Although we think traditionally of trousers as being a typical male item of clothing, they did not start to become ubiquitous for men in this country until the 16^th century.  Prior to that men wore flowing robes similar in appearance to those worn by women with the only difference being certain decorative accents and styling tweaks.

Have you ever wondered why the word “trousers” is plural when it describes a single item of clothing?  Wonder no more!  Most people guess that it has something to do with the fact that it goes on two legs but if that were the reason then why is a jumper not called jumpers?  It is in fact to do with the way trousers were originally constructed.  Each leg had a separate piece of cloth covering it and there were simple ties at the top of the legs to hold them in place.  So trousers were in fact two separate garments and hence the plural form.

Women had been wearing trousers in a minor way for many years before they started to become really popular and as for the origins of the adoption of many things in society, it was all to do with the war.  When most of the fit and healthy men were called up to do their bit for the war effort, it was women who were in line to take their place, and trousers were simply the most practical garments for the hard labour that had to be done.  Although immediately after the second world war there was an immediate demand for a return to femininity as epitomised by Chanel’s “new look” in the years immediately proceeding the war, it turned out that trousers for women were here to stay and although women still relish the chance to get dolled up in a pretty dress, for everyday attire nothing beats the practicality of trousers.

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