Attempts to introduce trousers into women's fashion were made at the beginning of the 20th century. Paul Poiret, inspired by the aesthetics of the East and Diaghilev's Russian ballets, offered women trousers, which, however, took root in the wardrobes of a very limited number of his clients.
A little later, Coco Chanel tried to introduce pants into fashion, who believed that men and women could wear the same thing. Finding herself in the villa of her lover, Etienne Balsan, who adored horses and equestrian sports, she decided to learn to ride, but she felt uncomfortable in a long skirt, so she changed into one of his suits. In the future, things "borrowed" from the men's wardrobe became important codes for Chanel. “I gave women a feeling of freedom,” said the designer.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were also rebels who chose emphatically masculine things. Actresses Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich wore pants and jackets not only in the frame, but also in everyday life. But these are movie stars - an ordinary woman had no right to go to a restaurant, municipality, theater and many other places if she was wearing trousers. By the way, in France the law prohibiting women from wearing trousers was canceled only in 2013. Of course, at that time no one remembered about such a ban (or even did not know), but nevertheless, according to the law introduced more than 200 years ago, a woman had to ask permission from a police officer in order to "dress like a man." … She could have been arrested without a document.
Marlene Dietrich © Bettmann / Contributor / Getty Images
Until the 1980s, society could not decide how to relate to trousers on women. In 1979, Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister of Great Britain, and a whole new era began, including in fashion. A strict trouser suit, jackets with wide, graphic shoulders have become the embodiment of new femininity.
Today, the trouser suit is again relevant, and, interestingly, this is not just a designer whim: several events stand behind the trend at once, which became important prerequisites for the return of the power dressing aesthetics.
At the end of 2017, The Independent named Donald Trump as one of the key fashion influencers of our day. It's not about his style of dress, but about sexist statements, the consequences of which are feminist slogans on T-shirts of every other designer, the march of women in pink hats in Washington and the return of 1980s trends.
Even earlier, during the election race, almost all glossy publications and designers actively supported Hillary Clinton. "The best Clinton suits", "What to wear a jacket with", "How Hillary Clinton's style changed" and a dozen more similar headlines appeared on every near-fashion site almost every day.
Hillary Clinton © Jack Gruber-Pool / Getty Images
If you rewind the tape until 2015, you can recall a column by fashion director of the New York Times, fashion critic Vanessa Friedman, in which she argues that the future of fashion lies in women politicians like Angela Merkel and Hillary Clinton.
Friedman was right. For several seasons in a row, trouser suits remain a powerful trend and do not leave the catwalks either in spring or autumn. Actress Cynthia Nixon, best known for her role as Miranda on Sex and the City, recently announced her candidacy for Governor of New York, and TV presenter Oprah Winfrey may run for the presidency in 2020 (caps with slogans "Oprah 2020 "Are already on the Instagram accounts of celebrities and fashion editors).
1 of 10 Acne Studios (Matches Fashion) © Press Service Chloé (Tsum) © Press Service Gabriela Hearst (Matches Fashion) © Press Service Kiton (Tsum) © Press Service Rag & Bone (Net-a-Porter) © press service of Salvatore Ferragamo (My Theresa) © press service of Thom Browne (Matches Fashion) © press service of Tibi (Net-a-Porter) © press service of Tiko Paksa (Farfetch) © press service
By the way, the suit, in the best traditions of power dressing, has undergone a number of changes, has become more relaxed, but at the same time retained its severity. The classics are always in price, but if you want an unusual option, do not write off deconstruction, delicate pastel shades and trousers in suit fabric, complemented by stripes.>