in jeans or trousers seems totally normal to us now, but it wasn't too long ago that ladies were frowned upon for ditching their long skirts and dresses for the often more practical outfit choice. Thanks to the brave mold-breaking (and in some cases rule-breaking) women below, though, all of us are finally free to wear whatever we darn well please while we go about our days.
From movie stars to adventure seekers and even ancient warriors, everyone played their part in making sure women weren't confined to one idea of what it means to be "ladylike."
Did we miss your favorite daring woman from the past? Let us know in the comments and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
1. Katharine Hepburn
Hepburn's public appearances in trousers inspired both her fans and designers to capitalize on her star power by creating more chic options for women throughout her career in the late '40s and '50s.
2. Calamity Jane
The American frontierswoman and professional scout was known for not only keeping up with all the rough and tumble men around her in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but also for donning their attire, rather than the more traditional lacy dresses most women wore in the era.
3. Amelia Jenks Bloomer
Though she didn't invent the attire, Bloomer's work as a women's rights advocate — which included reforming everyday wear for less restrictive options — resulted in her name forever being associated with the garments.
4. Luisa Capetillo
As a political activist for labor rights in Puerto Rico — lobbying for better standards for both men and women — Capetillo became the first woman in her country to wear pants in public — something that got her arrested in 1919.
The judge later dropped the charges, and she was able to help pass a minimum wage law for workers.
5. The Amazonian Woman
As depicted here on an ancient Greek vase, Amazonian women were nothing to be trifled with back in the day, and definitely embraced the mobility of trousers over skimpy skirts.
6. Amelia Earhart
The well-known pilot wore bloomers as a little girl, despite noticing she was the only girl on her block to do so on a regular basis. She later popularized the sporty look as she broke records with her flying.
7. The WWII Factory Worker
During the war, women would take in their husbands' trousers while they were off in Europe to wear for their factory jobs back home.
While, for the most part, they probably put their skirts back on when the husbands returned, it definitely sparked many women to embrace pants for good.
8. Charlotte Thompson Reid
Former House Representative Charlotte Reid for the state of Illinois became the first woman to ever wear a pair of trousers in the U.S. Congress when she walked onto the floor in 1969.
9. Mary Tyler Moore
The original script for the pilot of The Dick Van Dyke show called for Moore's character to vacuum the living room in a dress and heels, like her precursor, June Cleaver, on Leave it to Beaver.
However, as a working mom in the suburbs, Moore insisted on representing a more realistic version of the women she knew in her neighborhood with pants, capris, and flat shoes.
10. Marlene Dietrich
Ironically, the beautiful actress didn't think much about the clothes she wore, but she definitely became a fashion icon for her androgynous appearance in outfits like the one seen above, and went on record saying, "I adore jeans. I get them in a public store – men's, of course."
11. Pat Nixon
As President Nixon's First Lady, Pat was also the first president's wife to ever appear in public wearing pants back in 1972.
Did we miss any groundbreaking ladies from back in the day? Let us know below and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
