Pants already existed in the 1st millennium BC – there is historical evidence that nomadic peoples such as the Scythians, Sarmatians and Dacians had such a garment. Trousers were much more comfortable for riding than long robes. In ancient times, in Germany, cloths or pieces of leather were wrapped around the shins and fastened with straps. These canvases then turned into closed trousers and had the shape of sleeves.In Europe, trousers first appeared among the Gauls and some Germanic tribes, and later the Romans learned about them, but this garment was not accepted by them, because it was considered “barbaric”, hence the ban on wearing it. The area on the other side of the Alps was called by the Romans Gallia bracata, i.e. Gallia dressed in pants. Bracae – trousers, German version – Bruch. The imperial decree, which introduced a ban on the use of this clothing, promised, in case of disobedience, deprivation of property and exile. Later, trousers nevertheless entered the wardrobe of an ordinary Roman as everyday wear. Two models took root in the empire: Feminalia, which reached the middle of the calf or knee, and Braccae, which reached the ankles. At first they were worn in plain sight, but gradually they were more and more hidden under other clothes and eventually turned into underwear.

Middle Ages without pants 

In the clothes of the Middle Ages, trousers were absent as a visible wardrobe item. Men and women wore long flowing robes. The appearance of the ideal man at court during the time of love cults was rather feminine: delicate jacket, silky hair and spacious clothes, emphasized by a narrow belt. On the surviving images of that time, sometimes it is not at all easy to distinguish between men and women.

Masculinity for show

Since the 15th century, a deliberate emphasis on masculinity has become fashionable – first with the help of a stuffed fly, and through a convex codpiece. The codpiece was highlighted with a different color of fabric, decorated with ribbons and bows, for a long time this detail became the most catchy attribute of men’s fashion. The cut, length and width of the pants could change, but the codpiece remained unchanged. Sometimes he was also provided with a pocket in which a man could keep a handkerchief or money. And only at the turn of the 17th century did it lose its significance. To date, the codpiece exists in all men’s trousers and partially in women’s. This is the detail in the middle of the pants above the zipper. That is, it still emphasizes masculinity, so women do not have to do it when sewing trousers, in my opinion 🙂

spanish pants 

In the 17th century, the shape of men’s trousers was inconsistent and varied. Short Spanish trousers were stuffed with bran or horsehair to give them the shape of a ball.

Culottes and sans-culottes 

Around the 1660s, culottes replaced the culottes. Culottes ( fr. culotte) – short, fastened under the knee pants. The model was considered a front dress, and only aristocrats wore it. Over time, the culottes became more and more narrow and dense, until they completely fitted the legs. It is known that during the French Revolution, the nobility called poor, revolutionary-minded people who wore long trousers sans-culottes, that is, “without culottes.” However, some time later, the descendants of these aristocrats themselves began to wear such clothes. In order for long trousers not to fold into folds and to be perfectly stretched, hairpins were used, which in Russia were called stirrups. In fact, sans-culottes opened the way for long trousers into society. Long trousers soon spread to the entire continent. Today, sans-culottes are back in fashion, but they are mistakenly called culottes. Let’s look at the difference.

culottes

sans-culottes

The end of the 18th century gave not only the freedom of France, but also a new model of trousers – pantaloons. The long model, which completely covered the legs, got its name from the theatrical hero Pantaloon, who wore just such trousers. In England, the model also became very common, and by the middle of the 19th century was the most popular streetwear. A shortened version of this garment was used by women as underwear.

In the 19th century, shorts also appeared, which got their name from the English word “short” – short. According to some researchers, the shorts were part of the uniform of the British colonial troops. Other fashion historians believe that the model was born in Cambridge, and came up with her students involved in water sports. In any case, this type of clothing is still popular among both men and women.

At the end of the 19th century, breeches appeared, fitting from below to the knees and wide at the top. Such trousers in Russia got their name from the name of the French cavalry general Gaston Galifet and, subsequently, became part of the uniform of the Red Army.

Since about 1840, they have become a universally recognized item of men’s wardrobe.

Pants in Russia

In Russia, trousers were called “trousers” and, just like in Europe, they were considered exclusively men’s clothing. There were several types of them: summer, quilted and warm, lined with fur. Often, for ordinary people, trousers were sewn from cloth, and in place of the modern fly there was a piece of fabric in the form of a rhombus. The king and noble persons wore trousers made of satin, taffeta, damask and other materials inaccessible to ordinary people. Among the northern peoples there were trousers decorated with embroidery.

Trousers appeared in Russia thanks to Peter I.  In 1700, the last tsar of all Russia, returning from the Netherlands, issued a decree according to which all nobles and city dwellers had to abandon their usual old suit and wear stockings and culottes.

Women’s pants

Unlike some countries of the East, where it was simply mandatory for women to wear trousers, in Europe this type of clothing was considered exclusively male until the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. Until the 17th century, those who disagreed with this opinion and decided to appear in “male” clothes, the fair sex, conceived, went to the stake. Jeanne d’Arc, who was one of the first to dare to wear trousers, is proof of this.

In the 19th century, this type of clothing was the weakness of the French writer George Sand, who wore trousers despite the disapproval of others.

For a long time, women were allowed to wear trousers only as a work uniform, as well as for horseback riding. In addition, at the end of the 19th century, some women began to wear trousers for cycling.

Since the 1930s, the active and demonstrative wearing of trousers by the great Hollywood actresses, for example, Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn, begins. Largely thanks to them, trousers began to be perceived as an ordinary part of the women’s wardrobe.

During the Second World War, women who worked in the rear doing men’s work wore trousers for convenience. This type of clothing became more and more popular, for example, in the summer of 1944 it became known that sales of trousers had increased five times compared to 1943.

In 1960, trousers were first presented by André Courrèges as a fashionable element of women’s wardrobe, and since that time they have become a full part of it, not condemned by society. Andre believed that a miniskirt and a pantsuit are much more suitable for a woman of the 60s. Courrèges was one of the first to understand that elements of men’s style can be used in women’s fashion, but he did not just copy these elements, but created something fundamentally new on their basis. Famous fashion designers also contributed to the popularization of trousers: Coco Chanel, who herself wore this piece of clothing, and Yves Saint Laurent, who introduced the first women’s trouser suit to the fashion world.