Pantsuit

History

The pantsuit was introduced in the 1920s, when a small number of women adopted a masculine style, including pantsuits, hats, canes and monocles. However, the term "trouser suit" had been used in Britain during the First World War, with reference to women working in heavy industry.

During the 1960s pantsuits for women became increasingly widespread. Designers such as Foale and Tuffin in London and Luba Marks in the United States were early promoters of trouser suits. In 1966 Yves Saint-Laurent introduced his Le Smoking, an evening pantsuit for women that mimicked a man's tuxedo. Whilst Saint-Laurent is often credited with introducing trouser suits, it was noted in 1968 that some of his pantsuits were very similar to designs that had already been offered by Luba Marks, and the London designer Ossie Clark had offered a trouser suit for women in 1964 that predated Saint Laurent's 'Le Smoking' design by two years. In Britain a social watershed was crossed in 1967 when Lady Chichester, wife of the navigator Sir Francis Chichester, wore a trouser suit when her husband was publicly knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

In the past, pantsuits were often deprecated as inappropriately masculine clothing for women. For example, until 1993, women were not permitted to wear pantsuits (or pants of any kind) on the United States Senate floor. In 1993, Senators Barbara Mikulski and Carol Moseley Braun wore pants onto the floor in defiance of the rule, and female support staff followed soon after, with the rule being amended later that year by Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Martha S. Pope to allow women to wear pants on the floor so long as they also wore a jacket, thus allowing pantsuits, among other types of clothing.

Pantsuit Nation was a private Facebook group and Twitter hashtag used to rally Hillary Clinton supporters during her 2016 presidential campaign in the United States. The group was not affiliated with a political party, but its symbol, the pantsuit, was used as a metonym for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign – similarly to how red-colored hats were used for the campaign of her opponent, Donald Trump.

Gallery

EPP Summit, Brussels, May 2019 (47951981027).jpg|Angela Merkel wearing the trouser suit during May 2019 European People's Party Summit in Brussels Governor-healey-honored-as-person-of-the-year-at-gavin-foundation-event 54502307070 o.jpg|Governor Maura Healey wearing a pantsuit during a speech, May 2025 Tokyo Motor Show 2009 (4060110455).jpg|Nissan promotional models wear pantsuits at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, Japan Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel 2018 (cropped).jpg|Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden (right) wears a trouser suit in 2018 Christelle Vuanga.jpg|Congolese politician Christelle Vuanga wears a pink pantsuit near the flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2022 Zhanar Aitzhanova - World Economic Forum on Europe 2011.jpg|Kazakh politician Janar Aitjanova wears a pantsuit during a World Economic Forum meeting in 2011

References

References

1. Henrietta Heald, 'For England's Sake', ''History Today'', October 2014, page 33
2. "Marion Foale & Sally Tuffin".
3. (12 September 1966). "Ballerina is Heroine of Medium Price Coat". The Daily Times-News, Burlington.
4. Alexander, Hilary. [http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG3347959/Smoke-without-fire.html "Smoke Without Fire."] The Telegraph (Dec. 12, 2005).
5. (30 September 1968). "Let the Winners Lead the Way". New York Magazine.
6. (2003). "Ossie Clark, 1965-74". V&A Publications.
7. (July 1967). "Francis Chichester Knighted (1967)". British Pathé.
8. Robin Givhan (20 July 2007) [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/19/AR2007071902668.html "Hillary Clinton's Tentative Dip Into New Neckline Territory"] ''Washington Post''
9. Robin Givhan. (2004-01-21). "Moseley Braun: Lady in red". Chicago Tribune.
10. (2005-06-09). "The Long and Short of Capitol Style". Roll Call.