Which pant leg first

Though Edwardian and Victorian women had adopted them voluntarily , the undergarments literally made it difficult to move, sometimes even to breathe. Bloomers were not exactly a battle cry for equality in the form of trousers, though.

Bloomers did not suddenly break down the wall between women and pants. Activist Susan B. A woman in pants would remain a curiosity for some time. When mountaineer Annie Smith Peck summited the Matterhorn in , her climbing outfit included pants. Around the turn of the 20th century, though, something else was happening that would change how Americans and Europeans dressed. Ease of movement was starting to become a priority. In , actress Marlene Dietrich, who tantalized audiences as a tuxedo-clad cabaret singer in the film Morocco , caused a minor uproar by turning up to famed Hollywood hangout the Brown Derby in pants.

It would be decades before Cobb lifted his ban on women in pants, the Times said. During World War II, for instance, practicality trumped propriety and many women pulled on pants as they entered the workplace to fill the jobs left vacant by men going off to fight.

Even after the war, as women returned to the home, the notion of a woman wearing pants was losing its shock value—in the home at least, if not yet so much outside it. But the image of the housewife in a full skirt was quickly growing outdated. Mary Tyler Moore made it a point to use her wardrobe choices to update that image.

In the s, the actress wanted the character she played on The Dick Van Dyke Show to reflect the real lives of American women. Now, of course, former senator Hillary Clinton looks practically conservative in her wardrobe of pantsuits or you could just call them suits.

Still, there are lingering reminders that women have had to travel a long road to get to a point where they can cover their legs as they choose. As recently as , France revoked a law that barred women in Paris from wearing pants. Female revolutionaries wanted to don trousers too, but were prohibited, and risked arrest if they did.

And then, of course, there are still cases such as the schools in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, promoting beliefs that are long outdated by this point. Kozak, the Pennsylvania senior who fought to change the dress policy for her graduation ceremony, put it succinctly.

We are not living in the s anymore. Read more stories here. By providing your email, you agree to the Quartz Privacy Policy. Skip to navigation Skip to content.

Discover Membership. Editions Quartz. More from Quartz About Quartz. Follow Quartz. These are some of our most ambitious editorial projects. If reaching for a more business casual appearance, then adding a cuff to any kind of pants can help display a underpinning of fashionability beneath the laid back look. Consider cuffing your pants with a blazer or sport coat and see the different effects it has on your appearance. Always make sure that when cuffing your pants, you have enough fabric to do it properly, and the cuff looks straight, without sloppy seams or frayed thread showing, as those ruin the look—even if it is casual.

Taller men will want a cuff that is 1. The shorter a man is, or the more he wishes to accentuate his height, the less cuff he should have. A cuff shortens the appearance of a pant leg by making it appear to end sooner than it does by reducing the length of the seam line. Men seeking to make themselves appear taller would do well to avoid cuffed pants altogether, or at least reduce the cuff to a scant 1. This means you need to have something there to see! Derby shoes, Oxfords, monk straps, cap toes, and wingtips all look smashing beneath a tasteful fold.

On the other hand, penny loafers, boat shoes , and many slip-ons can appear too unrefined to make the look land properly. And while that is certainly true, cuffed pants demand you follow some sartorial rules to look their best. Keeping these factors in mind, you should be good to go adding a smart touch to your personal style. Are you big on cuffed pants? Do you agree with our ground rules for wearing cuffs stylishly?

Leave us a comment below! I have worn cuffs on my dress pants both pleated and more recently flat-front for several decades …. However, I almost never turn a cuff on my jeans. Your email address will not be published. Recognizing the value of the do-it-yourself movement of the last several years, thecoolist. Home Style. View in gallery via mensstylepro. Why Wear Cuffed Pants? Should I Cuff My Pants? Single pleated pants can be worn with or without cuffs.

Flat-front or no-pleat pants should not be worn with cuffs. Advice On Suits and Cuffs. One comment. Leave a Reply. You might also like. TheCoolist is supported by our readers. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

Let's connect.