Pants

The History and Cultural Influence of Pants

Today, pants are such a staple of wardrobe that little thought is placed in them. Pants, however, have a long history in European culture, and have been a focal point of social change. Throughout the garments' history, pants have been symbolic of barbarism, power, modernization, and patriotism.

In ancient times, pants did not have the respect and influence that they have enjoyed over the last several centuries. The Greeks encountered pants among people from the east, particularly the Persians. The Greeks considered pants to be barbaric and unmanly, as true men would not wear something so constricting. During the Greco-Persian Wars, the Persians' pants were a point of derision by the Greeks, an example of how the Persians were inferior and effeminate.

As the Roman Republic adopted many things from Ancient Greece, the Romans also adopted the Greeks' opinion of pants. This view was cemented by the Romans' exposure to barbarian cultures beyond the Republic, particularly the Gauls and Celts. These peoples resided in northern Europe, which was significantly colder than the Mediterranean. The Roman military eventually adopted pants as they spent more time in these colder regions, and the style was passed into civilian life. Pants were not a respectable garment in Ancient Rome, but they became acceptable.

With the slow collapse of the Roman Empire in the middle of the first millennium, European clothing styles were still influenced by Roman culture. Pants were optional, based on climate, and tunics were the style. As the centuries progressed, pants were little more than an undergarment, worn beneath the long tunics stylistically descended from Roman dress. As fashion evolved, these tunic became shorter, receding to the waist in the 15th century. Pants at the time were open in the front, so the codpiece was developed as a triangular piece of fabric to cover the genitals. During the 16th century, pants were...