That item snatched from the men’s wardrobe that became a symbol. When Coco Chanel appeared wearing her boyfriend’s pants, the fashion world experienced one of its first iconic moments. Nothing would ever be the same for women.
Absolute symbol of freedom and comfort, there is no longer any dispute that this is the woman’s favorite uniform, suiting all styles and different times of day. Although there was a time when they were forbidden, it’s no longer surprising to see a woman in pants. On the contrary, it elevates femininity, confidence, and style. Wearing trousers is more than a cliché. For fashion, it’s a way to offer a new possibility for using an timeless classic.
Parisian Allure
Chic, charm, and allure are three French words that don’t have a precise meaning but, without overthinking it, invite you to understand what it’s all about. And when we talk about style, French women know a lot. Even if we try to explain it, it’s simply about wearing clothes with grace and personality rather than effort.
These are the easy, familiar garments that only need to be worn with confidence. This is how two simple yet fundamental wardrobe elements come together to create a look with impact and sex appeal.
The trench, in this case a bit oversized, is that symbol the Parisian woman knows exactly how to wear so it always looks fresh. The wide black trousers are another item whose sole mission is to amplify freedom and femininity, especially when paired with sky-high heels. The styling only requires a simple silk ribbon at the neck to highlight the décolletage.
The Added Value
At first glance it appears to be a black tailored suit with contrast-colored topstitching as decoration. In reality, it is a two-piece created by a tailor sourced from a clothing surplus and brought up to date. Redefining garments to give them a new life and a new use without losing their essence means finding a fresh way to wear them and coordinating them with other pieces, in this case a cropped shirt and a tie, also reclaimed from disuse.
A way to revalue what already exists, to highlight the tailor’s handiwork and to place it on a new footing with a new way of wearing them so that they keep living.
Pant-Skirt
50 shades of black. A dark palette with deeper shadows to create an atmosphere of mystery and elegance. The different textures and proportions achieve a silhouette that is at once new and balanced. Also called culotte, the pant-skirt is that piece which, although it appears in defined seasons, can also hold a regular place in the female wardrobe. Half skirt and half trousers, it is a hybrid that, besides being practical, is chic.
It originated from the wardrobes of aristocrats and soldiers who cut trousers at knee height. In 1911, Paul Poiret introduced them in the form of oriental harem pants and caused a scandal. In 1931 the designer Elsa Schiaparelli designed and wore her own culottes on the streets of London. It was in the 1960s that they became popular after American designer Norman Norell presented them as a new, modern option.
The following years saw the pant-skirt reappear periodically. It’s a piece whose style outlives trends.
Tailoring and Femininity
It’s about enhancing women’s femininity, not masculinizing them with trousers. Although there were controversial moments in the past, it was in the 1930s and 40s when the social role of women was challenged by the first women wearing pants, because the protagonists were Hollywood stars of the era. One of them was Katharine Hepburn, who wore them both on screen and in daily life. Her comfortable, effort-free way drew a lot of attention, combined with a masculine style that was unusual for the time. That is why her personal style transcends and continually finds adherents who adapt and adopt garments from men’s wardrobes. A coat, a striped shirt, and men’s trousers fitted at the waist form the base look for this winter that is present.
The Jumpsuit
Although at first glance doubt might arise, the jumpsuit does indeed have pants and deserves the chance to highlight this fact. During World War II, women were required to wear coveralls to work in factories, and that could be said to be the moment when the one-piece became a necessity.
Although a lot of time has passed, today the one-piece is fully established in women’s wardrobes. Suitable for different times of the day, it is at night when it lends itself to pairing a feminine top that bares the back with the quintessential masculine icon reimagined and feminized in such a way that its past only reminds us of the freedom of movement as we walk.
MODEL @finibocchino for @musemanagement
PHOTOS @chrisbeliera
VIDEO @ph.candela
STYLING @alegarcia360
MAKEUP @ro_somoza for @sebastiancorreaestudio
HAIR @marcobustamante
