The Power of The Pantsuit

It's strange the way an outfit can change your mood. We claim to not put too much thought or effort into clothing but we all know that what we choose to wear in implicated in our intentions for the day and majorly reflects how we were feeling that morning. The pantsuit is arguably one of the most powerful outfit choices out there. It radiates professionalism, strength and effort. It's almost as if 

when wearing a pantsuit, a woman is aware of and embodies the women before her. Those that made it possible for her to thrive off of this empowering and fashionable garment. 

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Archaeological evidence seems to suggests that both men and women historically wore trousers. However, somewhere along the line, a new 
restrictive norm emerged. It was then the role of brave and justice 
seeking women to bring back freedom for women to dress for the 
powerful roles they wanted and were perfectly able to fill. It wasn't until recently that the mass decided to stray from the status quo. Eventually, the initial rebellion became the new status quo. That's why it's important to not succumb to the brushing over of those that defied a norm and bore the burden to get us here.

Elizabeth Smith Miller. An early equal rights advocate who designed the bloomer in 1851 to give women more freedom to move as they wished. The bloomer gained widespread attention and popularity and begun to be known as 'freedom dress'.

Emma Snodgrass and Harriet French. Both of these women were arrested in Boston in 1852 for disguising themselves by wearing 'male clothing'. French noted that she'd risked arrest because she knew that dressing in trousers would instantly open her to higher wages and more job opportunities. Neither woman was wavered by their arrest and continued to defy the laws that held them back. Both were later arrested numerous times again.

Jennie Westbrook. Arrested in 1882 for wearing a suit. She said thatshe wanted to break free from the unequal opportunity subjected on her due to her sex. 

Sarah Bernhardt.Created scandal in Paris in the 1870s by wearing a suit. She called it her boy's clothes.

Marlene Dietrich. Famously wore a black suit at her film premiere in 
the 1930s. Around the same time, Eleanor Roosevelt became the first First Lady to attend a formal event in trousers.

1939. The year Vogue first printed a spread of a woman in trousers.

Katharine Hepburn. An American actress intent on wearing pant suits both on and off screen. She ended up winning a lifetime achievement award in Fashion for this.

Nan Kempner. For two years Yves Saint Laurent designed what he called his most important design, a women's formal suit, Kempner was denied access to a restaurant for wearing it. She had to take off her trousers and wear the top half as a dress. A version of the pant suit has been included in every YSL collection since.

Janelle Monae. A GRAMMY nominated artist who performs exclusively in pantsuits, saying she does so because she fees a responsibility to "help redefine what it looks like to be a woman".

Hillary Clinton. Wore pant suits throughout her US election campaign making sure to note this in her final speech. She called her supporter 'the sisterhood of the travelling pantsuits'.

2019. The year that Virgin Atlantic allowed female flight attendants to wear trousers.

With all this history behind it, the pant suit becomes embezzled with meaning and significance. It's no wonder it has such impact when we wear one. A woman in a pant suit is a sign of the progress we've made. She's joining the women behind her who were brave enough to step out in the controversial attire.

By Josie Hart