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[[File:Skythian_archer_plate_BM_E135_by_Epiktetos.jpg|thumbnail|250px200px|left|Scythian archer drawing an arrow from his quiver as he turns to shoot at the enemy. Shown wearing pants. Inscriptions in small and neat letters: to the left of the figure: Επικτετος; on his right: εγρασφεν (sic). Interior from an Attic red-figured plate. From Vulci. Between 520 and 500 BCE]]Who invented pants? The simple answer is that we do not who invented pants. Pants developed in multiple cultures around the world. The better question is: Why did humans start wearing pants? To answer this question , it’s important to understand two things - first, what were the earliest forms of clothing and how did they evolve evolved into pants , and secondly, why did a need for pants develop? It is also helpful to define what is meant by pants - specifically a bifurcated garment for the bottom half of the body which covers covering from waist to the lower leg. This definition helps to differentiate from the earlier leggings which were often pieces of cloth or skins which were wrapped around the legs and then tied on with straps. Leggings were comprised of two separate garments. Ötzil the Ice Man, perhaps the most famous archaeological find of prehistoric human remains from the northern regions, was found wearing leggings.

==Earliest Origins==From archaeological evidence, it is known This definition helps to differentiate from the earlier leggings that the earliest types were often pieces of clothing were wrap skirts cloth or aprons for both genders. The oldest known woven example is a fragment made from woven reeds found in Armenia skins wrapped around the legs and dating from approximately 2900 BCE. While this is just a fragment the construction hints to what the complete style would have looked like then tied on with a waistband woven in the opposite direction from the skirt. This is likely stylistically based off of earlier versions made from hides which do not survive to the modern daystraps. Even earlier examples were of so-called string skirts which Leggings were comprised of a waistband with strings or pieces of grass hanging down - these skirts often tied like an apron and depictions can be found in art dating back nearly 20,000 yearstwo separate garments. In Ötzil the present day this style is still seen in southeast Asian and other countries, for exampleIce Man, perhaps the most famous archaeological find of prehistoric human remains from the sarong, a traditionally unisex garment. In colder climatesnorthern regions, these could be paired with the previously mentioned was wearing leggings and a T-shaped tunic. These are all very simple garment that requires limited construction and materials. <ref>Douglas A. Russell, <i>Costume history and style</i> (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983), 2</ref>

The development ==What are the Earliest Origins of pants came alongside Pants?==From archaeological evidence, it is known that the domestication earliest types of horses and served as an indicator of class and professionclothing were wrapped skirts or aprons for both genders. People who rode horses needed to have a way of protecting their legs and remaining clothed as The oldest known woven example is a simple wrap garment would not remain on the body. Some early variants involved using the same single pieces of cloth and tying it through the legs to create trousers. Horses were initially domesticated fragment made from woven reeds found in Central Asia sometime between 3500 Armenia and 3000 approximately 2900 BCE. Horses were While this is just a signifier of prestige, and in many cultures horses and fragment the construction hints at what the equipment used in riding them or in using them to drive chariots were included complete style would have looked like with a waistband woven in the tombs of opposite direction from the eliteskirt. In these earliest horse riding cultures then trousers, as a form of clothing connected to horses, also served as a sign of prestige. <ref>"What We Theorize - When and Where Domestication Occurred," What We Theorize - When and Where Domestication Occurred | International Museum of the Horse, http://www.imh.org/exhibits/online/what-we-theorize-when-and-where-domestication-occurredThis is likely stylistically based on earlier versions made from hides that do not survive modern times.</ref>

The earliest existing pair Even earlier examples were of pants was found in China and dates to around 1000 BCE so- within 1000 years called string skirts comprised of the time when it is believed horses were initially domesticated. These pants are constructed of wool a waistband with legs made strings or pieces of multiple panelsgrass hanging down - these skirts often tied like an apron and depictions can be found in art dating back nearly 20,000 years. Experts believe due to In the construction present day, this style of these garments that they were designed specifically is still seen in Southeast Asia and other countries, for horseback riding rather than for warmth or protection from example, the underbrushsarong, a traditionally unisex garment. These garments show a more complex pieced construction than those tunics and skirtsIn colder climates, these could be paired with far more small parts stitched together instead of being the previously mentioned leggings and a simple wrap or comprised of two simple shapes sewn to one anotherT-shaped tunic. These were garments which were specifically designed for a task rather than to protect the wearer from the elementsare all effortless garment that requires limited construction and materials.<ref>Ulrike Beck et alDouglas A.Russell, "The invention of trousers and its likely affiliation with horseback riding and mobility: A case study of late 2nd millennium BC finds from Turfan in eastern Central Asia," <i>Quaternary InternationalCostume history and style</i> 348  (2014Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983): , doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2014.04.056.2</ref> In this way, pants helped to define a class and social divisions, as wearing them visually identified the wearer with the tasks which they completed.

While == Did the development Domestication of horseback riding horses led to the immediate beginnings Pants? ==The development of pants they were not instantly accepted came alongside horses' domestication and served as an indicator of class and profession. People who rode horses needed to protect their legs and remaining clothed as a simple wrap garment across would not remain on the entire world at that timebody. InsteadSome early variants involved using the same single pieces of cloth and tying it through the legs to create trousers. Horses were. Initially domesticated in Central Asia sometime between 3500 and 3000 BCE. Horses were a signifier of prestige, they spread gradually and often faced challenges among in many cultures that considered themselves more “civilized” than those who horses and the equipment used in riding them or in using them to drive chariots were wearing pantsincluded in the elites' tombs. In these earliest horse riding cultures, trousers, as a form of clothing connected to horses, also served as a sign of prestige. <ref>"What We Theorize - When and Where Domestication Occurred," What We Theorize - When and Where Domestication Occurred | International Museum of the Horse, http://www.imh.org/exhibits/online/what-we-theorize-when-and-where-domestication-occurred. </ref>

==Development The earliest existing pair of pants was found in the Western World==Scythian warriors, both male, China and female, from Central Eurasia, are depicted wearing tight fitting trousers in Greek art dating from the 6th centuries dates to around 1000 BCE- within 1000 years when it is believed horses were initially domesticated.<ref>Susan Brown, <i> Fashion: the definitive history These pants are constructed of costume and style </i> (New York, NY: DK Publishing, 2012), 15.</ref> Similar styles, consisting wool with legs made of a tunic and trousers have been found surviving in tombsmultiple panels. The Greeks wore a wrapped garment, the chiton, and viewed the wearing of trousers as something done by foreigners and females - some historians Experts believe that the Amazons of Greek myth were at least partially based off of the female warriors construction style of the Scythians. In these myths, garments was designed specifically for horseback riding rather than for warmth or protection from the trousers come to stand as just one of the ways these warriors buck tradition.<ref>Mayor, Adrienne. <i> The Amazons: lives and legends of warrior women across the ancient world.</i> Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2014, 96underbrush.</ref>

In the Roman worldThe garments show a more complex pieced construction than those tunics and skirts, the toga was the typical with far more small parts stitched together instead of being a simple wrap garment or comprised of two simple shapes sewn to one another. These were garments designed for men on formal occasions. Casual wear consisted of a tunic. Earlier members of task rather than to protect the military didn’t wear trousers, seeing them as effeminate like their Greek predecessors - however, wearer from the combination of being defeated by the trouser wearing Teutonselements.<ref>Ulrike Beck et al., continued northern exploration, and increased usage of cavalry. "The spread invention of the Romans also helped in spreading trousers throughout much of the area where they conquered. Many of these areas were at that point still wearing the separate leggings and its likely affiliation with a tunic horseback riding and mantle - normally made mobility: A case study of heavy wool.<ref>Douglas A. Russelllate 2nd millennium BC finds from Turfan in eastern Central Asia," <i>Costume history and styleQuaternary International</i>  348 (Englewood Cliffs2014):, NJdoi: Prentice-Hall, 1983), 7710.1016/j.quaint.2014.04.056.</ref> In this way, pants helped define a class and social divisions, as wearing them visually identified the wearer with the tasks they completed.

==Men Wearing Pants in While the Modern Era==After development of horseback riding led to pants ' immediate beginnings, they were not instantly accepted by the Romans they became as a more standard mode of dress garment across the Western entire worldat that time. As centuries went on it became those who did not wear pants who stood outInstead, such as Scottish soldiers who wore kilts into battle up into the 20th century. Even as in previous civilizations pants had served as a designator of completing a specific task for the upper class of later Western civilizations they serve to show modernity spread gradually and how the wearer fits the mold of masculinity. By being prepared to carry out physical activities and not being constrained by tight clothing or billowing robes, new fashions showed a change in the cultural mindset as to what was appropriate for these men to accomplish. To show how this change occurred it helps to look at the specific cases of Imperial Russia and Regency England.<ref>Mila Contini, Fashion, from ancient Egypt to the present day (New York: Odyssey Press, 1965), 183often faced challenges among cultures that considered themselves more “civilized” than those wearing pants.</ref>

[[File:1200px-A_Boyar_Wedding_Feast_(Konstantin_Makovsky,_1883)_Google_Cultural_Institute.jpg|thumbnail|275px|left| By Konstantin Makovsky, 1883 - Google Cultural Institute (original file link), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php== How did Pants Develop in the Western World?curid=44381235. The painting depicts two Boyar families at a wedding.]]As part of a mission to drag Russia into what he viewed as the modern world Peter the Great issued a decree, in 1701=Scythian warriors, on modern clothing stating that upper-class men were to follow these guidelines in regard to attire - “The upper dress shall be of French or Saxon cutboth male, and the lower dress and underwear-[including] waistcoat, trousersfemale, bootsfrom Central Eurasia, shoes, and hatsare depicted wearing tight- shall be of the German type.” This replaced the previous style of floor length caftans. The pants mentioned fitting trousers in this decree were Greek art dating from the knee breeches popularized at the time by the French court. In forcing the Russian court to adopt Western styles, Peter I used clothing to highlight the larger societal change efforts which he was putting into place within the country6th centuries BCE. <ref>"PETER'S DECREES ON WESTERN DRESS AND SHAVINGSusan Brown, 1701 AND 1705," http <i> Fashion:the definitive history of costume and style <//wayback.archive-it.org/6473/20160819151435/httpsi> (New York, NY://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/citd/RussianHeritage/6.PG/6.L/7.X.30.htmlDK Publishing, 2012), 15.</ref>Similar styles, consisting of a tunic and trousers, have been found surviving in tombs.

The Greeks wore a wrapped garment, the chiton, and viewed the wearing of trousers as something done by foreigners and females. Some historians believe that the Amazons of Greek myth were at least partially based on the female warriors of the Scythians. In these myths, the trousers come to stand as just one of the ways these warriors buck tradition.<ref>Mayor, Adrienne. <i> The Amazons: lives and legends of warrior women across the ancient world.</i> Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2014, 96.</ref> <dh-ad/> In the Roman world, the toga was the typical wrap garment for men on formal occasions. Casual wear consisted of a tunic. Earlier military members didn’t wear trousers, seeing them as effeminate like their Greek predecessors - however, the combination of being defeated by the trouser wearing Teutons continued northern exploration and increased usage of cavalry. The spread of the Romans also helped in spreading trousers throughout much of the area where they conquered. Many of these areas were still wearing the separate leggings with a tunic and mantle - normally made of heavy wool.<ref>Douglas A. Russell, <i>Costume history and style</i> (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983), 77</ref>  == When did Men begin Wearing Pants in the Modern Era? ==After the Romans accepted pants, they became a more standard mode of dress across the Western world. As centuries went on, it became those who did not wear pants who stood out, such as Scottish soldiers who wore kilts into battle up into the 20th century. Even as in previous civilizations, pants had served as a designator of completing a specific task for the upper class of later Western civilizations. They serve to show modernity and how the wearer fits the mold of masculinity. By being prepared to carry out physical activities and not constrained by tight clothing or billowing robes, new fashions showed a change in the cultural mindset as to what was appropriate for these men to accomplish. To show how this change occurred, it helps to look at the specific cases of Imperial Russia and Regency England.<ref>Mila Contini, Fashion, from ancient Egypt to the present day (New York: Odyssey Press, 1965), 183.</ref>  [[File:X-A_Boyar_Wedding_Feast_(Konstantin_Makovsky,_1883)_Google_Cultural_Institute.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|The painting depicts two Boyar families at a wedding.]]As part of a mission to drag Russia into what he viewed as the modern world, Peter the Great issued a decree, in 1701, on modern clothing stating that upper-class men were to follow these guidelines concerning attire - “The upper dress shall be of French or Saxon cut, and the lower dress and underwear-[including] waistcoat, trousers, boots, shoes, and hats- shall be of the German type.” This replaced the previous style of floor-length caftans.  The pants mentioned in this decree were the knee-breeches popularized at the time by the French court. In forcing the Russian court to adopt Western styles, Peter I used clothing to highlight the larger societal change efforts he was putting into place within the country. <ref>"PETER'S DECREES ON WESTERN DRESS AND SHAVING, 1701 AND 1705"</ref> The final victory for trousers over breeches in England and those nations which that looked to England for fashion was the rise of the popularity of the menswear suit as known today, heavily influenced by Beau Brummell in the early 1800s. Brummell popularized a style characterized by simplicity and good tailoring, in contrast to the previous decades' most flamboyant styles of previous decades. Previous styles had featured tight -fitting knee-breeches and stockings along with heeled shoes, styles which showcased the wearers ' high rank in that they were not practical for doing a vigorous physical activity. <ref> C. Willett Cunnington and Phillis Cunnington, <i>The history of underclothes</i> (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1992), 95. </ref>  On the other hand, the Brummell's style brought to the forefront by Brummell with both its looser long trousers and flat boots and shoes allowed the wearer to participate in more activities matching a social change in the concept of masculinity. He also preferred dark colors, normally black with a white shirt, over the bright colors worn previously. This style was adopted by upper-class men and became the norm for western society through to the modern -day.<ref>Brian Dillon, "Inventory/A Poet of Cloth," <i> Cabinet</i>, Spring 2006.</ref>

The development of pants allowed for a greater range of freedom and movement. While this initially was just for the warrior and lower classes, specifically the males in many societies, over history , the wearing of pants has come to symbolize not only a necessity of movement (as seen when worn by warriors or working peasants) but the choice to be active and to enjoy physical freedoms. Wearing pants showed cultural and societal changes not only in the ideas of what is masculine and what is feminine but also in and what is expected of all members of society.

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