In recent years, fashion has helped to stimulate a less marked vision between the male and female gender, both in terms of clothing and the colors to wear. This is how the so-called "genderless" fashion came to life, which wants to make every person free to express their personality and follow their instincts. Coco Chanel, the one who made a decisive contribution to freeing the female body from the constraints of time, is one of the first designers to propose trousers in a female version, adapting them to girls engaged in the most dynamic activities.

A discourse that today could be superfluous, especially in Western society, now accustomed to seeing women of all ages, wearing a garment such as trousers in a natural way. In the 1970s, for example, it was still considered immoral behavior for a woman to wear a pair. The liberation from this great impediment represented the achievement of a real goal for the female gender, an achievement that has marked the history of fashion and beyond.

But how did the pants come about? It is incredible to think so, but when the ancient peoples invented the ancestors of modern trousers, these were also used by women in need of a garment that was the right compromise between comfort and resistance. Only with the passing of time, from the Romans until the early nineteenth century, the trousers became an increasingly inaccessible piece to wear for ladies, who remained tied to traditional skirts for centuries to come.

Throughout history, however, there are no exceptions or events in which women with strong personalities such as Joan of Arc and later Elizabeth Smith Miller, contrasted the stereotypes of their era by wearing men's clothes.

If the nineteenth century is the period in which the Victorian code dictates the rules of women's fashion and women defy conventions by wearing trousers as a manifesto of independence, it is the 40s of the following century that represent a real revolution of their way of dressing. The idea of the woman working instead of the man, committed to fighting the Second World War, leads to the initial acceptance of the pants on the female body. In the 1970s, however, the success of jeans and the hippie movement definitively transformed trousers into an item of clothing for both sexes.

The constant demand for equal rights on the part of women is mainly due to the trust they have always placed in their values and energies that have allowed a greater stimulus, towards a positive attitude that, in the following years, also infects the Hollywood's world. This is how women's passion for trousers is transformed into a new way of declining their sensuality. Actresses like Katharine Hepburn, Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich, have made trousers their favorite garment, bringing to the fore the sex appeal of a piece commonly considered male.

Therefore, initially used as an act of denunciation and provocation, today trousers are an essential category of clothing for women as much as for men.

In 1913 it was Paul Poiret, a French designer and a leading figure in the history of fashion, who designed the first women's trousers. The prototype, quite different from today's conventional shapes, had a very wide leg cut and was inspired by the odalisque trousers worn by women of the Far East.

Today, however, the classic women's trousers by Max Mara, Alberta Ferretti and Salvatore Ferragamo are characterized by soft tailored lines, front pleats and details that make them feminine at the right point. These are perfect to combine with a jacket and a shirt for a sophisticated look of a true career woman, while with a basic top they make your outfit super casual. Often considered too formal, the solid color models or with a pinstripe pattern can be played down by the most varied patterns, opting for the printed trousers by Versace, Alexandre Vauthier and Etro, with which you will certainly not go unnoticed.

For an easier style, the women's chinos by Pinko and Ralph Lauren, with their masculine cut and light fabrics such as linen or cotton, are ideal to accompany a polo shirt and a pair of high-top sneakers, to be refined without too much effort.

Among the best known types, Dondup's cigarette trousers are a must, which stand out for their particular fit to the female body and the hem that touches the ankle. A perfect middle ground between the more flared models and the narrower ones, these women's trousers are able to give the maximum even if they complement just a simple garment of knitwear. In their most extreme version, the skinny pants are often made of stretch fabric, to perfectly shape the feminine lines. Suitable for women who like to show off their shapes, this model is much loved for its versatility: from a décolleté to a ballerine, from a tight top to a maxi sweater, they are an ideal passe-part-out for any occasion.

For a completely opposite style, flared trousers are among the most iconic models of this clothing category. Born in the hippie environment of the 60s and worn by both women and men, these were combined with patterned shirts and fringed tops. Very popular especially in the 1970s, flared trousers are characterized by a flared leg starting from the knee, which completely covers the footwear compared to bootcut jeans. They have recently come back into vogue thanks to a multitude of brands, including The Andamane, which has re-proposed them in its latest collections. Today, this model is also presented in a shorter version: the so-called flare pants by Gucci are suitable for those who want to evoke the style of past decades but following the trends of recent years, with less accentuated oversize lines, in combination with bodysuits or plain t-shirts, so as not to risk the John Travolta effect in “Saturday Night Fever”.

The wide women's trousers by Bottega Veneta and Isabel Marant, on the other hand, are the garment to focus on if you don't want to emphasize your silhouette, thanks to the straight and wide cut down to the feet. Perfect to wear with sneakers for an urban-chic look or with a slingback to be more elegant, the palazzo pants by Saint Laurent are a must for the woman who prefers refinement.

Among the models that became popular in the 1960s there are also cargo pants, now very popular among the girls for the practicality of the multi-pockets that characterize them and allow them to be used as a bag. With full-length pockets, these military-style trousers have been re-proposed over the years by many designers in different fabrics and patterns. Thanks to their versatility, Comme Des Garçons women's multi cargo are perfect for recreating a street style look with both a sport shoes and a pair of mules. The pants by Rotate Birger Christensen and the carrot-fit models by Issey Miyake also have a loose fit, which take their name from the width that characterizes them on the hips and thighs.

A comfortable alternative are, without a doubt, the Sportmax trousers in stretch fabric or the Undercover models, held at the waist with a drawstring inserted into a band, which allows to obtain the desired fit. Launched in the 1960s as a unisex garment, women's joggers in their most comfortable versions have been ennobled from a garment to stay at home as a garment that is also sensual, thanks to fabrics such as satin with which they are often made.

The search for maximum comfort has made sports trousers a must not only for men but also for women. With the joggers by Helmut Lang, MCQ Alexander Mcqueen and Burberry, the classic sweatpants have been transformed from banal clothing for the gym to the protagonist of cozy and hyper feminine looks. For a touch of a true influencer, they can be combined with a trendy sneakers, a blazer or a maxi coat.

Coming from the sports universe, leggings have changed their name over the years without ever going out of fashion. From the very first flared pantajazz used in dance and yoga classes, to the classic fuseaux, which became popular with aerobics in the 80s and now re-proposed by brands such as Adidas and Nike, passing through the stirrup pants by Prada and Jacquemus, very tight and with elastic bands that wrap around the sole of the foot, arriving at the most modern variants such as treggins or jeggins.

Today, stretch trousers have unwittingly entered the fashion firmament also for being worn by stars of the caliber of Madonna and Jennifer Lopez.

The leggings by Versace Jeans Couture and Dsquared2 can be part of the wardrobe of every girl, who can choose to wear a basic but glamorous garment every day, without sacrificing comfort.

Suitable to satisfy any style, from the most elegant to the most sporty, the strength of this type of women's trousers lies in the fabrics that characterize it, usually lycra or technical fibers. The riding trousers are also made with this last type of material, which differ from the world of leggings due to the thickness of their fabric, necessary in principle for the activity for which they were intended. Sported by women like the skilled champion Athina Onassis from the twentieth century, in more recent times it was Princess Diana who was often photographed with this model of tight-fitting ankle-length trousers, perfect to wear even today with a high boot.

Immersing themselves in the summer season, on the other hand, one cannot help but mention the Capri pants, which take their name from the island where they spread in the 1950s with exceptional testimonials such as Brigitte Bardot. Due to their mid-calf cut, models such as Miu Miu's trousers tend to shorten the figure and are especially recommended for smaller bodies. The most suitable footwear in this case is certainly a sandal or a wedge for a perfect holiday atmosphere. In the family of medium-length trousers, there is also a type, always made of light cotton, but distinguished from the previous ones by being shorter and often wider.

In short, from a purely male garment to an indispensable garment in the female wardrobe, trousers have come a long way! A path that, if one thinks of the saying “wearing trousers”, identifies a sense of strength and freedom, which today is finally reaching women as well.

Without forgetting that very often it is the details that make the difference, opting for Ermanno Scervino's trousers in leather version, or wearing a pair embellished with a belt, will allow you to create any look, from the most classic to super trendy! Whether it's the iconic hip-huggers, depopulated in the 90s, or the high-waisted trousers by The Attico and Elisabetta Franchi, the women's pants selection proposed by SHOPenauer offers the best international brands!