WOMEN WEARING SLACKS - NOT IN MY MOTHER'S DAY

As far back as I can remember when I was growing up, my mother always wore skirts and dresses. I don't recall ever seeing her in a pair of slacks until probably in the late 70's. My mother was a beautiful seamstress and made most of her own clothes. I vividly remember her in pretty floral skirts with a coordinating blouse that she had made and quite often with a dainty brooch at the neck. I can even remember her washing the floor with her skirt kind of pinned up out of her way. I have posted one picture of my mom and I when I was probably around 6 and even I am in a cute little suit that she made for me. The other pictures are her and my dad on a trip to Florida in front of a large fish - no slacks there either. The one picture I just love is of my mom, my grandfather and a lady friend from Chicago at a family picnic and both ladies are in skirts, and playing croquet no less. That is how I remember my mom - always impeccably dressed even when she was doing house work. I don't know how she did it. When I am doing housework or washing the floor - you don't want to see me as it is not a pretty picture.

"Pants for women started in the 1930-1940s. Dress pants or slacks were popularized by Katherine Hepburn who shocked people by wearing wide legged pants, and Marlene Dietrich who wore men's tuxedos tailored to fit her. Jeans for women started in the 1950's, but solely for recreation like camping, hiking, etc. It wasn't until the late 60s to early 70s that jeans became acceptable to wear in public or school. Big designer labels came mostly in the early 80s with Calvin Klein."


As stated above even tho a few of the stars wore the wide legged pants in the 40's - most women didn't wear them until the late 60's or early 70's.

I remember pants or slacks for women were not allowed in the office or schools until probably in the 70's. When I worked for a legal office in the 60's there were no women wearing what we refer to today as the power suit or business suit. That came later.

What is ironic is that in my mother's later years when she was in her late 60's, 70's and 80's - she would only wear slacks because she complained that her legs were too thin to wear skirts. How times have changed. I do know one thing tho - my mother would not have liked the hipsters the kids wear now with their stomachs hanging over the top. She would have been appalled.