part IV: the art of dress

part a: the dress practice of wearing pantaloons is body subordinate. pants draws attention away from the body because they were loose-fitting and do not conform to the body's curves.

part b: as far as aesthetics go...well, pants should be worn with one leg in each leg of the pants. this is the prescribed form. however, to be more specific in the case of women wearing pants in the 19th century, pants were not the prescribed form of dress at all. women were supposed to wear large skirts that covered their whole lower half. by wearing pants, they sent a very strong message of social defiance.

part c: women wearing pantaloons was a shocking act of defiance to what was attractive during this time in history. it was inappropriate for women to show even their ankles, let alone their legs.

part d: the social reforms of the 19th century were very important. women that did not conform and wore pants, and those who supported this movement, helped bring about social change that would alter america and the world forever. if these changes had not happened, women would still be wearing skirts, and who know if pants would have ever evolved. blue jeans might not even exist. fortunately, men and women can now showcase their individuality and wear pants as much as they like.

portfolio part III: dress and culture scale

part a and b: the dress practice of women wearing pants in the early 19th century has traits from teh commercial-scale culture, so that is what i am going to focus on for this portion of the portfolio.

polity/government: America was and is still a democratic republic at this time in history. there were many changes going on at this time regarding the abolishment of slavery and the right of women to vote. the social dress reform was just a small part of the large upheaval of ideas that would have required legislation to make those proposed changes into law and accepted practices.

ideology: at this time in history, women were seen as second-class citizens with few rights. social norms dictated by religious beliefs required them to adhere to certain vanities of the day, while at the same time criticizing them for doing so. the religious leaders considered the forward thinking women and dress reformers as heathens and heretics.

dress: pants at this time were made of cotton or linen. men wore breeches or pantaloons, and when women started wearing pants they were mainly worn under their shortened skirts. these pants were pre-shaped and decreased the gender differentiation. there was not a lot of room for individual taste or variety; the idea of women wearing pants was a change in itself.

society: in america at this time, industry and capitalism was expanding everywhere. cities were growing larger, and consumerism was just starting to take off. women wearing pants changed how society saw women, and how men and women viewed society. it seems that everyone, from doctors, religious leaders, social reformers, men, and women had an opinion about women's pants, one way or another.

economy: in america, capitalism was the norm. new businesses were starting up at this time, mass production of clothing and other goods and services, and people were working.

technology: during this time, industrial machines were able to mass produce goods and services, and factories were everywhere. pants were produced as men's clothings.

human population: the population in america during the social reforms of the 19th century was growing rapidly. urbanization was increasing.

part c: the dress practice of women wearing pants was definitely "zeitgist" the spirit of the times. there were so many social changes going on in america at this time; women were fighting for the right to vote and own property, and the radical change in dress practices was part of this cacophony of changes.