International Journal of Human Ecology

The Korean Home Economics Association (대한가정학회)
권호 표지

American Women's Adoption of Pants and the Changing Definition of Femininity during World War II

  • Received : 2010.01.03
  • Accepted : 2010.03.07
  • Published : 2010.06.30
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Abstract

Articles from The New York Times and magazines including Consumer Digest, Journal of Home Economics, Scholastic, Time and Woman's Home Companion were analyzed in this study and focused on the following research questions: How did the social situation influence American women's adoption of pants during World War II? How were the social opinions of women's adoption of pants? How did American women's adoption of pants and the social opinions on women's pants represent the process of change in the definition of femininity during World War II? Women were encouraged to wear pants in work places because many women had to work in defense industries and farms. Women had to wear pants during the winter to keep warm in order to conserve oil, rubber, and other materials. In addition, wearing men's clothes became a fashion trend among college women during this period. However, practicality was often not the primary thing alone to consider in women's fashion. Femininity was still important in women's fashion. There were criticisms over the women's adoption of pants. Regulations against pants were imposed on women, while there were women who wanted to dress like ladies even at defense industries. An abrupt change in women's gender roles and the increased adoption of trousers aroused social ambivalence about the traditional definition of femininity. Even though many women returned to their homes after the war, the social demand of practicality in women's day-time clothes during the war offered women the experience of comfort and practicality in pants. These experiences contributed to paving the way for more women to adopt pants and helped establishing a new definition of femininity after the war.

Keywords

References

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