Why Skirts Became Feminine and Trousers Masculine
Why Skirts Became Associated With Women and Trousers With Men The short answer is: skirts are not an inherently “female” form of clothing, and trousers are not an inherently “male” one. Across history, many men wore non-bifurcated garments — garments that do not pass between the legs — such as tunics, robes, kilts, togas, kaftans, sarongs, and long shirts. The strong Western association of women = skirts/dresses and men = trousers developed gradually from a mix of practical needs, class signals, gender norms, modesty rules, and later industrial-era fashion conventions. ...